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

[bevans6]

I'd like to revisit this old topic, and get some current advice, prompted somewhat by Bruisers' thread on his experience with a flat tire.  I spent a lot of time recently lying on my back inside the spare tire  compartment of my MCI while installing my new throttle cable (which was far more of an adventure and disaster in the making than I wrote about).  This gave me ample opportunity to ponder the nice size and availability of the space, the weight of the spare tire and wheel, the fact that I need to replace both because they are too wore out to actually use, and how bloody hard it is to get the spare in and out of that compartment in the first place.

I use 12R=22.5 Firestone FS-560 Plus tires.  I figure the odds of getting one on the road when I need one is functionally zero.  I figure the odds of an emergency tire truck guy having a usable or even new 12R=22.5 to install for me on the side of the road is a little better, but probably not approaching 10%.  So I am well inclined to carry a spare tire.  But I need to replace the wheel I have anyway (the taper on the lug holes are all rusted beyond safe use) so I am thinking I will buy a new FS-560, toss it in the compartment un-mounted and get the tire guy to install it (I figure the odds of being able to find an emergency tire guy are a lot better than 10%, maybe 90%).

What is the advice?  No tire, unmounted tire, or fully usable spare?  I do carry tools to change a mounted tire if I have to.

Thanks, Brian

[Jeremy]

....and how bloody hard it is to get the spare in and out of that compartment in the first place.

Just to comment on that aspect; my spare wheel doesn't have a compartment as such - it's just held up to the underside of the bus in the same way that spare wheels often are on cars. The wheel is raised up and lowered to the ground by a winch mounted on the underside of the bus, with the winch being turned using the same wrench that removes the lug nuts. Works well without needing much effort, and is a simple system which could probably be retro-fitted to any bus.

Jeremy

[BRUISER]

after this past weekend I will be getting myself tire spoons, cheater air tank and a impact gun.. I already have a compressor, correct socket, jack, etc..

as for spares my plan now is to get a newer tire on my spare under front of bus.. when we pulled it out we found out that it was from 1993 and I did not want to run that unless all else fails.. reason I had 2 other spares was when I bought the bus I kept the tire off the front of bus to use as spares.. I am very glad I did now..

but I am planning to replace all tires now and get 1 if not 2 extra.. I have only owned bus for 3.5 months and been on 5 trips.. so I know I will continue to use it and would rather not have tires fails every trip

[Oonrahnjay]

(snip) I use 12R=22.5 Firestone FS-560 Plus tires.  I figure the odds of getting one on the road when I need one is functionally zero.   (snip)  What is the advice?  No tire, unmounted tire, or fully usable spare?  I do carry tools to change a mounted tire if I have to. 

    Brian, I think that that's a big part of your question answered right there.  I have little road experience in a bus but it seems to me that CoachNet/Good Sam/AAAPlusRV/NationwideRV is generally able to get a roadside service/tire guy to you.  I can't imagine but that if you had a reasonably good spare tire with you, it could get mounted and have you on your way pretty quickly.  Also, I'm thinking that if you have a reasonably helpful tire place at home, you can wait until "just the right take off" comes in and get yourself a good deal on useful tire; on the other hand, if you're on the side of the road and you have to buy a tire off the service truck, you're probably going to pay an eye-watering premium price.

Just to comment on that aspect; my spare wheel doesn't have a compartment as such - it's just held up to the underside of the bus in the same way that spare wheels often are on cars. The wheel is raised up and lowered to the ground by a winch mounted on the underside of the bus, with the winch being turned using the same wrench that removes the lug nuts. Works well without needing much effort, and is a simple system which could probably be retro-fitted to any bus.   Jeremy 

    And here's where we come to one of the drawbacks of having a "low-floor" transit bus.  I'm pretty sure that there's no place on or under my bus that would accommodate a spare.  I'm going to have a good look when I get closer to long trips but I'm pretty sure that my options will be inside the bus (under the bed, maybe), on the front bumper like a '60's VW-micro bus (uuggh), or maybe in a special compartment at the rear of the upper deck with a portable winch to lift it up and take it down if needed.  But I like the idea of carrying a spare -- I just don't know how/where I can fit it on my bus.

    But unless someone has a very difficult situation that means it's just not practical, I think that we should all carry a spare tire.  Whether it's worth the cost, weight, expense etc. to carry a fully mounted spare, I'll leave to the advice of the highly experienced.

     

[luvrbus]

I ran 12r x 22.5 for years on my Eagle and MCI I never carried a spare I lost one in McCall Id from road debris the tire dealer in a small town in Id had 4 in stock fwiw buy and keep good tires on the bus you don't need a spare IMO


good luck

[Ed Hackenbruch]

 For the first few years that we had the bus we didn't have a spare, the PO used the space to bring back booze from Mexico.   Then one winter i got a tire from a neighbor that had had a flat and had to buy a tire that did not match the ones that he was running. Carried that for a year or two and finally bought a wheel and had it mounted when i replaced all of my other wheels. Also have the blocks, jacks, air gun, and torque multiplier so i can change a tire if i want to and not have to wait for road service. Not to say that i would not use my road service under certain conditions, but there are times when we are a long ways from any town big enough that would have somebody that could come out. Rather than sit for 3-4 hours or more, i would rather do it myself.

