vintageracer
To Infinity and Beyond!
Do we really need a spare?
No!
Your tire will only be flat on the bottom.
No!
Your tire will only be flat on the bottom.
Do we really need a spare?
- Thread starter Winterhawk
- Start date
DaveNay
Adventurer
No need for a spare when you could just carry 5000lbs of counterbalance that can be stacked over the diagonal wheel. Should run on three wheels just fine.... Wheelie? You had to go there? ...
Just be careful if driving on a canyon "rim"!
Fishenough
Creeper
Had this reminder just last weekend, why not carry a spare at all times.
Long trips I carry a spare/or spare tubes. Well a short ride 30 km's up a gravel road close to home I don't need that.
One tiny carpet tack was enough to put a long cut in the tube that my repair kit isn't going to help with, so a rescue with the neighbours trailer was needed (he was riding with me).
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Long trips I carry a spare/or spare tubes. Well a short ride 30 km's up a gravel road close to home I don't need that.
One tiny carpet tack was enough to put a long cut in the tube that my repair kit isn't going to help with, so a rescue with the neighbours trailer was needed (he was riding with me).
Sent from my SM-G981W using Tapatalk
alanymarce
Well-known member
Hmm - when we were travelling south on the Dempster a week or so ago we fixed 6 flats in one day - one on a trailer heading north, one on a pick-up heading south, one on our own vehicle, and three (simultaneous) punctures on a northbound pick-up. Two of the six were not repairable on the side of the road so the spare wheels were essential.
Cutting a long story short we have never yet had to use two spares, and now travel with one, having travelled with two on a couple of big trips.
Cutting a long story short we have never yet had to use two spares, and now travel with one, having travelled with two on a couple of big trips.
Metcalf
Expedition Leader
Just curious, what type of punctures did they have that where non-field repairable?
slomatt
Adventurer
I carry a spare, because I'll get a flat the very first time I decide to leave the spare at home.
Seriously though, in 20+ years of wheeling I've seen 3 flats. Two were easily plugged, one was a large branch through a sidewall and the tire was toast. Tires are the most important part of the truck, and some damage is just not repairable (or would take too long to repair), so I think carrying at least one spare tire is critical. Plus, you can chuck them into the Golden Crack to build a bridge when you don't have enough flex to make it through.
Seriously though, in 20+ years of wheeling I've seen 3 flats. Two were easily plugged, one was a large branch through a sidewall and the tire was toast. Tires are the most important part of the truck, and some damage is just not repairable (or would take too long to repair), so I think carrying at least one spare tire is critical. Plus, you can chuck them into the Golden Crack to build a bridge when you don't have enough flex to make it through.
Somecallmetimm
Adventurer
The worst damage I ever got on a tire was 2 miles from the house. A spare is just like insurance. Most of the time you won't need it, until you do, then you'll be really happy you have it.
You could run dual bead lock wheels and only carry a spare tire. Toss in a small bag of balance beads and go on your way. That could save some space.
You could run dual bead lock wheels and only carry a spare tire. Toss in a small bag of balance beads and go on your way. That could save some space.
Winterhawk
Member
I started this thread in my "spare" time. Sad and bad pun I know, but I was only half serious. I plan on continuing to carry my spare even if it was been 38 years since my last flat. May never need one, but would hate to be in the middle of Destination Off Road, North America without one. As a matter of fact I plan on getting rid of my 20 year old spare that isn't the same size as my other 4 and getting a matching one.
rnArmy
Adventurer
Yes. A full-size matching spare. I laugh when I see a Jeep with 35" tires and a 28" spare hanging on the back.
I had to loan my spare once to someone on a trail run as I was the only one with the matching bolt pattern and tire size for his Jeep. Pissed me off watching him bouncing his Jeep on the rocks and such with my spare tire (and now I didn't have a spare). It would have been one thing if he had to use his spare and then got another flat (then he's just having a really bad trail day). But at least start out with a full-sized spare. At the end of the day, I politely told him we weren't doing that again.
I've had a few flats over the years. Cut valve stems, wood spikes in the sidewalls, broken beads, road debris punctures, etc. I just swapped out with the spare and kept on going, and dealt with it later.
My wife's Subaru (2017 Crosstrek) came with a temp spare (same diameter at least). I bought her a matching factory rim and tire. I will admit for running around town she has the temp spare only (full size won't fit in the spare tire well) - but at least she's got a spare. Temp spares are technically only good for 50 miles or so. But when she or we go on a long trip in her Subaru, the full-size spare gets tossed in the back. Same thing with my manly 2008 Toyota Yaris.
When I organize a run, a matching full sized spare tire is a requirement. I've yet to go on an organized run where they didn't have that requirement.
I had to loan my spare once to someone on a trail run as I was the only one with the matching bolt pattern and tire size for his Jeep. Pissed me off watching him bouncing his Jeep on the rocks and such with my spare tire (and now I didn't have a spare). It would have been one thing if he had to use his spare and then got another flat (then he's just having a really bad trail day). But at least start out with a full-sized spare. At the end of the day, I politely told him we weren't doing that again.
I've had a few flats over the years. Cut valve stems, wood spikes in the sidewalls, broken beads, road debris punctures, etc. I just swapped out with the spare and kept on going, and dealt with it later.
My wife's Subaru (2017 Crosstrek) came with a temp spare (same diameter at least). I bought her a matching factory rim and tire. I will admit for running around town she has the temp spare only (full size won't fit in the spare tire well) - but at least she's got a spare. Temp spares are technically only good for 50 miles or so. But when she or we go on a long trip in her Subaru, the full-size spare gets tossed in the back. Same thing with my manly 2008 Toyota Yaris.
When I organize a run, a matching full sized spare tire is a requirement. I've yet to go on an organized run where they didn't have that requirement.
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We are in Botswana right now. Every one here still carry 2 spares.