How do you tour without a spare wheel ????

[tel]

Hi, I have never had a vehicle before without a spare wheel including cars a couple of vans and four previous motorhomes/campers. Is this normal in modern motorhomes? Do you carry a spare tyre and even an inner tube? I guess the breakdown insurance section will attend a puncture but surely if the tyre is bad, can or will they be able to pick the van up and take it to a garage? I have heard of "Fix & Go repair kits" recently and I think there maybe others to help matters. Sorry to sound so naive but you may have guessed I have a gap (except one recent panel van camper) since my previous camping days.

Cheers

 

[TerryL]

I've seen the demonstrations and it was quite impressive - if you expect to be stabbed by a screwdriver I suppose.

But when I mentioned it to the guy fitting my new tyres, his words were "you won't be getting it repaired here". Apparently it's next to impossible to clean out the tyre sufficiently to do a proper repair.

Remember if you do get a nail or whatever through the tyre you'll still need to get it properly repaired.

Any comments on this?

 

[busby]

Not got a spare wheel in our van.

Haven't got a spare wheel in any of our cars and haven't done for a long time.

Haven't got a spare wheel on any of my bikes.

Travel around Europe when and if it's convenient.

Never had a problem.

Nothing else to say. Not interested in getting into a debate.

You are a very lucky man but its bound to happen one day,,,,BUSBY

 

[busby]

Many thanks for all your replies, much appreciated. But as I replied to Minxy Girl I wonder if you carry a spare wheel with a tyre, can you change it yourself with a trolley jack or other means (as I guess no jacking points) or let the breakdown service take care of it.

I have changed wheel on my van using crappy scissor jack...Made sure i used blocks underneath before i removed wheel,,BUSBY.

 

[joka250]

Whilst I do have a spare, I will be fitting this to all of my tyres at the next opportunity.
Prevention is better than cure.

http://www.tyre-sealant.com/

Don't know this particular version but did for a short while instal a similar product. It worked BUT it often caused wheel balance problems, disguised potentially serious and dangerous punctures and often resulted in tyres not being able to be repaired. This product claims to be water soluble, 2 thoughts on that, the air pumped into a tyre will have an element of moisture in it, what affect will this have and secondly, given that the tread bracing on tyres is steel, any penetration will expose bare steel, when sealant is washed out steel gets wet starts to rust expands and potentialy damages tyre. These sealants will only help short term.
I feel best way, with or without spare, is check road tyres daily while travelling and fit a monitoring system.

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[Minxy]

Hi, the van is a Chausson Maxi Sweet. Thanks for your reply. Do you wait for the breakdown service to change it then or do you carry a trolley jack onboard too? Just curious

Many thanks for all your replies, much appreciated. But as I replied to Minxy Girl I wonder if you carry a spare wheel with a tyre, can you change it yourself with a trolley jack or other means (as I guess no jacking points) or let the breakdown service take care of it.

There are still jacking points on the chassis itself both front an rear so no reason you couldn't do it yourself if you wished to.

We have a bottle jack so if necessary we could change it ourselves if it was safe to do so but NOT on a motorway, in this case it would be a case of call out the recovery services.

 

[Lenny HB]

On our 3rd Motorhome both the previous ones we have had a puncture. If you do not carry a spare because of payload either the van is not fit for purpose or you have bought the wrong van.
Can't see the point of tyre sealants, you get a puncture the sealant does a temporary repair you don't know you have a puncture so you are driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition.

 

[sdc77]

So us with no spare are wrong?
I think not. It's a choice.
I have no intention of changing a wheel on the van. I have a spare tyre and I'm not sure where in western Europe I can't have a tyre changed.
@makems bad as your blowout picture is .. having a spare wouldn't have prevented it. I would hope the tyrepal system would warn me with most blowout type situations and... once again.. I'll call the breakdown company to sort it should I have a puncture.

 

[Fjb]

My new burstner comes with a tyre inflator fills it full of stuff to enable you to drive slowly to a garage but in 40 years of driving and riding vehicles from push bikes to tank transporters never had a blow out and only ever had 2 punctures and to have a full blow out there must be a major problem with the tyre in the first place if it happens it happens get the kettle on have a cuppa and watch tv until the problem is sorted

 

[BreweryDave]

Dave I had considered this to avoid carrying a spare as weight is an issue for me, will you carry a spare when it’s done ?

