Community Forums

GaryKD · 01-08-2011, 06:49 PM

Hi Voyager35L,
You have a good question. Consider posting the question in the Winnebago Owners forum. Winne owners may have just the answer you are looking for. Nobody knows your coach like somebody who owns one like yours.

sknight · 01-08-2011, 06:53 PM

You had a bad experience that could have easily been solved by having a spare tire and wheel, and now that you have a spare tire and wheel you want to know if it's worth keeping with you?

I don't get the question I guess. You're the perfect example of why you need one. Even if you have AAA come out and put it on for you it's free insurance now that you have it.

I'd visit an RV dealer or even a custom welding shop, surely there's a way to mount a spare somewhere. Maybe even the original manufacturer has a ready made option?

melvonnar · 01-08-2011, 07:00 PM

A good weld shop could fix you right up with a mount that goes under your motorhome; between the frame rails; thats what I did, I carried a mounted spare tire under the motorhome for years. (had to use it twice) I wouldn't leave home without one.

AFChap · 01-08-2011, 07:07 PM

My coach has 22.5" wheels ...aluminum on front and outside rear and steel on inside rear. I have a lug wrench but no adequate jack, etc. I haven't needed a spare in 7 1/2 years and over 60k miles traveling all over the US. Definitely not worth the weight to me, especailly the wheel as each wheel position on my coach requires a different wheel mount. If I ever need one I'll call Coach-Net road service and deal with it.

bucks2 · 01-08-2011, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AFChap

My coach has 22.5" wheels ...aluminum on front and outside rear and steel on inside rear. I have a lug wrench but no adequate jack, etc. I haven't needed a spare in 7 1/2 years and over 60k miles traveling all over the US. Definitely not worth the weight to me, especailly the wheel as each wheel position on my coach requires a different wheel mount. If I ever need one I'll call Coach-Net road service and deal with it.

Good choice Paul. The bigger motorhomes like yours and mine especially with a tag axle, don't have a "space between the frame rails". There's a generator in front, an engine in the back and basement storage inbetween. No, I'm not putting an unmounted spare in the basement on the off chance that I'll have a flat, not ruin the rim, be in a place that doesn't have a spare, and be in such a hurry that I can't wait because the universe is collapsing on itself.

Someone should calculate the number of over the road truckers that don't carry a spare of any kind, multiply by the number of trucks, and the number of miles driven and then decide if the odds are for you or against you.

InPursuit · 01-08-2011, 08:26 PM

I've never had to call ERS for anything so maybe one of the old timers can clue me in on this but are you all implying that a 19.5" tire on a wheel that wil fit a P30 is some sort of rare commodity to whoever it is they'll be sending out to deal with a flat?

And remember the thread about carrying a full tank of water when traveling?
I'm figuring that we can hang if we have to and play the TV in the air-conditioned coach then take a shower and fix dinner and even nap until the pickup truck and "mechanic" they send out with the spare and jack arrive to do the R&R.

So with all due consideration of the Contrarian's...
I think I'll stick with the ERS and credit card as needed.
(When I go to Alaska I reserve the right to plan else wise)

RickO · 01-08-2011, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InPursuit

I'm sticking with ERS and VISA cards.
They take up a LOT less space.

Me too. Although we have a larger rig and don't spend much time in state and national parks but even so I can't imagine trying to carry a spare tire and rim for my rig... not to mention the gear to change the tire.

Rick

sknight · 01-08-2011, 08:44 PM

It really amazes me how many people are poo pooing this, but yet.......

Have vehicle, home, disability insurance, probably have never used it and odds are never really will, but couldn't see life without it.

Would likely go off on a car salesman that sold them a car or truck that didn't have a spare. How many cars have flats over miles driven? I've got probably 400,000 under my belt and had a grand total of three. One a total blowout in the middle of nowhere at about one AM. Call AAA? Sure after I walked a few miles in the dark to the exit since my cell phone had no signal. My wife would have loved either sitting in the truck alone on the interstate for however long that took or taking the walk with me in 25* weather.

I simply can't believe how this group will go nuts once someone gets close to their weight rating with the "It's your family" down the nose act, but no need to carry a spare, I can call someone to rescue me while the spare I already have sits at home.

