Spare Tire Question

[Ramster]

Hi again I just came back from Yellowstone, Idaho falls, and Jackson Hole Wi. from Vegas we put on 1600 miles, had a blast. Was a little hot going up grades and there is lots to go up there. The air was cutting off under load, (see past posts). Took it to air shop today helped the guy took 7 hours to find and fix a vacume problem, not too bad $440.00 but it works now.

New question.. The coach does not come with a spare I guess National didn't think anyone was ever going to get a flat on the road in there coach?

I did a search and some guy here said that he keeps his spare under his bed. Perfect I think.. Has anyone else's done this? will it fit mounted on a rim too?

I bought a spare tire no rim for $75.00 from craiglist used but it's good. I also joined Coachnet today because I read here it is good. If I get a flat will Coachnet take off the flat tire and put the spare tire I have on the rim that was flat on the RV? If there is room under the bed for a tire on a rim I'll get a rim for it. But if they will do it on the road I won't have to.

Thanks again for all your help

[okmunky]

Does your coach have them same rims on all wheels? Some duals have different rims on inside wheels. If so, a rimmed spare might not work well.

[Ramster]

Same all around R70/245 19.5

[mikron]

We have coach Net also and tire no rim. I readon this site they will not change a tire if you don't have it on a rim. I am going to call and check on this today. We had a rack made to hold the tire under the coach but won't hold with a rim.

[Retiredblade]

I'm with coach net, had to use them once with my motor home's distributor cap melted and left me on a bridge on I-10 in the Henderson swamp! 5 hours of gut wrenching tension! Anyway, don't know about the spare tire issue, all I know is when I bought my pusher, there was no spare, plenty, plenty of room for one, the dealer threw in a spare with no rim, I went on Ebay and got the same size rim that is on the coach, had it mounted and it resides in one of my large bays. I wouldn't think of going on the road without a mounted spare, been there, done that. Had a blow out on the rear on my P-30 chassis Bounder a few years back, had a spare, got off a exit, pulled out my 20 ton bottle jack, 3/4" breaker bar and 4' pipe, changed the tire and was on my way in 1/2 hour. How long would I have had to sit before a tire company would have come and wonder if I just had a tire and no rim, wonder if I had no tire, it is hard around my area to find a 8R19.5 on stock, I have always had to order them. I like to be prepared.

[Scooter]

I quizzed CoachNet about this as our new-to-us 2003 Dolphin did not come with a spare or a rack or carrier to keep one. CN said they would try to find a mobile tire changer truck to do what you are asking. It might be difficult depending on how far your are from a big city; after 5 pm; weekends or holidays. Les Schwab and Tehema tire contract with CN in CA, OR and maybe another nearby state or two. They have some (but not all) mobile tire changer trucks.

But.....if you go flat on a busy road, on a narrow shoulder, tilted 20 degrees who wants to wait an hour or two; much less a day or two.

Try your unmounted tire under your bed (bedroom?) or under chassis? If it will fit, add about four inches for the wheel hub to stick up and see what's what.

Have a metal shop install a tire rack under the RV. Maybe a hand crank to let it down. How about using an outside compartment to keep a mounted spare? We found room in a compartment for ours.

[DonBren]

I had my unmounted spare stored under the bed for a while but I changed locations to an outside bin. I found one bin that would accomodate the unmounted spare. I decided against under the bed because I decided I needed the indoor space for other items, the spare took up too much room. The mounted rim would have fit but at that weight it would have been too much for me to handle so I am going with the unmounted tire outside, that is just my preference. Good luck, Don.

[Gayland]

Scooter, we have a 2004 Dolphin LX 6355 and I'd like to know where you store your spare tire. What compartment do you use? Could you take a picture and enclose? Thank you.

[Scooter]

I'm too computer retarded to take a picture and download or forward it somehow.

First compartment behind passenger's door: By its self not large enough. But up about 18 inches is a pass-thru or shelf. It is 12 inches high by about 36 inches or more wide.

Mounted tire will fit on the shelf about 1/4 of the way in, with the wheel hub stopping further insertion. So....3/4 or so hanging in space. There are some steel walls and framing on each side, close to the compartment door. Drilled a hole about 5/8 inch in each wall, resting on a brace. Ran a piece of substantial rebar under the tire and thru each hole. About 2 inches past the hole and wrapped with a lot of electrician's tape to keep it from sliding. Set a notched 2x4 just long enough to hold the rebar in place and toe-nailed it to a piece of one inch plywood on the compartment floor.

I did have to reposition some wires that were running on the top edge of the shelf or pass-thru. Pushed them inward and out of the way.

The compartment door closes with about an inch or less of hitting the tire.

Hope this helps. You can PM me for a phone call or a diagram I can send to you via fax or letter

[Dunner]

My service contract and Allstate calls for towing. Allstate does have an optional($$) plan that will allow mounting another tire on the side of the road. I don't quit understand the logistics in that. Seems it would cost them less to just send out a new tire to be mounted.

[Gayland]

Scooter, thank you for the information. I looked at this spot but didn't go any further because I've got one of those basement TVs in front of that spot. Did you have a TV also in that compartment location? I wonder how difficult it is to get that TV out.

[Scooter]

Hi Gayland:

No TV was in the compartment.

I am referring to an outside storage compartment, first one to the left of the entry door.

I was not aware of a basement TV.