Spare tire? May 06, 2017, 03:42:36 pm Does everyone carry a spare tire? When we traveled in our 39' and 45' motorhomes we never carried a spare tire and never needed one. Isn't the tires on a LD a pretty common size? I'm just wondering of the necessity to carry a spare when it takes up so much room and added weight.So how many LD'ers have actually used the spare over their travels?
Re: Spare tire? Reply #1 – May 06, 2017, 03:50:42 pm I carry one. And glad I had it on our last trip when I had a blowout.
Re: Spare tire? Reply #2 – May 06, 2017, 04:03:18 pm The tires used on the Ford E-450 are 225/75R/16 E, a "common" size until one needs a spare in some location where finding one could be very inconvenient, if at all and at a "non-rip off" price, may be pretty tough. I know that some models don't carry a spare under the spare tire cover, but rather in a compartment, and that this does take up space and may be difficult to access. Although I haven't needed the spare in almost 14 years, I'm not willing to thumb my nose at the universe and chance going off without it; I carry an "aired to max" spare. YMMV, of course. 2 Likes
Re: Spare tire? Reply #3 – May 06, 2017, 06:34:59 pm "Does everyone carry a spare tire?"Like the credit card commercial: "Don't leave home without it!".We have travelled to remote locations and would not tempt fate by leaving the spare at home. Have portable jump starter and spare tire, will travel.Steve K 1 Likes
Re: Spare tire? Reply #4 – May 06, 2017, 07:14:38 pm I carry a spare. Never needed it but would never travel without it.Ken F in OR 1 Likes
Re: Spare tire? Reply #5 – May 06, 2017, 08:01:57 pm Quote from: folivier - May 06, 2017, 03:42:36 pmDoes everyone carry a spare tire? When we traveled in our 39' and 45' motorhomes we never carried a spare tire and never needed one. Isn't the tires on a LD a pretty common size? Changing a blown tire, possibly in a remote location, particularly on the rear, is not for everyone - including possibly me. So, you may have to wait for a service truck to come out. If you do not have a mounted, balanced spare, he will have to jack you up and leave that way until he can return with a new tire mounted on your rim. Besides the obvious extra cost of a new tire and remounting, you will have a lot of extra time to consider whether you want to reconsider carrying a spare in the future...Steve 3 Likes
Re: Spare tire? Reply #6 – May 06, 2017, 08:59:32 pm I don't necessarily disagree with carrying one but I just can't remember how long ago I had a flat tire. Tires have just gotten that good if you take care of them. My 45' motorhome weighed in at 50000 pounds and the 8 tires cost about $6-700 each! and aren't easy to find. So I took care of them, checked temps and air pressure daily and had tire pressure monitors. But most of my buddies who still have 45' motorhomes don't carry spares. If and when I get a LD I'm sure it will have a spare but it may be aged out and need to be replaced.
Re: Spare tire? Reply #7 – May 06, 2017, 09:07:39 pm The first time you experience a blow-out, and after the hair on the back of your neck settles into place, you will thank yourself that you decided to carry that spare. Whether it is you that mounts the spare or some untrained yoyo from a local garage you will be content to know that you've got the means to proceed until you can effect repairs. And it would be a good thing if the powers above are looking kindly at your situation and that there is not massive collateral damage in that wheel well. 3 Likes
Re: Spare tire? Reply #8 – May 06, 2017, 09:42:09 pm I carry a spare, but can't remember the last time I used one. Some van's and class Bs come with a compressor and a can of Slime. I get that it is unlikely to need even this emergency repair kit, but when camping we go where service is not easily available. It's one of those things where my head says it's OK to not have a spare,, but my gut says no way. 1 Likes
Re: Spare tire? Reply #9 – May 06, 2017, 10:47:06 pm Then there is the dreaded DOT number where if one neglects it one spare may be as good as none.Kent
Re: Spare tire? Reply #10 – May 07, 2017, 01:59:45 am A difference between a diesel pusher and a Class C is a Class C's tire can be changed by mere mortals or tow truck drivers.Changing a flat on a DP requires a mobile tire repair truck, along with some very heavy equipment and usually, a large, young man with the strength to handle dealing with repairing and changing the very heavy tire and wheel, on the spot. If the tire is damage beyond repair, you can only hope the repair shop can find one quickly, if not, enjoy your roadside vacation.We take our LDs places a big DP can only dream about, where flats are more likely. Carrying the spare provides peace of mind, I have helped change more than one flat, on a Class C. Seen a couple of DPs with flats too.Throw the dice and hope you get lucky.Larry
Re: Spare tire? Reply #11 – May 07, 2017, 08:14:20 am "We take our LDs places a big DP can only dream about"And that's why we're looking at buying a LD. When traveling we saw many places we wanted to spend a few days but couldn't.
