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08-09-2022, 12:51 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Apr 2022
Location: Wrentham, MA
Posts: 134
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Ford Chassis Spare Tire
It seems to me the spare tire on the E series chassis is rather pointless.
I have been driving E series vans for over 35 years. I am on my 3rd. One lasted more than 12 years and 150,000. One lasted 9 years until it got T-boned and totaled. I am 12 years into the current one. I have never once used the spare tire. When I looked at spares after 9 years they were always cracked, and I would not want to put them on the road. Not sure how long they last when exposed like they are and all the rain and road dirt.
I tried to use one once when I had a slow leak in one on the ground. They are held up by a wire rope cable winch. The cable was packed in grease but was still very rusty. I could not get it to retract after a dozen tries. I found the spare unusable. Besides the cracking it would not hold any air. On the Class C chassis they have added the usual square tube bumper to store the sewer hose. It mostly bocks access to the winch crank. Not sure how I would be able to use it without some kind of special tool. Maybe a flat ratchet wrench.
If you had to use it, then there are all the issues of replacing only one tire and wear that does not match.
So again, what good is the spare tire? I think it just adds unnecessary weight.
__________________
Coachman Leprechaun 311FS, 2018
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08-09-2022, 01:05 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,317
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Agree, I don't carry a spare on my E450 motorhome.
My last motorhome came with a spare. It was a 1999 class C that still had the original spare in 2014 when I bought it. Traded it in with it too.
E450 tires are everywhere. If I get a tire failure I'll call the road guy.
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08-09-2022, 03:33 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 982
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carrying a spare is cheap insurance. for $250 tire and rim is well worth it vs waiting for a tire from for roadside assist at inflated tire price.
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08-09-2022, 04:13 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Florida panhandle
Posts: 1,233
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what good is carrying anything not properly maintained?
__________________
2018 Adventurer 19RD 19’ 11”
Ford E350 V10 Cutaway Chassis Class C
#10050 GVWR, #18500 GCWR Smoke that!
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08-09-2022, 04:48 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Apr 2022
Location: Wrentham, MA
Posts: 134
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gatorb8
what good is carrying anything not properly maintained?
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How would you maintain it? I do not think rotating tires is good solution.
__________________
Coachman Leprechaun 311FS, 2018
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08-09-2022, 05:10 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Florida panhandle
Posts: 1,233
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MichaelBarb
How would you maintain it? I do not think rotating tires is good solution.
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a 9 year old spare is worthless, replace it
inspect your spare and mechanism annually
my spare has served me well twice. I replaced it before it rotted and the mechanism worked well cause I exercised it once a year. Your results may vary but waiting 9 years before using a spare will likely end up how your experience was.
__________________
2018 Adventurer 19RD 19’ 11”
Ford E350 V10 Cutaway Chassis Class C
#10050 GVWR, #18500 GCWR Smoke that!
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08-09-2022, 05:16 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 1,944
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My E450 28' Class C came with a spare mounted to the back of the motorhome. Not on the bumper, but above the bumper on a bracket secured to the back wall of the motorhome. I recently had the original tire replaced, and I think it's well worth having at least one spare on a rim. I have an impact wrench, jack, jack stand and torque wrench, so I could do a change out myself, if I was out in the middle of nowhere. But at least if I have a tire mounted on a rim, if I call road service it will be much easier and quicker.
By the way, if you have a spare under your motorhome on a pulley with a cable, make sure and check that occasionally. The cable on my old F-150 broke. Fortunately I was at a stop sign and just took off when it happened, so no harm was done. If that had happened on a freeway it could have been deadly.
In fact I replaced the winch, but I was so paranoid I ended up using ratchet straps to hold the spare up as well. After viewing videos on YouTube of spares that dropped off on the freeway, I didn't want that happening!
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08-09-2022, 05:28 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,317
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cherv
carrying a spare is cheap insurance. for $250 tire and rim is well worth it vs waiting for a tire from for roadside assist at inflated tire price.
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Then you need the tools and ability to change it.
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08-09-2022, 06:55 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2021
Location: Houston
Posts: 521
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I guess it just boils down to where you have a flat. If you are in west Texas or the Nevada desert, it’s going to be a while before road service gets to you. If you are able to wrestle an 80 odd pound wheel assembly and have all the tools needed, then go for it.
Each person knows what they are capable of.
__________________
2018 E450 Forester 2291s
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08-10-2022, 09:10 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: N/E IL
Posts: 1,959
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I have carried a spare tire since 1983 in a motorhome and have never used it. Our current rig owned since 2007, has its spare stored in an enclosure as shown.
The spare looks brand new with all the little knobbies and even the sticker. It has NO cracks of any kind. Along with the rest of the motorhome, it is stored indoors in a climate controlled environment during non-use. The spare is currently 15.5 years old.
I just replaced the original 6 tires last year at 14 years old, primarily because they too looked and worked great along with the weight of the rig requiring only 63 psi in back 4 and less for the 2 up front. I replaced them only because I wasn't comfortable stretching my luck further.
