Advice on whether i should carry a spare wheel

kevinbolton260362

kevinbolton260362

Free Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2022
Posts
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Location
Chesterfield, UK
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91,587
MH
Rapido 9094DF
Exp
Since 2016
Can anyone please advise me on whether they carry a spare wheel for their motorhome. We have a 2016 Rapido 9094DF motorhome. As usual our boot is always full when going on a long trip. If we should be unlucky enough to get a flat tyre the tyre repair kit does not fill us with confidence. As I see it we have
4 options. We can sacrifice things in the boot to make space for a wheel. Maybe put the fold up mountain bikes on the rear bike rack ( by buying wider rails to allow the tyres to fit on ) to allow more space in the boot . Take off the bike rack to fix a spare wheel on the back of the van. Last of all maybe get someone to fit a cradle underneath to hold a spare wheel. Any advice would be appreciated.
 
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Fortunately I always make a point of carrying a spare wheel in all our cars and motorhomes.... earlier this month we had the misfortune to collect TWO punctures at the same time in the motorhome but due to having the spare we were back on the road within 90 minutes courtesy of Nationwide Flex breakdown cover and the AA.
 
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kevinbolton260362 said:
Can anyone please advise me on whether they carry a spare wheel for their motorhome. We have a 2016 Rapido 9094DF motorhome. As usual our boot is always full when going on a long trip. If we should be unlucky enough to get a flat tyre the tyre repair kit does not fill us with confidence. As I see it we have
4 options. We can sacrifice things in the boot to make space for a wheel. Maybe put the fold up mountain bikes on the rear bike rack ( by buying wider rails to allow the tyres to fit on ) to allow more space in the boot . Take off the bike rack to fix a spare wheel on the back of the van. Last of all maybe get someone to fit a cradle underneath to hold a spare wheel. Any advice would be appreciated.
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Nope you really don’t need one, most cars and vans are not supplied with them these days and the breakdown services know this and are geared up for it.
 
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Our motorhome didn’t come with a spare wheel. It was the first thing I bought and it is stored in the garage. It does take up a lot of room but you just have to work around it. I wouldn’t feel happy travelling without one.

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kevinbolton260362 said:
Can anyone please advise me on whether they carry a spare wheel for their motorhome. We have a 2016 Rapido 9094DF motorhome. As usual our boot is always full when going on a long trip. If we should be unlucky enough to get a flat tyre the tyre repair kit does not fill us with confidence. As I see it we have
4 options. We can sacrifice things in the boot to make space for a wheel. Maybe put the fold up mountain bikes on the rear bike rack ( by buying wider rails to allow the tyres to fit on ) to allow more space in the boot . Take off the bike rack to fix a spare wheel on the back of the van. Last of all maybe get someone to fit a cradle underneath to hold a spare wheel. Any advice would be appreciated.
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How close are you sailing to your maximum payload?
Cradle, = fit and forget and it's just behind the axle, but you have to factor in the extra weight of the cradle, . The spare wheel with a rim weighs in at 27kg ish.
A compromise is to carry just the tyre that matches your's, this allows the tyre fitter to swap it if the faulty tyre is unfixable, and you have a matching one and don't need to wait for them to collect a pair of matching tyres to keep you legal, but done in their time and at their price.
The rest all depends on your mindset, ie happy to run without and accept siht happens if you're unlucky enough to pick up a puncture.
Mike.
 
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BouncyBoatFolk said:
How close are you sailing to your maximum payload?
Cradle, = fit and forget and it's just behind the axle, but you have to factor in the extra weight of the cradle, . The spare wheel with a rim weighs in at 27kg ish.
A compromise is to carry just the tyre that matches your's, this allows the tyre fitter to swap it if the faulty tyre is unfixable, and you have a matching one and don't need to wait for them to collect a pair of matching tyres to keep you legal, but done in their time and at their price.
The rest all depends on your mindset, ie happy to run without and accept siht happens if you're unlucky enough to pick up a puncture.
Mike.
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This is very true in a 10 year period I drove around half a million miles and not a single puncture.

If one happens I have break down cover they will supply a get you home wheel or make sure the tyre is changed. Personally I don’t see it as an issue, even if you just carry a tire you will still need a breakdown service to fit it.
 
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Probably not necessary if you ever tour in the UK but for touring abroad most essential. We have had punctures twice and were stuck for over a day without a spare. Would never travel without one now. My car only has a skinny one even that's better than nothing. The gunge kits are completely useless in any normal situation.
 
