Just bought a spare wheel/tyre for my Chausson (Mk8 Transit). Should I get a jack as well? (1 Viewer)

Nov 11, 2013
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As seems to be common nowadays my 2015 717 didn't come with a spare wheel, just a blowy-up type of kit, and I have never felt happy with this. As a result I have just ordered a spare wheel with the same tyre as is fitted to the van, but I'm not sure if I should go the whole hog and get a jack and wheel brace as well? People tell me it's best to rely on the breakdown service to change the wheel for me using their heavy duty kit, but what happens if I have a problem in the middle of nowhere or they are busy? If I get a jack, which one should I buy? Many thanks for any help. Bob.
 
Nov 3, 2013
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Hi.
Yes,get a jack and.."Wheel brace" (Check your wheel nuts ? LOL) i bought a little hydraulic jack from machine mart? quite cheap.
Often,you will get the offer of help if you are struggling,however,always make sure that the wheels are choked,handbrake on and in gear,PLUS. The jack is square on the ground,NO metal to metal,(Bit of old inner tube?) and you have a support in place if it comes off.
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Oct 5, 2012
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As seems to be common nowadays my 2015 717 didn't come with a spare wheel, just a blowy-up type of kit, and I have never felt happy with this. As a result I have just ordered a spare wheel with the same tyre as is fitted to the van, but I'm not sure if I should go the whole hog and get a jack and wheel brace as well? People tell me it's best to rely on the breakdown service to change the wheel for me using their heavy duty kit, but what happens if I have a problem in the middle of nowhere or they are busy? If I get a jack, which one should I buy? Many thanks for any help. Bob.
I personally don't like relying on a breakdown company for something like a tyre or a lot else. Which is why a significant amount of my payload is a jack, spare and a lot of tools!!!
I guess it also depends where you intend to go, when I went to northern europe up to Nordkapp, it was in 100 of miles of wilderness. No breakdown services local to many places up there!
 

Don Quixote

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Not long enough, but a little common sense helps..........
As seems to be common nowadays my 2015 717 didn't come with a spare wheel, just a blowy-up type of kit, and I have never felt happy with this. As a result I have just ordered a spare wheel with the same tyre as is fitted to the van, but I'm not sure if I should go the whole hog and get a jack and wheel brace as well? People tell me it's best to rely on the breakdown service to change the wheel for me using their heavy duty kit, but what happens if I have a problem in the middle of nowhere or they are busy? If I get a jack, which one should I buy? Many thanks for any help. Bob.
I bought a trolley jack from halfords (2 ton) and wheel brace and hope never to use it.........(y)

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Jan 26, 2010
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You may want to feel the weight of the spare wheel and tyre assembly when you get it. Also appreciate how tough it is to remove the wheel nuts without a decent long bar and socket. I removed my wheels and had a real struggle with the weight - especially when lining up the wheel with the stud holes in the hub to refit the wheel. The nuts were also very difficult to move without the extended bar and socket that I have since bought. Add all of that with the stress of trying to do it on the roadside and you will at least be able to consider the practicalities of doing it yourself. If it happened to me, I could change the wheel if I had to but would call the breakdown service first.
 

beachmat

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We got a Ford Transit jack for use with our Chausson Flash 14, it fitted the chassis holes, so jacking point was in the right place. And it stored into the jack location moulding in the drivers step well. Also fitted the spare underneath in the allocated space, with a Ford mounting kit (slightly modified because of the waste tank). Had to use it in a French Service Station a couple of years ago. After changing the wheel we where back enroute after about 45 mins, quicker than waiting for the recovery. However now carry a trolley jack for use with our heavier Fiat/Al-ko Carthago, but would judge each situation and then decide whether it was DIY or call the recovery service.
 
Jan 25, 2013
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You may want to feel the weight of the spare wheel and tyre assembly when you get it. Also appreciate how tough it is to remove the wheel nuts without a decent long bar and socket. I removed my wheels and had a real struggle with the weight - especially when lining up the wheel with the stud holes in the hub to refit the wheel. The nuts were also very difficult to move without the extended bar and socket that I have since bought. Add all of that with the stress of trying to do it on the roadside and you will at least be able to consider the practicalities of doing it yourself. If it happened to me, I could change the wheel if I had to but would call the breakdown service first.

