Spare Tire - Page 2

ichn2go · 06-10-2006, 02:46 AM

FrontRanger, If you Moho is like your Avatar I believe I would carry a spare prop. LOL
Seriously tho, I think a spare is a matter of choice and how far you are traveling from home. If I were traveling out west in sparsely populated areas , I would certainly carry a spare.
A friend of my had a blow out on a western trip, and even tho he had ERS it took 4 hours and he had to settle for a used tire. The wait would have been much less if he had a tire to mount. So its a toss up as too what you do about carrying a spare...Good Miles

Tom N · 06-10-2006, 03:14 AM

An unmounted spare is good, a mounted spare is better and two mounted spares is best.

Good, better, best.
Never let it rest.
Till the good is better.
And the better is best!

Me????? I carry no spare and have never carried one in any of my motorhomes. I have never had a need for one.

rebelsbeach · 06-10-2006, 03:17 AM

Lots of good information here and some good thoughts on both sides.....Boils down to the fact there have been "inventive" ways presented to carry both a mounted or an unmounted spare and as always the choice is yours as to what is or isn't carried on your rig.

Rather than a Mexican standoff as to "your way is better than mine", I'd be interested in hearing any other constructive ideas for carrying a spare,unless this has run it's course....

RKL2 · 06-10-2006, 04:52 AM

the best way to protect an unmounted spare tire hung underneath is to buy and inflate a 22.5 tube in the tire...This will keep out the road debris and water.......RKL

RKL2 · 06-10-2006, 04:55 AM

Question....when hnging the unmounted spare underneath using the nylon straps, where do they attach to the tire and where on the frame? will hanging there for a long time affect the bead if the straps go through the tire....thanks RKL

John_Canfield · 06-10-2006, 06:17 AM

I measured the space between the frame rails at the rear of the coach (in front of the rear axle) and it did look like there would be room (barely) for the tire. I would like to move the spare that is currently on top of the Jeep to that space one of these days. If we still had the stick house and my shop, I would fabricate something myself. Some kind of mechanical advantage would be needed to lift the tire up into that space. If I happen to come across a welding shop up here that's handy I might talk to them about cobbling something together.

I am really glad we decided to carry the spare; if we would have had a flat on our way up (much of the Alaska Highway is really remote without many services available) here I think we could have been waiting days for a suitable replacement tire. It would be fairly easy I believe to find somebody to just change/remount the tire.

For travel in the lower 48 states, I don't think I would bother with a spare (although out in Montana, South Dakota, etc. you can still wind up in a very remote area!)

Jack Foster · 06-10-2006, 11:22 AM

Take a look at this link. It looks like it would work fine for both a gas or diesel rig.

http://www.rvtirecarrier.com/

Jack

Lug_Nut · 06-10-2006, 12:20 PM

Jack Foster, It looks like a great way to carry either a mounted or even an unmounted, however it may prove a heat challenge in a rear radiator DP application.

Jack Foster · 06-10-2006, 12:51 PM

Lug Nut

I suppose it could be a cooling / airflow issue, but the company does show it on the back of a dp with a rear radiator in most of their pictures. I'd be more concerned about the strength the hitch and mounting. I've wondered about this for my Mountain Aire. I already have to use an 8" drop down receiver to line up with my towbar for my wrangler and I'm afraid with this carrier I'd create a real problem on the Hidden Hitch itself. There have been problems with the welds breaking on them.

Jack

ppeter313 · 06-11-2006, 07:46 AM

An unmounted 255 80R 22.5 weighs 89#, mounted and balanced, 168#, fabricated mount including electric winch, 50#, total additional weight, 218#, hanging from the frame ahead of the rear axle. It took my local tire dealer 10 days to locate and get shipped a Michelin XRV 255 80R 22.5 tire.

Paul

MrTransistor · 06-11-2006, 06:42 PM

Hi All,

We had Michelin XRV 235/80R22.5 tires on our Journey which we replaced pretty quick with XZE 255/80R22.5s. I totally agree that the XRV seems to be a rare tire and there was a strong temptation for me to carry a spare. The XZEs are a very common tire and as such, I feel much less inclined to fool with the weight and expense of an extra tire ageing along with the tires on the coach.

We now have a Horizon with XZE 275/80R22.5s and they are even more common than the 255s. My question would be; "Has anyone with Michelin XZE or equivalent tires ˜ever' had a blow out or flat?" I can't say that I have ever heard of this with the XZE tires and therefore statistically carrying a spare doesn't seem to me to make sense. We also have a 1997 Buick Regal with over 120,000 miles that has always had Michelin tires and we have never had a blow out or even a tire that was low and wouldn't take air so we couldn't make it to a tire center for a repair.

Our coach currently has 42,000 miles and the XZEs seem like they could pass for new.

