Advice on whether i should carry a spare wheel

[kevinbolton260362]

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.

 

[Mike Rivers]

The jury’s out on this one for me. I can see the advantages for sure but in 6 years of motorhoming have been incident free. Additionally I have breakdown cover. I guess it rather depends on where you’re planning to travel and the state of the roads etc, plus your own ability to change a wheel at the roadside.

 

[A S R]

I’d never travel without one. Car or motorhome. Those puncture repair kits are virtually useless.

 

[SMB]

Why?

A few years back we were on a ferry to Italy and when it was time to disembark we found the valve on our front o/s tyre had been broken off by the chains the ferry staff put on as we were the lead vehicle of the row. Behind us were artics waiting and impatient ferry staff who wanted us off as they had to return to Spain that night. I refused to drive the van off with a flat tyre as it was undamaged and fortunately we had a spare underslung tyre. My current van had no spare tyre, just a kit which would have been of no use in those circumstances. Call me unlucky but I won't travel without a spare and it was the first thing I added to the motorhome

 

[Coolcats]

A few years back we were on a ferry to Italy and when it was time to disembark we found the valve on our front o/s tyre had been broken off by the chains the ferry staff put on as we were the lead vehicle of the row. Behind us were artics waiting and impatient ferry staff who wanted us off as they had to return to Spain that night. I refused to drive the van off with a flat tyre as it was undamaged and fortunately we had a spare underslung tyre. My current van had no spare tyre, just a kit which would have been of no use in those circumstances. Call me unlucky but I won't travel without a spare and it was the first thing I added to the motorhome

Four of my vehicles do not have a spare wheel it would start to get expensive to add a wheel and tyre to each one.

Just use the goo or call the breakdown service.

It only a drama if we make it so.

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[Coolcats]

Just a thought on the tyre Drama Lama

What happens when ignition coils go faulty ! What happens when a clutch wears out what happens if the auto box won’t change gear, what happens when xxx breaks and the shin stops. These are all scenarios that happen but somehow we seem to get paranoid about having a spare tyre which adds weight to a vehicle and in most instances never gets used!

 

[Offagain]

If you get a blow-out on a France Autoroute you will know 'why'

which is what happened to us last year. Fortunately we were only 2km from a services so limped to it along the hard shoulder with hazards on then changed the wheel. Since then the spare has been kept in the garage rather than clamped underneath, for ease of access.

 

[SMB]

Four of my vehicles do not have a spare wheel it would start to get expensive to add a wheel and tyre to each one.

Just use the goo or call the breakdown service.

It only a drama if we make it so.

I only have one vehicle and I spend the majority of my time in it, not a risk I am willing to take. Try using the goo without a valve or tyre side wall, it won't help. The Moho is Spanish and comes with a built-in compressor and tyre sealant dispenser under the passenger footwell but I won't be using it, if I've got a slow puncture I'll drive to the nearest garage. If it's not capable of holding pressure I'll replace it with the spare. Believe me, the spare wheel, bottle jack and extendable wheel brace eat into my payload but we virtually full-time and like to do remote locations as well as more popular destinations. I've seen several posts on FB about people having problems with the moho at a weekend or on bank holidays who have virtually been stranded until the garages open again. My experience on the ferry from Barcelona to Civitaveccia is not one I'd like to experience again and try explaining to the ferry crew why they need to wait a few hours before sailing as you're waiting for a recovery truck. But you take your chances...

 

[Coolcats]

try explaining to the ferry crew why they need to wait a few hours before sailing as you're waiting for a recovery truck. But you take your chances...

I would expect a ferry or tunnel crew to tow any vehicle off of its a non starter or flat tire. I suspect they have a lot of experience doing this despite a drivers protest if it was going to delay a departure.

Whilst there may be delays to getting a tyre fixed the same applies to an engine or transmission Fault.

If you have a spare happy days of not there is the goo kit to keep you going over that long weekend if the tyre has destroyed itself well not much you can do about that other than be a little philosophical

 

[SMB]

I would expect a ferry or tunnel crew to tow any vehicle off of its a non starter or flat tire. I suspect they have a lot of experience doing this despite a drivers protest if it was going to delay a departure.

Whilst there may be delays to getting a tyre fixed the same applies to an engine or transmission Fault.

If you have a spare happy days of not there is the goo kit to keep you going over that long weekend if the tyre has destroyed itself well not much you can do about that other than be a little philosophical

I could have drove off but it wouldn't have done the tyre any good, the same as towing though if it wasn't a front-end lift I wouldn't have been happy, especially as it was their fault . I totally agree that you can't plan for every eventuality but every little helps. I had quite a few punctures in the previous van over 8 or 9 years but that was one of only two occasions that the wheel needed changing. The tyre was ruined on the second occasion and I had to change it over which was an ordeal in itself with the crap bodywork design of the rear wheel arches (Swift 630L). Apparently garages don't like changing tyres which have had goo inserted but I'm sure they get over it

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[Northernraider]

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.

Manufacturers don't not supply them because you don't need them.

It's purely a cost and weight saving measure.