I bought a spare wheel for my Transit on eBay to take to Morocco - boy was it heavy! 30kg heavy to be precise and I'd hate to have had to change the wheel by the roadside..... But, your choice!

Now, how many punctures have I had in 49 years of driving?? 5 maybe? One every 10 years or roughly every 175.000 miles.... Not bad odds for not carrying lots of unused payload!

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Geo

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You should ALWAYS try your kit out at home, on a nice day and at your own pace
You would be surprised at how many motor home wheels cant be removed because of skirt and arch trim or present you with problems you never even considered, and a high lifting Garage jack is needed.
We have had to jack support and jack again on some to get the rear wheels off
Or you can wait and test it out in the pouring rain at midnight on M25 Your choice;)
 

sdc77

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I personally don't like relying on a breakdown company for something like a tyre or a lot else. Which is why a significant amount of my payload is a jack, spare and a lot of tools!!!
I guess it also depends where you intend to go, when I went to northern europe up to Nordkapp, it was in 100 of miles of wilderness. No breakdown services local to many places up there!
I get your point here but... being in a motorhome I would call my breakdown company (adac for us) put the kettle on and settle down with some dinner and TV. .
Also inclement ... and extreme cold weather are another reason to rely on a specialists provided by your breakdown company. (Imho)
 

Forestboy

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Carry a jack and wheel brace and have used it twice on this van so far.:(
Been changing wheels on trucks all my life I'm buggered if I'm sitting around waiting for someone else to come and do it and pay for the privilege when I can do it myself.:)
My generation were taught to change a wheel at a young age it's only our risk averse society that stops us nowadays.:eek:

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Oct 5, 2012
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I get your point here but... being in a motorhome I would call my breakdown company (adac for us) put the kettle on and settle down with some dinner and TV. .
Also inclement ... and extreme cold weather are another reason to rely on a specialists provided by your breakdown company. (Imho)
Yes I am fully covered, but spending hours waiting for recovery for doing a tyre seems like a waste of time, depending on the circumstances. As I said it also depends where you are, I plan to go right up north again. taking no tyre and just gunk could mean the immediate end of your tour up there, and buying a new tyre in Norway? I would need my credit card limit extended exponentially!!!!
 
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BobtheBass
Nov 11, 2013
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Just got the new wheel and matching tyre to the originals. Bu**er me its heavy! I think I need a block and tackle/engine hoist as well as a jack. Not sure I could fit it myself without help.
 
Feb 4, 2016
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I carry a trolley jack and a spare, i haven't got a payload problem but i know it does come into it with some vans. I have come across wheel nuts i just couldn't undo with a long bar and me being a hefty lad move. If you are not strong enough to lift a wheel into place i understand or if you are on the hard shoulder or somewhere as dangerous then deffo get the breakdown company to do it .
I bought a 12v impact wrench i didn't hold much hope that it would work but it was brills https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cir13c-1-2in-impact-wrench-kit-12v/ . I know it wouldn't last long in a workshop situation but it worked for me .

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Abacist

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I would not change a MoHo wheel with a jack without using axle stands especially beside a busy road with buffeting by lorries going by!

Make sure the jack and stands are rated to take the weight of your van!
 

Lenny HB

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I changed a wheel on my van got a puncher in a tyre that had only done 50 miles, jacking the van up is not too bad but handling 25 kg of wheel is hard on the back and they are a pane to line up on the hub.
If you have alloy wheels worth taking them of at home and putting a smear of Copperease or similar around the centre hole on the wheel. The wheels bind on the rust on the hub absolute pig to get off, my last van had alloys took me over an hour to release one wheel, that was only on the drive would have been near impossible at the side of the road.
 

Geo

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A couple of 2ft square carpet tiles for protection top and bottom and you can change wheels on Tarmac Grass Mud and Sand
4 Ton Exhaust Jack
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maxi77

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As seems to be common nowadays my 2015 717 didn't come with a spare wheel, just a blowy-up type of kit, and I have never felt happy with this. As a result I have just ordered a spare wheel with the same tyre as is fitted to the van, but I'm not sure if I should go the whole hog and get a jack and wheel brace as well? People tell me it's best to rely on the breakdown service to change the wheel for me using their heavy duty kit, but what happens if I have a problem in the middle of nowhere or they are busy? If I get a jack, which one should I buy? Many thanks for any help. Bob.