Re: Spare tire? Reply #12 – May 07, 2017, 12:32:27 pm As Larry pointed out, the LD tires, though heavy and unwieldy, are much more manageable than you are used to with your class-As. Your LD is also much shorter and LOWER, which will get you easily into those remote dispersed camping areas among the trees... NOT where you want a blowout with no spare!Steve
Re: Spare tire? Reply #13 – May 07, 2017, 05:43:02 pm I've had flat tires in several of our RV's and it never happens at convenient times or places. Having a spare filled to the correct pressure, and the correct tools to change the tire, is one way to make that inevitable occurrence just a little less unpleasant.When we bought our Lazy Daze in October, the first thing I did when I got it home was changed a rear tire for practice. What fun. I discovered that I needed two different jacks, one low profile one and one big-fat-heavy-duty one, a big breaker bar, a 250ft.lb. torque wrench, a well worn jumpsuit, and gloves (changing a tire is dirty work done while laying on the ground). They are all now in the rig. I hope I never need them, but I feel better out in the boondocks knowing that I can change the tire and have the right equipment. By the way, the tires and wheels are pretty heavy, but not nearly as heavy as the 19.5's on a class A RV or our diesel truck. 16 inch wheels and tires are manageable by most owners if you use a little leverage and patience.My wise old dad reminded me whenever I said "I have never (fill in the problem), I was violating the "unmentionable rule." When one violates the unmentionable rule, it almost always assures that said problem will occur soon, kind of like tempting the Devil!HD 2 Likes
Re: Spare tire? Reply #14 – May 07, 2017, 05:57:19 pm "I hope I never need them, but I feel better out in the boondocks knowing that I can change the tire and have the right equipment."On the flip side of that coin...I also had the needed equipment! However, as the years have slipped away I no longer carry said equipment. The best I can hope for is to have a nice strong cell signal over which I can reach my road side emergency folks. 2 Likes
Re: Spare tire? Reply #15 – May 09, 2017, 01:03:58 am Yes, I have a spare and used it last year when the inner dually Tireman long valve stem broke. Road service speculated it was maybe hit by road debris. Although I use road service, I also carry the minimum equipment, including jack, for some strong backed good samaritan to change it. (In 11 years in a similar sized class c, I had 3 dually flats.)Lori Y2011 24FL 1 Likes
Re: Spare tire? Reply #16 – May 09, 2017, 09:23:40 am I carry a spare. I want top travel the 16' wide roads through the Midwest that qualify for state high way funding with a farm house on a section of land. You will need a 8 or 12 ton hydraulic jack though. My Ford screw jack can barely lift the front wheel, much less a rear dually.
Re: Spare tire? Reply #17 – May 09, 2017, 10:04:42 am I prefer to have my spare tire with me at all times! 7 Likes
Re: Spare tire? Reply #18 – May 09, 2017, 12:45:30 pm I carry two jacks, a 8 ton and 12 hydraulic, along with various size pieces of 2"X 4"s for cribbing and wheel chocks. The 8-ton jacks is short, while the 12-ton is much taller. The shorter jack is needed to begin lifting the rear axle, with the taller jack assisting, once the axle is raised high enough for the taller jack to slide under the axle.A 12'X 12' square of 3/4' plywood is carried to place under the jack, to prevent sinking in soft ground. To remove the nuts, a 1/2" breaker bar, socket and extension long enough to reach the rear duals lug nuts, is used. A 3' long 'cheater' bar, made from a piece of 1" steel water pipe, is big enough in diameter to slide over the breaker bar handle, used to assist in loosing and tightening the lug nuts. To determine if what you carry is adequate, change a rear tire at home. Lots of fun.We also carry a tire patching kit and usually two or three sources of compressed air.Better to be over prepared than under.If you carry leveling blocks, they can be handy for raising the front or rear to the desired height, before positioning the jacks.This methods also handy for installing snow chains, raising the inside dual tire, on each side, so the outside wheel is off the ground.It's is a real time saver.Larry
Re: Spare tire? Reply #19 – May 09, 2017, 01:42:07 pm If you are going to the trouble of changing your own rear tire keep in mind that the parking brake affects only the rear brakes. Once you lift the rear off the ground it changes the dynamics dramatically. You had better have some chocks available to keep the rig from moving. When I had a blowout they sent a local yokel out to swap tires. He did not know enough to use chocks. You can imagine the rest! 1 Likes
