Why I'm getting a full sized spare

[dg0603]

I've been back and forth all over this topic. Both sides have merit. I have Good Sam roadside assistance. They have been great the times I have used them for non-RV things.

I realize that most flats are caused by a nail that causes the tire to leak down. If you notice it, you can use Tire Goo to reinflate your tire. I have also done this in the past on cars and it got me by. But you still can't just continue on your trip. You still need to address the bad tire. Some flats are more damaging to the tire and the goo can't be used. You are stopped dead.

The tipping point came when I called Good Sam and asked them exactly what they would do if I had a flat I could not fix and no spare tire.

They said they can provide you a tire if you need one. They go to a store when it opens and buy the tire (and rim) and bring it to you. I asked what if you were far from a tire store, or it was after hours? They would not be able to help you until the store opened. They could tow you somewhere though.

If you had a full size spare and were capable, you could change it yourself right there....or wait for road side assistance to change it for you....and you are on you way to complete the trip. A 3 ton bottle jack (amazon) and some orange squares for height fit neatly into a milk crate you can slide under the coach when you stop.

There are various options but I opted for a hitch mount spare carrier and the exact rim and tire the Tellaro comes with OEM . They are all on Amazon. The down side is I will have to remove the tire if I want to open the back doors for some reason, but I am capable of doing that for now.

I have no opinion about any one else's approach. If it works for you it is great. I accept the hassle for what I consider the peace of mind.

[Lt Keefer]

I had a spare that came with my Class C and was glad to have it on 2 different occasions. I settled for Good Sam roadside assistance with my Hurricane and so far have not needed it. I toyed with the idea of getting a spare but don't have anywhere on the coach to store it and the the tools required to change a flat. I also don't travel after business hours. My travel days are usually from 10 AM to 3 PM.

[ducksface]

Someone here told the tale of a tire being delivered.
A mismatch, which is about a 25:1 chance of getting.
$300 later for that mismatch, then getting home and buying a match, they're $600 out of pocket into not carrying a spare.

I carry a matching spare and wheel, mounted.
I haven't had roadside flat on a motorized vehicle since 1978.
But, like the op,
If I can help me, I help me.

I also carry a torque multiplier and a four way, a compressor, and an impact wrench, a plug kit and some really cool valve stems that mount from the outside even though I'll never, unless forced, change my own flat.
If I can help me, I help me.

[Pete'sMH]

I understand both sides of the discussion. But I haven’t EVER (in over 50 years of driving) had to change a tire on the road. If I was going to carry a spare it probably would be one leftover from a new tire purchase so it would already be 5 or 6 years old. There’s a good chance I wouldn’t ever use it but if I did it would be aged out so I’d want to replace it when I got home. If it costs me $300 to get a Good Sam mismatched spare replaced once in my life I’m fine with it. At least I have a comfortable place to wait for service.

[dg0603]

I've heard the side of never really needing a spare a lot. I admit I've rarely dealt with a legitimate flat tire....as in one earned outside living in a new construction area. haha.

We're not really even super boondockers, but out here in the west the roads are long and help can be quite far away. And I don't know how it is elsewhere, but the highway shoulders here are no fun place to be waiting for hours. It's like everyone here just got their permit. Especially if it rains. Out here they roll news crews to film rain puddles gathering.

I think it's a bit misleading for GoodSam not to be clearer about how roadside service actually works without a spare tire to change on.

I guess if you RV around back east-ish where there are more amenities, the thought of dealing with all that isn't so daunting.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by dg0603

I've heard the side of never really needing a spare a lot. I admit I've rarely dealt with a legitimate flat tire....as in one earned outside living in a new construction area. haha.

.....cut......

Neighbor across street got a new roof and I ended up with a nail in front tire a few days ago. Doubt it was coincidence.

Agree that getting a flat or blow out during trips is very rare, but I wouldn’t travel without a spare anyway. It’s a personal choice that does not require justification.