When we had a blow out on our transit based van the lad in the tyre place had a walk round went to get his jacks and 2 sledge hammers and it took him 15 minutes a side to get the 4 wheels off, not a road side job
 

Geo

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Told you so time
If your wheels/Van are serviced correctly then Sledge Hammers are definitley not a requirement
If you had followed my earlier advice re trying out your kit at home you would not have experienced what you did roadside
the same applies to many who dont give wheel changing or punctures a second thought
Id rather struggle for 10 mins than wait 3 Hrs for the AA /RAC or Tyre man etc
 

andy63

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Not Cheap but the purfik solution
A couple of 2ft square carpet tiles for protection top and bottom and you can change wheels on Tarmac Grass Mud and Sand
4 Ton Exhaust Jack
View attachment 138867 View attachment 138868
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That's a handy looking bit of kit..
Have you or anyone else looking used one..
I've used high and low pressure air bags in my old job but never seen one run off the exhaust...
Just wondering how long it takes to inflate off the exhaust and any likely problems with modern vehicles and sensors...
I'm thinking exhaust back pressure..
Anyone???
Re the alloy wheels.. never had them but a mate has them on a new car... he couldn't believe what it took to shift them with a sledge... greased and replaced them and a month or two later still had a job and still needed a big hammer..
Andy.

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sdc77

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Yes I am fully covered, but spending hours waiting for recovery for doing a tyre seems like a waste of time, depending on the circumstances. As I said it also depends where you are, I plan to go right up north again. taking no tyre and just gunk could mean the immediate end of your tour up there, and buying a new tyre in Norway? I would need my credit card limit extended exponentially!!!!
Which is why I carry a tyre only .. ( well it's not actually because of Norway...)
 

TerryL

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Although we've got a spare wheel, it's location makes me think I'd have a helluva job getting to it if the offside rear tyre went flat, so by choice I'd call the breakdown service. Remember, of course, some breakdown services won't come out if you haven't got a spare.............

That said I also carry a small hydraulic bottle jack and a decent wheel brace (the Fiat jobbie is a joke!) in case of real emergencies.

And for Morocco a spare tyre carcass which lives happily on the roof out of the way. It all is within the payload - just!
 

Geo

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Yes Andy, used and abused them, you would be surprised how little pressure and how quick it is
15-30 seconds with a fast tick over, no ill effects to the engines at all, widley used in recovery and 4x4 events
If you do carry a bottle jack dont throw out the Fiat scissor jack it might be needed to lift you to get the bottle jack under a low chassis with flat tyre

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Mar 16, 2016
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the same applies to many who dont give wheel changing or punctures a second thought
Id rather struggle for 10 mins than wait 3 Hrs for the AA /RAC or Tyre man etc

Would that apply if you were on a motorway or busy A road?

Pete
 

ambulancekidd

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Not Cheap but the purfik solution
A couple of 2ft square carpet tiles for protection top and bottom and you can change wheels on Tarmac Grass Mud and Sand
4 Ton Exhaust Jack
View attachment 138867 View attachment 138868
Link Removed

I've had one of these air jacks for many years, far lighter to use than any other type of jack, however a word of caution, some commercial based vehicles like the Sprinter have an exhaust that is right under the vehicle so an air jack wouldn't work there.
 
Mar 16, 2016
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Most breakdown services carry "universal spare wheels" along with adaptors to enable them to fit the majority of modern cars with five-stud wheels, nowadays don't they?

Pete

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Mar 16, 2016
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The AA and RAC have been conducting nationwide trials of “universal spare wheels”, which use a series of adaptors to enable them to fit the majority of modern cars with five-stud wheels.

You can then drive yourself to a tyre fitter, where the AA will reclaim the spare wheel or arrange to have it sent back to one of its depots.

The RAC has used universal spare wheels more than 30,000 times since launching the service in January, and estimates the wheels will fit about 80% of cars.

http://www.driving.co.uk/car-clinic...ry-tyre-sealant-for-roadside-puncture-repair/

Pete
 

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