Back to my 15 year old spare, I don't plan on changing it anytime soon, nor do I ever plan to leave it home. For as life goes, I would get a flat and kick kick myself for doing so.
Here is an idea for you who don't want your spare. Sell it to the next person you come upon with the same chassis, who has a flat and no spare, and no means of changing it. I bet he would be very happy to pay you some really good money for your spare, jack, and tire iron. Or you could gain even more favor with God and simply bless him and his fellow travelers and "give" everything to them.
__________________
Special Ordered Our 2007 Phoenix Cruiser 2350 Without A Slide-Out, Built On A 2007 Super-Duty E350 Chassis With 6.8L-V10 Engine. CLICK HERE FOR MANY PICTURES
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08-10-2022, 11:45 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Gulf Streamers Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Memphis, TN
Posts: 4,288
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Maiden voyage on new to me 18yo rig had a flat, 6:PM at relatives short stop enroute, Friday night holiday weekend, small town, sidewalks rolled up, Tires about TWO yo, had spare, found spare was 12yo w. no sidewall cracks but no tools, ERS arrived midnight from 100 miles away after previous tow of big rig and having to return to office 50 miles away to swap truck. Son found us two tires at a WM 200 miles away on-route, but I had to remove on hot asphalt in lot, then they mounted/ balanced, and I had to reinstall.
__________________
(TerryH.) 2000-GS Conquest Limited 6266 Class-C 99-E450SD V10
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08-12-2022, 01:31 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Gulf Streamers Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Memphis, TN
Posts: 4,288
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Had I NOT had a tire, I feel sure I would have been stuck another 6-hrs to 72-hrs?
__________________
(TerryH.) 2000-GS Conquest Limited 6266 Class-C 99-E450SD V10
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08-16-2022, 10:14 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: South of Atlanta, Georgia
Posts: 2,105
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MichaelBarb
It seems to me the spare tire on the E series chassis is rather pointless.
I have been driving E series vans for over 35 years. I am on my 3rd. One lasted more than 12 years and 150,000. One lasted 9 years until it got T-boned and totaled. I am 12 years into the current one. I have never once used the spare tire. When I looked at spares after 9 years they were always cracked, and I would not want to put them on the road. Not sure how long they last when exposed like they are and all the rain and road dirt.
I tried to use one once when I had a slow leak in one on the ground. They are held up by a wire rope cable winch. The cable was packed in grease but was still very rusty. I could not get it to retract after a dozen tries. I found the spare unusable. Besides the cracking it would not hold any air. On the Class C chassis they have added the usual square tube bumper to store the sewer hose. It mostly bocks access to the winch crank. Not sure how I would be able to use it without some kind of special tool. Maybe a flat ratchet wrench.
If you had to use it, then there are all the issues of replacing only one tire and wear that does not match.
So again, what good is the spare tire? I think it just adds unnecessary weight.
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The problems you describe with the hoist and the tire are your lack of maintenance. I drop a spare every year or so to insure the hoist is working, the tire is properly inflated and everything looks good.
While the tire is down, I operate the hoist several times spraying lube into it and insuring it works smoothly. After scrubbing the spare to remove dirt that is accumulated on the top of it, which can cause rust on the rim, I finally reinstall everything.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tap4154
By the way, if you have a spare under your motorhome on a pulley with a cable, make sure and check that occasionally. The cable on my old F-150 broke. Fortunately I was at a stop sign and just took off when it happened, so no harm was done. If that had happened on a freeway it could have been deadly.
In fact I replaced the winch, but I was so paranoid I ended up using ratchet straps to hold the spare up as well. After viewing videos on YouTube of spares that dropped off on the freeway, I didn't want that happening!
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Same here, I added a ratchet strap across the spare on my RAM 2500, belt and suspenders I know, but spares do fall out all too often
Charles
__________________
'03 Ram 2500 CTD, 5.9HO six speed PacBrake std cab long bed Leer top and 2008 Bigfoot 25B21RB.. Previously, 2008 Thor Freedom Spirit 180, SOLD! 2007 Winnebago View 23H Motorhome, SOLD!
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08-16-2022, 11:16 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Gulf Streamers Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Memphis, TN
Posts: 4,288
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<<What good is a spare>> What good is a mini-donut spare for your car? It will get you DOWN THE ROAD to the tire SHOP without a TOW. My first flat w/ Class-C was maiden voyage on 17-yo rig, spare was found to be 12yo, but it got me the 200-miles down road to the on-route WM that had the two tires I needed on a Holiday weekend. Yup, replaced spare too. A few years later, flat tire 1-block from house on Nissan pickup, on interstate ramp, 27-yo mini-donut with low air got installed and aired up and to three stores before finding the tire size I needed (they ONLY had one) I later found a new tire for the donut on Amazon, TOO.
__________________
(TerryH.) 2000-GS Conquest Limited 6266 Class-C 99-E450SD V10
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