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Matt:
I have a new Axis 24.1 on order and have been following a couple of threads on this subject. This is what I have found:
95% of motorhomes do not carry a spare tire. They rely on roadside assistance to fix or replace a ruined tire. This can often take half a day or longer if the service company does not have a suitable tire in stock.
Some carry spare tires without a rim, others a fully mounted tire and rim. A tire only is almost as good since probably 95% of problems do not destroy the rim and most service trucks can mount your tire in place of a ruined one.
The Axis tire is 16" which makes the weight and size tolerable to carry and wrestle with to carry one on board. There are two ways of carrying a tire, mounted on a rim or not, on an Axis 24.1. The easiest is to slide it into the aft hatch. Most say that it won't fit, but some say it will with some minor modifications. The other way is to bolt cross members- Unistrut or aluminum angle, underneath in front of the bumper. The tire can be wedged in there possibly with a center support.
Another way to deal with nails and similar is to use a can of pressurized sealant with a plug that you push into the nail hole. This isn't the best solution. The better solution is to remove the tire and patch the leak from inside. That is what all tire shops have told me when I bring in an auto tire for repair.
If you are healthy and handy you can replace the tire yourself if you have one on board. It takes a heavy bottle jack (or hydraulic leveling jacks installed) and a 1/2" or bigger breaker bar and appropriate socket. Like I said the Axis tire is small and light enough to make this DIY thing possible. Oh and you need a high pressure air compressor to pump it back up, but most MHs carry one as a matter of course whether they have a spare or not.
Finally a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) can be a life saver. Some say that it comes standard with a new Axis, we will see. But they can be added. The TPMS warns you of low tire pressure before it gets too low and tears up the tire. With the warning you can pump it up which might get you to a service place or fix the leak with a plug before it tears up the tire.
So I will have to see how a spare tire will fit on my new Axis when I get it, but I do plan to carry one and the appropriate tools to change it myself.
David
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