Re: Spare tire? Reply #20 – May 09, 2017, 01:59:11 pm Quote from: Lazy Bones - May 09, 2017, 01:42:07 pmIf you are going to the trouble of changing your own rear tire keep in mind that the parking brake affects only the rear brakes. Once you lift the rear off the ground it changes the dynamics dramatically. You had better have some chocks available to keep the rig from moving. When I had a blowout they sent a local yokel out to swap tires. He did not know enough to use chocks. You can imagine the rest! and IF you happen to own a LD built before 08 that uses a transmission (emergency) break errr brake, it does not even brake the rear wheels if one of the rear wheels is up in the air. The E450 comes with a open differential so the RV will move. Best practice is to always use wheel chocks when putting any car/truck in the air for taking off a wheel. 1 Likes
Re: Spare tire? Reply #21 – May 09, 2017, 02:20:07 pm "I carry two jacks, a 8 ton and 12 hydraulic, along with various size pieces of 2"X 4"s for cribbing and wheel chocks. The 8-ton jacks is short, while the 12-ton is much taller. The shorter jack is needed to begin lifting the rear axle, with the taller jack assisting, once the axle is raised high enough for the taller jack to slide under the axle.A 12'X 12' square of 3/4' plywood is carried to place under the jack, to prevent sinking in soft ground. To remove the nuts, a 1/2" breaker bar, socket and extension long enough to reach the rear duals lug nuts, is used. A 3' long 'cheater' bar, made from a piece of 1" steel water pipe, is big enough in diameter to slide over the breaker bar handle, used to assist in loosing and tightening the lug nuts."-----The little plastic card from Coach-Net takes up less space! One just hopes that a cell tower is within range! Your tire-changing protocol is what I'd follow if I could, but I know that there is no way I could change a rear tire (and/or the front, either, very probably) on the LD; regrettably, I'm not strong enough any more to break the lug nuts loose, even with a cheater bar and copious amounts of swearing in two languages! I also doubt if I could wrestle a 60-pound tire and wheel off and on the axle. What I can do is to remove the wheel cover, make sure that the road service person positions the jack correctly on the axle, and watch while s/he fires up the onboard compressor to power the impact wrench. 6 Likes
Re: Spare tire? Reply #22 – May 10, 2017, 02:40:11 pm "Does everyone carry a spare tire? " I would not be without a spare tire in case I needed one in a remote location or on a weekend or holiday where it would be more difficult to get one. However, I met a lady who owned a SOB that did not have a spare tire. She told me that many RV manufacturers do not provide spare tires. She said that she had some kind of insurance that guaranteed that they would bring her the tire she needed if she required one after a flat tire or blow out. Sorry that I don't have any more details. Monica
Re: Spare tire? Reply #23 – May 10, 2017, 03:25:34 pm "She said that she had some kind of insurance that guaranteed that they would bring her the tire she needed if she required one after a flat tire or blow out."----It's true that some (probably many) RV manufacturers don't provide a spare tire, and some people seem to be fine with this. It may be that the people who are OK with not having an onboard spare have not experienced a blow out (or flat tire or hole in the sidewall or slow leak) and don't consider the potential hassle and expense of trying to find a suitable tire replacement on the road. I can't speak to whatever "insurance guarantee" there might be that delivers the appropriate tire to wherever and whenever a failure happens, but I know that I would definitely read the fine print of any "agreement". It may be that the person has this "tire service" coverage from Coach-Net, but I don't see "delivery" of a replacement tire in the description, just that they will use the "mounted and inflated spare" or tow the rig to a tire place (and who knows where that might be or if the place even has an appropriate tire in stock, let alone one that's not older than the rig.)RV Tire & Wheel Protection | Coach-Net Hazard Protect | Get Your FREE QuoteYMMV, but I'm happy to have a spare!
Re: Spare tire? Reply #24 – May 10, 2017, 05:16:42 pm "... insurance that guaranteed that they would bring her the tire she needed..." As I recall spare tires usually come with a 'spare wheel'. Will this so called Insurance Company also provide a wheel to go along with the tire since she obviously does not have that either, thanks to the manufacturer?
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