A major advantage to owning a smaller motorhome built on a standard SRW van body is that it’s like an oversized car in many ways. Changing a tire on a ProMaster van can’t be that much more difficult than on an SUV, pickup truck, or minivan.

This week I removed both front wheels on E-350 to replace shocks and it only took a few minutes per side using right tools; and my wheels are heavier and 8 lugs. Granted, on the road it would take longer without access to hydraulic jack and impact wrench, but it’s still not that difficult. As long as I can do it safely myself, there is no way I’m going to wait a couple of hours on side of road for someone to “maybe” show up.

With large motorhome there may not be many choices, but with a van camper I treat a flat just like if it was on a Honda (at least as long as I can still handle a 75-pound tire/wheel).

[Beau388]

Just to be clear I have used Good Sam as one of the two road service plans I subscribe to for 28 years. I have had occasion to use Good Sam for tire service twice and both times the first question - are you in a safe place off the road. Second question - do you a serviceable spare tire. It seems that they do not have tire service centers on speed dial, but instead put you in contact with a tire road service center (like Goodyear Road Service) and you negotiate with them. In essence Good Sam is tire changing service and not a tire replacement service.

[MJC62]

How much does a 245/70R x 19.5 tire & wheel weigh?
I for one couldn't pick one up to change it even if I wanted too. If tried I would need an ambulance more than roadside service!
Speaking about weight. In our case we have limited OCCC on our ACE 27.2, hauling around a spare & rim when the odds of needing it are minimal doesn't offset the added weight in my mind.
We have been driving motorhomes of one size or another for 35+ years and have had one flat, picked up a screw, on an inside dually. That one we drove to the tire shop and the spare never came out from under the Gulfstream.
If carrying a spare makes you feel more comfortable than by all means do so. In our case, we will wait for the truck/tire road service guy and let them figure it out.
Enjoy the journey
Mark

[Chance]

Originally Posted by MJC62

How much does a 245/70R x 19.5 tire & wheel weigh?
I for one couldn't pick one up to change it even if I wanted too. If tried I would need an ambulance more than roadside service!

.....cut.....

Michelin states 72 pounds for tires rated up to 95 PSI. Those rated for greater pressure and load will weigh a bit more. With a steel wheel I’d guess around 100 pounds. Some may go 110 ~ 120 pounds.


By comparison, the van in question in this thread uses tires weighing about 39 pounds, so with aluminum wheel probably under 65 pounds total. It makes a big difference even if you don’t lift it — which I try not to do. The only time I actually lift my van’s 75-pound tire/wheel is to put it on spare carrier that is high on rear door of van. When changing tires I mostly roll it into place with very little lifting involved.

[dg0603]

I know! I can't believe so many people are so lucky....I mean awesome for them!

There's probably an RV'er out there that got out of it just BECAUSE of flat tires.

And yes, the total wheel weight is a real factor in this whole thing.

[ducksface]

So,
I made a call just to see where I might be wrong about how a i-40 roadside flat might work today, not years ago when I had a motor vehicle flat.

I suggest you call a random place in a random town and see how it might work.
Don't take a lot of their time. Aks about what you should ask about and thank them.
Then realize how everything they told you was based on tow truck time where 45 minutes often means after lunch then after the shift change and we forgot to look for a rim and the tire store is closed on Sundays.

Matching tire? 4 days if even available.
Balancing? Never. Wait in line at a tire shop god knows whereand for how long.
Non Matching 16" tire? $400 or they're just not bringing one.
Rim? 5 to 10 days.

I'm not sure who you think you'll be dealing with but they aren't exactly stanchions/bastions of fairness or service.
And
Supply chain, yadda yadda.

Again,
No flat for me since late 1970's.
But I tend to think things fairly through and recognize slight inconvenience of carry as an asset and not a detriment.

Optimists are always, at best, meeting their expectations, and are often/mostly, severely disappointed.
Pessimists with tools are always way ahead of the plan even if someone dies....

Not an endorsement by me for a spare tire.
Just a real life inquiry to a business that isn't as bright and shiny as you wish them to be.