I'd rather carry one than not.

 

[Coolcats]

Manufacturers don't not supply them because you don't need them.

It's purely a cost and weight saving measure.

I'd rather carry one than not.

It’s a choice and I am happy with the risk as are most of the mothering public that have the goo kits in thier vehicles.

I’m sure if it was a big issue it would be all over the motoring press and consumer champion organisations.

I hear it was similar many years ago when starter handles where withdrawn.

 

[Northernraider]

It’s a choice and I am happy with the risk as are most of the mothering public that have the goo kits in thier vehicles.

I’m sure if it was a big issue it would be all over the motoring press and consumer champion organisations.

I hear it was similar many years ago when starter handles where withdrawn.

Most probably aren't happy.

They just accept it.

 

[Ray-Vic]

Our Bailey had the chassis cradle under the garage (minus spare) when we bough it, so immediately bought a spare tyre/wheel and feel much happier having it there just in case. I think it's fair to say that car manufacturers stopped fitting spare wheels as a cost/space/weight saving exercise, not because we all of a sudden no longer need them.

 

[daventess]

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.

Take heed this cautionary tale :

Another motorhoming milestone - puncture in France!

Got a screw in my brand new all seasons tyres. Good job I carry a spa....oh...er...hang on ..... Not to worry. I can't imagine it's too hard to get a travelling tyre fitter the day after a bank holiday to come to a camp site in the middle of nowhere. Another item in my "no, you really cannot...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Always have a spare!

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[Coolcats]

Take heed this cautionary tale :

Another motorhoming milestone - puncture in France!

Got a screw in my brand new all seasons tyres. Good job I carry a spa....oh...er...hang on ..... Not to worry. I can't imagine it's too hard to get a travelling tyre fitter the day after a bank holiday to come to a camp site in the middle of nowhere. Another item in my "no, you really cannot...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Always have a spare!

Don’t have one have breakdown cover. 3 am I was traveling up north and ping the tyre warning light came on to tell the off side rear had lost pressure. It was raining hard and I was Ona duel carriageway and no hard shoulder so I slowed and stopped at the nearest service station. Turned out the tyre had lost pressure and just needed a few pound added. Had it been more severe I would have called the break down service. Had the tyre gone on the duel carriageway it wails have been a call to the breakdown company because even if I had a spare no way would I have considered changing it.

 

[VXman]

Don’t have one have breakdown cover. 3 am I was traveling up north and ping the tyre warning light came on to tell the off side rear had lost pressure. It was raining hard and I was Ona duel carriageway and no hard shoulder so I slowed and stopped at the nearest service station. Turned out the tyre had lost pressure and just needed a few pound added. Had it been more severe I would have called the break down service. Had the tyre gone on the duel carriageway it wails have been a call to the breakdown company because even if I had a spare no way would I have considered changing it.

Yes but (and I am sure this has been said before but can't be bothered to check) having a spare ready for the recovery people will save a lot of time and hassle. Getting recovered on a recovery truck, taken to the nearest garage that doesn't have a suitable tyre in, having to spend a night or possibly two waiting for tyre to be delivered. Not my idea of fun.

 

[zac]

The thing is nobody can tell you if you should or should not carry a spare, this all comes down to personal preference and how long you would be willing to wait if broken down. For me i would never leave home without a spare wheel inc tyre as usually when I am on the way home from a trip abroad we dont have a lot of time to spare and it would cost me more in lost work hours waiting for a breakdown and then potentially missing the boat than to just change it myself or for the actual recovery to change it rather than be taken somewhere else to have it fixed. Breakdown companies will never carry one our tyres with them so that would add at least a couple of days to the trip which we dont have.

 

[Garfields]

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.

Agree re you will very soon destroy a tyre running it flat.
The little beads of rubber inside tyres is fairly normal though. In the dim and distant past when we fitted tyres you would see them most days, they could get up to marball size.
Personally im the carry a spare camp though if not in a hurry would call out breakdown service to change.

 

[Wilkymelvin2024]

I have a fiat had it didnt come with a spare. but i would recommend on having a spare i am on the look out for one now but no really in my area

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[iandsm]

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.

We did 85K miles through UK and mostly France,Germany, Italy, Poland in our Rapido and some of those roads were really awful, we started off with good quality camper tyres and never had a problem and didn't have a spare. I knew I couldn't have changed a wheel myself and should the worst have happened I was happy to rely on local suppliers and fitters. It depends if you feel lucky, we could of course have had any number of punctures or other tyre problems during those trips and at any point. I think if you are going to make a choice you need to speak to everyone you know who has a vehicle of any type and as all how many ave had punctures and when. You might find it a very rare event.

 

[Jean-luc]

I've travelled over 160,000km in my moho and never got a puncture, says he touching wood. I do have a spare wheel but if I didn't I would definitely carry at least a spare tyre.
If the unfortunate happens I wouldn't be wanting to be looking for a CP tyre in the back of beyond of somewhere to get me back on the road.
As said, if payload is tight just carry the tyre.
Being stored out of sunlight it should last for the life of the vehicle if not called into service.