Community Forums

swampdog2 · 01-09-2011, 06:50 AM

SeaJay! you are a man of wisdom. My father always said it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it , I think he was talking about toilet paper @ the time But! it works for everything don't you think?

Catch and Release · 01-09-2011, 07:52 AM

In this entire discussion no one has mentioned preventative measures such as having a tire pressure monitoring system installed. Best insurance in preventing a flat tire from other than having a serious tire failure Mine has saved me twice over the last 4 years. Besides, where would I put my fishing gear?

InPursuit · 01-09-2011, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robert h

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.

My car comes with a jack that can lift it enough to do the R&R and I can break the lug nuts myself too. I still have AAA though in any case.

Quote:

GS sent a tow operator to change the tire....

Would they not bring a mounted tire with them?
Especially if asked to or when TOLD there was no spare to work with?

Last spring I was told of this scenario... that it was common for GS-ERS.

Big Bear Local · 01-09-2011, 08:27 AM

Seejay"s Quote (I will help you install same. I have the tools and the air compressor on board for this purpose....)

I also carry all that is needed plus a spare.
The fact that it cost the other person $500 for the new wheel plus the price and the wait for the new tire is reason enough for me.

bucks2 · 01-09-2011, 09:16 AM

I guess I'm just a risk taker. I had a starter go bad one time and I still don't carry a spare one. Can you imagine stopping at a rest area in the middle of nowhere, a hundred miles from nothing? And then Goober comes out and doesn't have the right replacement?

You see unless you carry a complete spare vehicle you "could" have a breakdown that you don't have a replacement for, and you "could" have an incompetant repairperson come out.

As for not having the right tire? Are you really telling me that any Goodyear/Michelin/Firestone heavy truck tire store isn't going to have a 22.5 tire that they could put on to get me to town? Really? I'm going to be stuck out in the wild west desert with the rattlesnakes for days while the pony express delivers a tire? What happens if the Indians attack when I'm "west of the Mississippi"?

I do have a question specifically for Seajay though.
"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."
Why do you have propane, CO, and smoke detectors if you never use them? Aren't they passive devices that you have working for you 24/7? Don't you have them sniffing the air all the time, keeping you safe? I would say you believe in them and use them all the time.

I'm going to keep travelling and not worry about what could happen. Lifes too short.

melvonnar · 01-09-2011, 09:43 AM

For those that don't carry a spare----roll the dice---hope they don't come up snake eyes.

The original question on this post was to carry a spare or not.
I believe the ones carrying a spare are in the majority, from what the answers to this post are.
Am I right? OK someone add them up.

johnsonjm209 · 01-09-2011, 09:51 AM

My current m/h is the first one I have had that did not have a spare, or a place to put one. Recently I had to replace all of my tires. I kept the best looking one of the bunch (not mounted on a rim). It will fit in the back of my Jeep GC. Now if I have a problem I hope I can get road service to come out and remount the spare tire I have onto the appropriate rim.
Joe from Ct.

goldwingerx2 · 01-09-2011, 10:23 AM

I have ERS but I could not change the tire if I wanted to. I do not have the strength to break the lug nuts. But having the spare the ERS only has to change tires and recheck the air in it. May not be in a location that I could even get a tire if I needed one. Should stop a trip delay. Mine carries between the frame at the rear, not the easiest place to get to but how often do I need to get under there for it. Never so far but hey it is good insurance.