Like I said, surely I'm misunderstanding something here.

sknight · 01-08-2011, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bucks2

Someone should calculate the number of over the road truckers that don't carry a spare of any kind, multiply by the number of trucks, and the number of miles driven and then decide if the odds are for you or against you.

Look under the trailers or on the backs of the tractors when you're on the road. Most of them carry at least the correct tire if not a mounted up assembly.

melvonnar · 01-08-2011, 08:54 PM

There are those that don't carry a spare tire in their automobiles; its everyone for what there comfortable with.
Me I'll carry a spare.
Once in Utah I had a flat; 60 miles to the nearest town,120 degrees heat! Am I glad I had a spare? GS sent a tow operator to change the tire. would have been several 100 miles to somewhere to get a new tire; was a weekend, would have had to stay there more than two days if I didn't have a spare; three days in 120 degree heat? I think I'll carry a spare thank you.

Monacoach · 01-08-2011, 10:43 PM

Most likely any spare tire that you purchase will live its full life in your storage bay.

Downsizer · 01-08-2011, 10:55 PM

We saved best one when we replaced ours - tire only on the roof. Only place it would fit!
Don't want to be stuck trying to get a tire someday! Will let tire man do mounting & changing

kalynzoo · 01-08-2011, 11:38 PM

I purchased a used spare unmounted tire a few years ago for a Tracks trip to Mexico. I had the spare, my friend had the belts. It sits deep in a center compartment, in an area that I would not use for storage since it is deep and sliding items might be lost forever. If I had damaged tire I could hopefully have this mounted and used until I could have a new tire sent to wherever a service location might be. I did have a blowout in a previous MH with 19.5 tires. Watching the roadside tech fight of the old tire and mount the spare made me realize I could never even attempt a tire replacement on the MH myself. And I'm 10 years older now.
If you have a good spare, see if it can be hidden and mounted someplace. Hopefully you will never have to find it. But it is nice to know you are dragging it around.

Seajay · 01-09-2011, 07:20 AM

I posted earlier that I have always carried a spare and I always will. I keep good tires on the coach and always replace tires as necessary, I use the term. ''If in doubt, throw it out''. Our present coach has over one hundred and ten thousand miles on it. That is around the world four times and counting. We have had a couple of flats and two blow outs as I recall and only one of the ''flats'' was in a convent place. (a campground)

Concerning a spare I use this analogy.

Do you have smoke detectors, Lp detector, and a carbon monoxide detector, and at least one fire extinguisher?
We have three smoke detectors, one Lp gas detector, two carbon monoxide detectors and two fire extinguishers on board and we have NEVER USED A ONE OF THEM, N E V E R. And I would not leave home without them.

For those of you that depend on ERS, Good luck, We waited 18 hours on the interstate crossing Utah for ''Goober'' to finally get to our blow out with the wrong tools for the job. Had we not ''had a spare'' I am sure ''Goober'' would have flattened our Visa card or worse yet would have demanded ''cash'' for services rendered. I got a ''post on here'' telling about this experience. No way I would hand ''Goober'' five hundred cash and depended on him to come back with a spare tire.

IMHO when you cross the Mississippi to our western states. CARRY A SPARE because there are places that simple stuff like GASOLINE STATIONS are over one hundred miles apart and to buy a ''SPARE'' it could take a week or so to have one shipped in by mule train.

One more thing. I keep reading about the ''weight'' concerning the spare tire and rim. Do this . Calculate the fifty gallons of water you haul in your water tank. Fifty Gallons times 6 L.B.S. +/- per gallon = 300 pounds. Drop 25 gallons of water and your ''spare tire weight is free''.............
When I see you on the side of the road with a blowout in the middle of nothing, and a hundred miles from anything, with no spare, just wave your WHITE SHIRT at me and I will loan you my spare tire FREE OF CHARGE... and if you have ''leveling jacks'' and chock blocks, I will help you install same. I have the tools and the air compressor on board for this purpose....

Best of luck my Brothers and Sisters.......

God bless our troops and bring them home real soon and very safe....