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Previous 2 vans didn’t have a spare, our cars don’t have a spare, we travel from Nordkapp to Portugal, this van has one, however, no way am I getting under the van on an autoroute nor motorway, if I have to buy a new tyres and overnight so be it

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Dolmen said:
no way am I getting under the van on an autoroute nor motorway,
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nor would I, and it's not legal...

but if you have a spare wheel the breakdown services will change it... without one you will be recovered and could be left stranded at the nearest garage waiting until a tyre can be sourced... you may have a long wait and an expensive bill.

edit.. it's not illegal but not recommended by the highway code
 
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WESTY66 said:
Really?? I can have mine changed in less time than it takes to ring someone🤷‍♂️🤔🤔
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I stand corrected, it's not illegal but not recommended by the highway code or police..
When it comes to changing a tyre, the Highway Code suggests you should “only change the tyre if you can do so without putting yourself or others at risk – otherwise, call a breakdown service”.

Organisations including the AA, however, say you should never change a tyre on a motorway hard shoulder, or at the side of the road.
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scotjimland said:
I stand corrected, it's not illegal but not recommended by the highway code or police
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Thanks for the clarification Jim, I’ll still be changing mine👍
Jacks down
Wheel out of garage
Cordless impact socket wrench
Off
New one on
Old one chucked in garage
Nuts razzed up
Jacks up and off
Pull to a safe place to torque nuts properly

However I do realise not everyone is in good health or too elderly to manage that, so for them call out the services for sure👍
 
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I would never go anywhere without a spare in the Motorhome, I've had a couple of punctures in Motorhome written of tyres twice on caravans. Car's I've lost count of the number of punctures.

In a heavy vehicle like a Motorhome, you only need to drive 50 yds on a flat tyre and it will be written off. The tyre may look OK but if you take the tyre off you will see little beads of rubber inside the tyre which means it's overheated so not safe to use.

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Lenny HB said:
I would never go anywhere without a spare in the Motorhome, I've had a couple of punctures in Motorhome written of tyres twice on caravans. Car's I've lost count of the number of punctures.

In a heavy vehicle like a Motorhome, you only need to drive 50 yds on a flat tyre and it will be written off. The tyre may look OK but if you take the tyre off you will see little beads of rubber inside the tyre which means it's overheated so not safe to use.
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I’d just get two new tyres what’s the issue here?
 
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kevinbolton260362 said:
Can anyone please advise me on whether they carry a spare wheel for their motorhome. We have a 2016 Rapido 9094DF motorhome. As usual our boot is always full when going on a long trip. If we should be unlucky enough to get a flat tyre the tyre repair kit does not fill us with confidence. As I see it we have
4 options. We can sacrifice things in the boot to make space for a wheel. Maybe put the fold up mountain bikes on the rear bike rack ( by buying wider rails to allow the tyres to fit on ) to allow more space in the boot . Take off the bike rack to fix a spare wheel on the back of the van. Last of all maybe get someone to fit a cradle underneath to hold a spare wheel. Any advice would be appreciated.
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I just fitted the Fiat Ducato spare wheel assembly under my van, it’s where Fiat designed the spare wheel to go, the holes and threads are already in the chassis.

also put the tool kit back under the drivers seat, again where Fiat intended.

this has done two things. Freed up the whole garage, and transferred weight away from the back wall - 32kgs by my reckoning. This helps greatly.
 
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Personally I always carry a spare as I don’t want to be at the mercy of waiting for a breakdown company to first arrive and then work out how to get another or be recovered to a garage etc.
Having a spare still allows for having the breakdown company swap it but I can also just get on with it and be on my way again in half an hour.
 
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I’m another one in the take a spare wheel camp, it might take me a touch longer to change than WESTY66 but I am older, the spare is under the chassis and Sod’s Law say that it will be an inside rear that needs doing, I have all the gear to do the job though.

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Jinxing myself here but I've never had to put the spare on for a puncture. If I get one and the tyre won't hold air to drive <1 mile to the garage I'll just ring a mobile tyre fitter.
 
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Coolcats said:
Nope you really don’t need one, most cars and vans are not supplied with them these days and the breakdown services know this and are geared up for it.
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maybe in the UK. In France it is a recovery truck ,nothing else. recovers you to a garage that you hope is open

Coolcats said:
Why?
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as said do you want to be waiting 3 or 4 hours on the side of a spanish motorway:& yes i have seen people waiting that amount of time.
Coolcats said:
If one happens I have break down cover they will supply a get you home wheel or make sure the tyre is changed.
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they won't be supplying you with anything here nor in france ,apart from recovery,if you have no spare.In france they will still take you to a garage
Coolcats said:
I’d just get two new tyres what’s the issue here?
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the 800€ they will stripe you up in france.+ the 250€+ to be recovered if on a toll road.
 
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Reading this thread prompted a thought.
Some cars have a skinny "get you home" tyre with a limit on the speed that you can drive.
Why isn't there this option for a MH?
 
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