komac · 01-09-2011, 02:45 PM

Thanks for all your feedback, folks. As I mentioned in my original post, I have two ERS services, so I wasn't planning on changing the tire myself. I also have coach levelers. My original tire is back on the damaged wheel, but that wheel rim was straightened almost to the original shape. I re-inflated the original 19.5 tire to only 65 lbs, figuring that pressure will be enough to get me to a repair destination if I need to use the spare wheel and tire. This is my fourth class A. I guess I've driven class A motorhomes for at least half a million miles, and I've had flats before, but those former coaches had spare tire storage space. When I bought this new coach which came with no spare tire and no dedicated spare tire space, I thought I'd consider what the designers must have obviously thought: that there is really no need for spare tires, since owners are not going to change tires themselves, and that almost all owners have emergency road service. However, when I hit the "hidden" road hazard in north Georgia and blew the tire off the damaged rim, I ended up with a spare mounted tire, after all the expense, waiting, and work were done. Now, I guess, I'll just try to find a convenient spot between the frame rails and get a spare tire cage made, or I'll keep the mounted wheel on the floor of my rear storage space. If I had had a spare mounted tire before the accident, I would have had that wheel mounted, and I would have returned home where I had the time and the familiar local resources to solve the problem at, I believe, much less expense Thanks again. Komac

AFChap · 01-09-2011, 06:56 PM

Quote:

no one has mentioned preventative measures such as having a tire pressure monitoring system installed. Best insurance in preventing a flat tire

I would not argue that a TPMS "could" have some value. However, the BEST insurance in preventing a flat tire is personal attention to your tires, their condition, and their pressure EVERY TIME you set out on a journey.

There is NO TPMS that will prevent a flat tire ...a TPMS can only tell you when a flat tire is happening/has happened, OR if there is an overheating problem (if your TPMS has that feature).

I am on my second TPMS. To date, neither TPMS has EVER saved me from ANY problem. In fact, the first one CAUSED two flat tires and untold problems/grief over the 9 months or so that I used it.

A TPMS is merely a tool ...and an imperfect tool at that. They have drawbacks as well as advantages.

I suspect that most RVers DO NOT carry a spare tire. For those that do ...do you replace it when the age indicates it is risky to use? ...or do you continue to carry a "good looking" spare tire that is far beyond a safe usable age??

mikron · 01-09-2011, 07:16 PM

I bought the tire less rim. Our MH has not rack under the chassie for a spare. I think we have room for a welder to make something to hold the tire. I found a thread on a site referring to iRV2 about a spare tire holder attached to the hitch. It looked funny but it could have a cover to cover the look. Has anyone got info on this. Posted by Warpath on 02/06/2009.

RickO · 01-09-2011, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AFChap

A TPMS is merely a tool ...and an imperfect tool at that. They have drawbacks as well as advantages.

I suspect that most RVers DO NOT carry a spare tire. For those that do ...do you replace it when the age indicates it is risky to use? ...or do you continue to carry a "good looking" spare tire that is far beyond a safe usable age??

Couldn't agree more Paul. My TPMS caused a flat on my toad too because of rubber valve stems...although it did warn me that it was causing a tire to go flat.

I do use it to check the pressure in my tires every time I start the engine but it doesn't replace getting dirty and doing a regular "crawl around" to inspect the tires and undercarraige.

I'll be we need to classify the types of RVs to figure out where a majority might be carrying a spare and where it doesn't happen often. I'm pretty sure coach owners with 22.5" wheels who carry a spare would be in the minority but that probably increases as the wheels get smaller, lighter and easier to store.

So far we haven't ventured very far off the beaten path and have chosen not to give up the storage space to carry one. If we were to head to Alaska my view would probably change.

Rick

RickO · 01-09-2011, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikron

I bought the tire less rim. Our MH has not rack under the chassie for a spare. I think we have room for a welder to make something to hold the tire. I found a thread on a site referring to iRV2 about a spare tire holder attached to the hitch. It looked funny but it could have a cover to cover the look. Has anyone got info on this. Posted by Warpath on 02/06/2009.

I think this is what you're looking for http://www.irv2.com/forums/f52/spare...rier-2597.html

Rick

Catch and Release · 01-09-2011, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AFChap

I would not argue that a TPMS "could" have some value. However, the BEST insurance in preventing a flat tire is personal attention to your tires, their condition, and their pressure EVERY TIME you set out on a journey.

I check my tires every day when I'm on the road but once you're driving down the road, all the inspections in the world won't replace a real time monitoring system.