old topic again... Spare tire - mounted, unmounted, none at all...

[Kubla]

I have a spare for the Wanderlodge I just bought, Unmounted, since there is no place underneath to put it (front engine wanderlodge) it is standing in the bedroom next to the bed

I did not want to put it on the roof (has the railings up there) without some sort of cover for it to protect it from the sun, going to have to make something so I can get it out of the bedroom

[Oonrahnjay]

(snip)  It comes down to risk analysis, ... and how extremely upset my wife would be if we ever get a flat and I don't have a spare to put on...  I will probably keep carrying a spare.  Lowest risk...      Brian     

    I make a number of decision heavily weighted towards what keeps The Management happy.  Best decisions that I make. 

[Mex-Busnut]

Brian -

Two additional thoughts regarding spare tire/wheel being carried that have not been mentioned thus far:

1) You've got a 35 foot coach with no tag axle.  The vehicle dynamics are different than the tag axle folk, primarily regarding weight distribution.  Adding  a spare wheel & tire aids by increasing the load on the steering axle, often improving the coach's tracking on the super slab.

2) A minor role, but, (God forbid) if you were to be involved in a collision, the potential is there for the spare wheel & tire to improve the "crush zone " - especially if the other vehicle is an automobile.

FWIW & HTH. . .

These two reasons alone should be enough to make you want to carry a spare.

Here are a few more that I can imagine. How about being deep in a national park somewhere with no cell phone service and having a flat and no spare? I have even sections on major interstates on our recent run up to Wisconsin without cell phone service.

Also, here in Mexico there is no such thing as roadside tire service. And if you are stopped for vehicle inspection, NOT carrying a mounted functional spare gets you a ticket.

[Iceni John]

I have a spare for the Wanderlodge I just bought, Unmounted, since there is no place underneath to put it (front engine wanderlodge) it is standing in the bedroom next to the bed

If your frame rails extend all the way to the back bumper, it will be easy to make a mount similar to mine.   Offsetting your front engine's weight will also help.   Mine cost me much less than $100 to make, and it works great.

Or keep the wheel inside, and sleep on the roof.

John

[artvonne]

  Blew right outside dual 50 miles from home. Spare was crud, old Michelin it blew out sidewall when we aired it up. Ran home with the tire hanging flat on the wheel without any problems, remaining tire never got hot. Probably by far the best argument for 12R tires, is having a tire that can carry enough weight as a single to limp a ways without causing trouble.

  As enticing as all that space is up front to do something else with, I would kick myself if I was out in the boonies and had no spare. Don't leave home without it. Actually, I thought you could be ticketed for not having a spare??

   

[viento1]

but you did't use your spare

[belfert]

Do you all have the proper jack and tools to remove a wheel?  I do have a spare tire, but I don't have any tools to change a wheel.

[bobofthenorth]

I carry the tools and I've changed them myself.  I just don't carry a spare.

[Lin]

I have stopped carrying a spare in the belief that I can limp along a while with a drive missing.  We do have a tire pressure monitor.  I would then ask, if it is one of the drives that goes, should it be removed before proceeding?

[buswarrior]

A tag axle coach has two spares there for the taking.

Easy choice.

A two axle coach, the decision can't be as boldly made.

As for running a flat, unless you are going to keep it down to slow city speeds, and a distance measured in minutes, not hours, a flat tire should be removed, so it doesn't heat up and shred, becoming a road hazard to others, or damaging your own coach when it comes apart.

Be sure to put the air pressure up to the max rating on the sidewall, if you choose to run a dual tire as a single, to get the best performance out of it. And don't be running full highway speed with it...

My parts coach is sitting on singles on the drives, tires don't look that bad.

As for carrying a spare... my bias is to be prepared to take care of myself.

A mounted spare, stored somewhere on the coach, and the jacks/cribbing/tools to change it, if I decide to be independent, and I don't get soaked for a premium priced roadside replacement, if I decide to use the road service.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[artvonne]

but you did't use your spare

  You must have missed the part about the spare with the fancy Michelin blowing out the sidewall, hence no spare.

[viento1]

I would define a spare as something other than an old tire on a rim that cannot hold air. Either way, you make a compelling case not to carry a spare as you drove 50 miles sans a wheel. For anyone looking to forgo a spare it would appear that driving short distances at a reasonable speed will get you to a station or somewhere safe or in your case home to a comfortable bed.

[artvonne]

I would define a spare as something other than an old tire on a rim that cannot hold air.

  And I would define a Bus conversion as something roadworthy, ready to hit the highway and not look back for 10,000 miles. However, the stuff we most often find and drag home is often neither a Bus conversion we want the way we got it, or truly roadworthy. All I knew is the Bus had a spare that was out of air, and hoped I wouldnt need to play with it on the way home. I did, and it didnt.

  I dont have a lot of patience when it comes to standing around. If I have a flat I'll have a spare and will likely change it myself. I like to travel back roads and back country, and out there cell service is often spotty to none. I guess if your sticking to the main interstates thats a different thing.