[Oonrahnjay]

(snip)  Rather than sit for 3-4 hours or more, i would rather do it myself. 

    If you can be prepared to do that (practically), that sounds to me like a good place to be.

[bobofthenorth]

I understand your concern about finding a spare on the road Brian but obviously eventually you can find a replacement somewhere, its just a matter of time.  People seem to think that getting a tire immediately is a big issue with a bus.  Its not like your pickup where you can't proceed until you get something mounted.  There's only two tires on the bus that are absolutely mission critical.

We probably put as many miles on as anybody on this board and I have never felt any need to carry a spare.  Like Clifford says, we run really good tires all around.  The best tires on the frenchy-bus are always the two under my @$# when we're travelling.  I rotate the steer tires out every 3 or 4 years and move them to the tags.  My drives are about 4 years old now.  If we ever have a flat on a steer tire we can air lift the tags and pull a tire to use.  A flat in any other position will let us keep on going, somewhat slower likely but moving nevertheless.  If we end up sitting outside a tire shop for a couple days while a tire arrives its no big deal, we're home anyway.

[TomC]

Don't have a spare tire.  Very few truckers carry spares also-I didn't and in 1.3 million miles of driving, never had a front tire blow out.  Had dualers blow out, but then you can drive to the next truck stop.  On a tag axle, you could release the pressure on the air suspension and then jack up the bad tire off the road to get to the tire shop.  On some single tired 3 axle trailers, I've seen small cable hoists (think boat trailer cable winch) under the wheel well to pull the axle up.  Or-for simplicity just install a heavy duty eye and use a chain with binder to hold it up.  Better then carrying all that tire repair equipment with you.

The single best thing you can do to prevent a blow out again is to run quality tires, and have a wireless tire pressure monitoring system.  Low air pressure is the number one killer of tires.  Good Luck, TomC.

[Busted Knuckle]

Well as most of you use your buses quite differently than I do, my answer is different.

When hauling passengers it is absolutely essential that we get them rolling again as quick as possible!

We keep almost new tires on the steers @ all times when we need tag tires or they get worn down 1/2 way they come off the steers and either go on the tags or in the shed until we have 4 and then they go on a drive axle.

Now as far as finding 12R's on the road many tire places still stock them in or near larger cities. Rural areas most of the time they will have a 315\80R-22.5 in stock and will try to tell you they are the same.

But as Clifford & Bob said you can get one, and usually in reasonable time. (depends on your situation as to how much $ that time is worth.)

Now as far as finding a service truck to come install the tire goes. I have never had a problem finding one.
Also you'd be surprised @ how fast they will show up if you tell them on the phone if they get out there fast enough there is a $100 cash tip for them. (I've even played dirty and called several & told them all "Look I've called several others and who ever gets here first gets the work & THE $100 BILL!" Man you should see how fast you go to the front of the list!)

And one last thing as Bob points out most times a tire can be robbed from the drives or tags to get ya back rolling. But not all buses can raise the tags. (at not easily)

And if a tire blows it can take out airlines, air bags, or something else that will require attn. before you can roll on.
 BK  

[luvrbus]

My AC units where mounted in the spare tire compartment living in AZ cooling was more important than a spare tire lol fwiw the 24.5 tire is getting hard to find now

[viento1]

Thoughts on using one of the drive tires up front and running a single rear on a bus with no tag.

[RJ]

Brian -

Since the spare resides inside out of the sunlight, the suggestion for a similar-sized take off from an 18-wheeler is a good one.  Just let your friendly local truck tire shop know you're looking for a good 22.5 take-off that can be used as a spare.  Even if it's an 11R22.5, it would work as a spare.  That's what they are for - temporary use until you can get the main wheel taken care of.

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. . .

[Iceni John]

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.

I have a 40-ft 2-axle bus with only 263" wheelbase, and I noticed a big improvement when I made a mount for my spare 12R22.5 under the nose.   It definitely rides better with the extra weight there, plus I don't waste precious bellybin space for it.   It's kept in place by four gr.8 1" studs, and I use a worm-drive hand winch to raise and lower it.   I also made a folding wheeled dolly to easily move it when it's on the ground, and if I'm feeling lazy I can take the crank handle off the winch and use my cordless drill instead  -  a power-operated spare wheel mount!

John

[bevans6]

thank you all for excellent comments.  I appreciate the advice and the anecdotes.  It comes down to risk analysis, the lack of ability to get great support on the 1,000 Km I do in rural Canada on my trip to Nova Scotia, 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