The question of spare / no spare is recurring and some will and some won't carry one. It's a choice that we all will make based on our own personal preferences and experiences and comfort level. The question of mounted / unmounted will be influenced by the rims. With Aluminum rims, I suppose the tire could be mounted on a full polished Aluminum rim and used for any tire position including the inside rear.

ajbjrvers · 06-12-2006, 01:28 AM

To, All, Re; spare tire and wheel,

My 2000 Mountain Aire, gas, came with spare stored in rear bumper compartment, never needed it, the same for 2 rigs before that.

The 2002 diesel does not have spare nor was there an option to get one. Besides if there was one it would be too heavy to handle, let alone change a bad tire and it would take up too much room.

If there is room, carry it if you have the strengh to handle it, plus be in a location where the rig can be safely jacked up.

If your planning a long trip in the " boonies "
away from civilization you could carry a spare, but service and tires/wheels are usually available.if you can't wait, carry one and get a hernia.

Hope this info helps !!

== AIME==== AJBJRvers===

RKL2 · 06-12-2006, 11:51 AM

Decided to carry an unmounted spare for this years trip to the Canadian Rockies...My new 275/70/22.5 tire will fit in the void between the frame rails infront of the rear axle...
I plan to let tire sit on an square of marine plywood that can be raised into position with a small floor jack....Once in position I plan to run 2 quality nylon straps under the plywood to each side of the frame rail and tighten securely..
Do you think this mounting is a better way than just tieing the tire up with 4 nylon straps wrapped aroung the casing? Opinions appreciated...Thanks RKL

Gary CA · 06-12-2006, 02:36 PM

RKL: Having spent time under the coach determining how to secure my unmounted spare and hearing about damage caused by road debris and tire gators, I secured the tire with 4 points of contact. Thinking about just 2 straps neither of which could support the tire on it's own and in an emergency and then you have more potential for damage.

"007" · 06-12-2006, 04:23 PM

John can correct me if I'am wrong. The ALCAN thru B.C. has some dirt roads, from the forty mile,hint Forty Mile Roadhouse, or Alaska border the roads are paved because all the roads were for military traffic. The ALCAN runs to Big Delta than becomes the Richardson Highway to Fairbanks and back to Glen-Allen. Out of Tok Junction its the Glen Allen highway south. All paved roads will have some frost heaves because of permafrost under them. If you hit some of these sections of road a tire under coach with ties may pull loose and cause you some damage under your coach. Best bet would make some room inside compartment or carry on top of tow or inside. When I was stationed up there it was required to carry a spare tire to travel over the ALCAN Highway.

Everyone have a good trip

and take it easy if you go to fast you may miss

the wildlife alone side of the road and don't forget the scenery, take pics and oh yes watch out for the buffalos

on the flats before Big-D or in the river beds along the Rich-highway. In 1958 they had the first albino calf born, same year made statehood what a party

on 4th Avenue that was, the same 4th Ave that split in two during the earthquake in 60's.

RKL2 · 06-12-2006, 04:29 PM

Gary CA.....did you use the 4 nylon straps wrappped under the tire or did you loop them around the tire and thru the doughnut?...Did you use anything under the tire or just let it hang by the 4 straps?...thanks RKL

"007" · 06-12-2006, 05:06 PM

If you stop at the Forty Mile Roadhouse for lunch

check out the Alaskan Huskies they raise, can remember when half breed cook was scared

out her pants and tried to hide in the big fire place when some

Black Bears came to visit.

Buddy & Jenna Kidd · 06-13-2006, 04:29 PM

I went to Alaska last summer in my 2001 Horizon 36LD and there were no dirt roads on the Alcan. There was some construction in three places which will be rocky. One place to not stop at is called Northern Rockies Lodge at Muncho Lake. They do not have good sites for big rigs, are expensive, and most important, they generate their own power at 50 cycles.

Watch the Spruce trees along the road. As you get further north you will see patches where they are short. Four to ten feet tall. Those are Black Spruce and only grow where there is permafrost. The tall ones are White Spruce and will not grow on permafrost. There will nearly always be sharp dips in the road where there are Black Spruce. Most of them will be marked. Be sure to slow down for them. There are some of them which will bottom out your rig.

If you have any other questions let me know.

Jack Foster · 06-14-2006, 02:19 AM

Has anyone thought about having an unmounted spare tire stored with a friend somewhere? Then when / if you need it, you just call your friend and have them UPS it to you. I know it's not a perfect solution, but it would at least solve the availability problem.

Jack

Gary N. · 06-19-2006, 03:18 PM

After reading this thread I decided to get a spare tire and wheel. I called the place I usually deal at and they quoted $465 for a 235/80R-22.5 Michelin and $209 for a wheel. These are Canadian $$$. Anyone have a suggestion for a good place to buy these in the U.S. I thought Camping World carried tires but they don't have them listed on line.