I will Larry, but only because it’s already there and is tucked away nicely in an alcove in the garage, and weight isn’t an issue for me ( except my waistline!)

The website for this sealant ( there may be others) obviously has to err on the side of caution and call it temporary, however I know folk in the transport business who have said it really is a fit and forget application, you may never know you’ve had a simple puncture, but that’s the idea! Obviously wouldn’t prevent anything major, and of course a regular physical check would be sensible.

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[Minxy]

I've been reading the comments ref the tyre sealant stuff (not after puncture gunk) which 'seals' minor punctures so you don't have to worry about them but I have concerns about it. Having seen punctures, even minor ones, being repaired, I find it difficult to believe that a liquid can do as good a job and how many punctures does it 'fill' before the tyre becomes unsafe to use.

I appreciate it should NEVER replace the need for an owner to check the tyres themselves but I wonder if it makes them more complacent?

Whilst having it in your tyres could mean you are not inconvenienced so frequently (how often does a minor puncture happen in reality?) personally I'd rather know if I have a puncture/leak and get it properly repaired than rely on some liquid to keep me going in total ignorance.

I'll stick with my spare wheel!

 

[busby]

My new burstner comes with a tyre inflator fills it full of stuff to enable you to drive slowly to a garage but in 40 years of driving and riding vehicles from push bikes to tank transporters never had a blow out and only ever had 2 punctures and to have a full blow out there must be a major problem with the tyre in the first place if it happens it happens get the kettle on have a cuppa and watch tv until the problem is sorted

Cant see you doing that on a motorway in UK..Not safe to even be in a van stationary if there is a hard shoulder..It will mean standing other side of the barrier. Mind you,,spare not much good on a motorway either,,too dangerous to risk changing it.,,,,Cant win,,,,BUSBY.

 

[Paul an Jane MK]

Although our 10 year old Swift did not have a spare wheel or anywhere suitable to store it which was always a concern to me.

I am pleased to say our brand new Elddis Encore has a spare wheel and I will feel happier going to Europe for the first time this Summer knowing we have one.

 

[Ex-caravantugger]

I've been reading the comments ref the tyre sealant stuff (not after puncture gunk) which 'seals' minor punctures so you don't have to worry about them but I have concerns about it. Having seen punctures, even minor ones, being repaired, I find it difficult to believe that a liquid can do as good a job and how many punctures does it 'fill' before the tyre becomes unsafe to use.

I appreciate it should NEVER replace the need for an owner to check the tyres themselves but I wonder if it makes them more complacent?

Whilst having it in your tyres could mean you are not inconvenienced so frequently (how often does a minor puncture happen in reality?) personally I'd rather know if I have a puncture/leak and get it properly repaired than rely on some liquid to keep me going in total ignorance.

I'll stick with my spare wheel!

I agree with Minxi. Had a car that picked up 5 punctures including one with wall damage. Luckily had a space saver. Moho came unequipped so bought spare and carrier. Now tucked away. But each to their own....choice.....choice ....choice.
Mike

 

[glenn2926]

It would appear that many of you would not leave home without a spare wheel. It’s a good job you don’t tour on motorcycles then. I have toured all over Europe on my motorcycle and never carried a spare wheel. I am also regularly touring Europe in the motorhome without a spare wheel. If I have a puncture I will cope with it somehow. There are lots of vehicles that don’t carry spare wheels. You do not see roads littered with abandoned vehicles do you?

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[busby]

It would appear that many of you would not leave home without a spare wheel. It’s a good job you don’t tour on motorcycles then. I have toured all over Europe on my motorcycle and never carried a spare wheel. I am also regularly touring Europe in the motorhome without a spare wheel. If I have a puncture I will cope with it somehow. There are lots of vehicles that don’t carry spare wheels. You do not see roads littered with abandoned vehicles do you?

I used to carry a puncture repair outfit years ago with a motorbike,,Mind you years ago,,before motorways it was never far to a garage with a workshop..As for abandoned vehicles breakdown insurance stops that but myself i would rather spend half an hour changing a wheel that ringing a breakdown no and waiting for assistance..Was the same when i was trucking,BUSBY,,

 

[Nora Batty]

Whilst I do have a spare, I will be fitting this to all of my tyres at the next opportunity.
Prevention is better than cure.

http://www.tyre-sealant.com/

This is the information I was looking for, many thanks. I will contact the company and ask their advice