This isn't a post to change those folks with a plan.
It's to influence newbs who might still be in the afterglow of the fog of new rv love. It ain't roses ladies. It's a bazillion fixes and questions you never even knew were thing just a month ago.

200lbs is NOT an overall rv weight differential.
Arbitrary engineer set arbitrary-ish weight limit because some limit had to be set.

[dg0603]

Yeah I'm glad to be making this move. It will be a little inconvenient to manage on the hitch etc but with all that being true these days......

If you can't manage the change yourself, any roadside service guy can do that part for you. All you are out is the wait for him to show up.

[ducksface]

Added:

The Amazon e350/450 16" wheel doesnt fit the front
Thing/consternation/howl/debacle.

After writing all over the amazon rim (mounted with a matching tire)with tulip puff paint:
'Rear outside dually only',
I then mounted it on the outside rear spot, taking my factory wheel/tire from that rear spot and putting it in my storage bay.
The factory wheel is now a
'Fits anywhere' spare.
Not my idea. Another poster thought of it before I did.


Saved a couple of hundred dollars...delivered to my door.


Buy the Amazon wheel.
And
If you want it to fit everywhere grind about 1/16th off of the worthless casting nub on the calipers. Too much work for me though.
My idea.

[ducksface]

A thought dawned on me today. It came about as I helped unload someone's new tires.
Unneeded tires, but now his trailer tires match his truck tires so he's carrying just one spare.

Do you folks who do not carry a spare or tools in your RV have a spare and tools in your towed/daily driver?

Why?
It's the same space/weight/fuel savings argument.

Tell us you've followed through on all aspects, or tell us why not.
I sway easily. I just don't know. Newbs also don't know and they're even more easily swayed.

[Beau388]

[QUOTE=ducksface;341876
Do you folks who do not carry a spare or tools in your RV have a spare and tools in your towed/daily driver?[/QUOTE]
I service all my vehicles (two cars (one metric and one inch/foot), one truck inch/foot), one RV (metric) and one golf cart (metric)). I have one basement bay for the tools and spare parts plus two overhead compartments for electrical and video for the coach. Probably 100 lbs and
11 cuft of repair stuff.

Funny thing is I carry a PEX repair kit and a couple Surflo adapters in a little plastic kit plus six ft of red and blue PEX in the back pass through. I have never used it on my coach, but have made $200 repairing other coaches at the campground.

[ducksface]

I carry pex with sharkbite connectors.
Unless I have a very specific leak in a very specifc place I can't fix it on the road...but I carry it.
I also carry a water hose fix kit(and a water thief).
Too easy to carry these, no reason not to.

[lwmcguir]

We travel quite a few miles each year both Interstate and two lane roads, around 40k per year combined

It isn't unusual to see a vehicle jacked up without a working spare or a flat on the roadside each trip

Several times in the past when we stopped, no tire wrench in the stopped vehicle, they lose them somehow

Several times rescuing kids or grandchildren without tire wrenches

We travel with water, a winter kit, always have, and of course like many, supplies and tools in the RV

Being prepared including personal protection simply makes sense

Less dependence on others is best

No, don't have a 295.80.22.5 spare but sure do for everything else including the dolly when used

[dg0603]

Well I'm an old Scoutmaster, so Be Prepared is a motto. I agree.

When I'm done with everything I will post what I did and all the links to the products. Getting the spare tire mounted on the rim today.

[sip]

It's not really a debate IMO ... you can carry a spare and choose not to use it. Call roadside assistance if you feel like it .. or swap if you are so inclined ... or have someone help you if you are with a group. It's strictly better than not having a spare and the only downside is the initial cost and extra weight/space needed ... I set up a carrier on my rear bumper and I definitely don't notice the <100lb weight on a massive RV ... and after a couple of weeks, I honestly couldn't even tell you how much spent on it as it goes into the "noise" of buying stuff budget.

[ducksface]

'Noise'
is one of the best definitions I've read.