19 year old 'new' spare tyre

[Barclaybasher]

I mentioned this on another thread but last year I asked my tyre fitter to remove the spare wheel from under my 18 year old MH as I knew I wouldn't be able to do it at the roadside.

The wheel itself was really rusty but the tyre was still new, full tread with the bobbles still on it, fully inflated. I now keep it in the MH 'garage'

Prompted by a post on here yesterday I checked the date on the tyre 05/01

I'm in Spain at the mo wondering if the tyre is safe to use in an emergency or if it could legally be fitted anyway.

The wheel and tyre have obviously spent all their lives under the van - shouldn't an MOT inspection have noted this? .. the van's had enough of them!

Have you checked your spare lately?

 

[DiggerJon]

What's a spare? My manufacturer, in their infinite wisdom, decided to put the water tank where a spare might be leaving nowhere to put one. Fortunately, in 9 years, I have not needed one..... Famous last words!

 

[Barclaybasher]

What's a spare? My manufacturer, in their infinite wisdom, decided to put the water tank where a spare might be leaving nowhere to put one. Fortunately, in 9 years, I have not needed one..... Famous last words!

You might be OK - apparently (touch wood) mine hasn't had a puncture in 18 years..

 

[Chris]

What's a spare? My manufacturer, in their infinite wisdom, decided to put the water tank where a spare might be leaving nowhere to put one. Fortunately, in 9 years, I have not needed one..... Famous last words!

Our first Burstner Aviano didn’t have a spare.

We only found out following a blow out on the M20 when the AA man broke the news.

I can’t tell you how much hassle it was to sort out.

If you can I would find a way to carry a spare.

 

[Northernraider]

The spare doesn't come In to the mot test so it wouldn't be checked.

As some have said above many vans don't even come with a spare now.

It hasn t been on the van which would help but probably still aged.
But as an emergency tyre to get you to a garage it would probably be fine to keep it as a spare.

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[filopastry]

@Barclaybasher I agree with you, I thought that anything fixed to attached to a vehicle at the time of the mot had to be in servicable and working order, unlike here in France. You can bet your bottom dollar that should you have need of the wheel, fit it, and it pops you could be in the doodoo.

 

[Northernraider]

@Barclaybasher I agree with you, I thought that anything fixed to attached to a vehicle at the time of the mot had to be in servicable and working order, unlike here in France. You can bet your bottom dollar that should you have need of the wheel, fit it, and it pops you could be in the doodoo.

To be honest the mot tester doesn't even look at the dates on the tyres either as it isn't part of the test. They check for matching type size etc on an axle , tread and sidewalls , punctures or cracks. The age doesn't come In to the test either.
Whilst they reccomend changing tyres between 5 and 10 years it isn't a legal requirement. So I doubt any of the testers in the 15 years have even glanced at the spare tyre

 

[filopastry]

@Northernraider that really surprises me and yet I believe it's a fail if the rear window screen wiper on an estate is not working. Ah well, "the rules is the rules" as they say.

 

[Odd-no-more]

When I replaced the van tyres at 10 years old I did think about the spare. Should I replace it too? Then I thought about it and decided that if I got a puncture and had to put the spare on, would I want to trust my family to an unsafe tyre on a van that weighs over 3 tons? I replaced all 5.

 

[bobandjanie]

That was one of the things we never liked when Janie had her Smart car, no spare wheel.
I have had to change motorhome wheels a few times in the last 11 years, and on one occasion it took them three days to get (I decided on two tyres ).

I have spent many hours sat in a truck, waiting for tyre fitters and sometimes police to cone off the carriageway. Bob.

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[Ivory55]

That was one of the things we never liked when Janie had her Smart car, no spare wheel.
I have had to change motorhome wheels a few times in the last 11 years, and on one occasion it took them three days to get (I decided on two tyres ).

I have spent many hours sat in a truck, waiting for tyre fitters and sometimes police to cone off the carriageway. Bob.

The only ones that seem to carry a spare wheel now are foreign registered trucks. Cost and weight seems to be uk truck concerns.

 

[bobandjanie]

When I was doing scrap, I carried a spare on the unit, until we had tag or mid lift units.
I have taken a wheel off an empty trailer and strapped the axle up to get me home, after a barney at a tyre place after he took the tyre off and only wanted to sell me a new one.
Having a dozen at home, he was not going to rob me.
Anyway Janie had a nice trailer, and was an expert with super singles. Bob.

 

[JockandRita]

When replacing tyres, the one that is the best of those to be replaced, becomes the spare, so it's never more than a few years old, and it is stored internally away from UV light and road crud.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[mfw]

Look at the amount of vehicles that carry the silly little spare wheel and if needed advise not going over 30 until you get original repaired or replaced - i'd use an out of date tyre like yours in an emergency and get original tyre repaired or replaced - but i would stick to probably 30 till i got original tyre sorted - certainly would not buy a new tyre to sit under van for another few years

 

[Northernraider]

@Northernraider that really surprises me and yet I believe it's a fail if the rear window screen wiper on an estate is not working. Ah well, "the rules is the rules" as they say.

Aye but you need that for reversing safely in bad weather so that's fitted and in use so is tested. The spare wheel isn't fitted to the vehicle it's simply being carried so doesn't come In to it

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[Stealaway]

18 years and never neaded? That has just confirmed the reason why I have never carried a spare wheel. How many others are wasting their time and money?

 

[PP Bear]

Never needed mine and it's 13 years old.

It's brand new in terms of looks etc and I'll keep it just for emergencies.

Wonder if we've all jinxed it now and there'll be motorhome's all over the side of the roads needing puncture repairs.

 

[olley]

To cut down on weight you could just carry a spare tyre without the rim.

 

[busby]

What's a spare? My manufacturer, in their infinite wisdom, decided to put the water tank where a spare might be leaving nowhere to put one. Fortunately, in 9 years, I have not needed one..... Famous last words!

You should not have said thatBUSBY

 

[Lenny HB]

18 years and never neaded? That has just confirmed the reason why I have never carried a spare wheel. How many others are wasting their time and money?

Wouldn't think of going anywhere without a spare, so far this is the first van we have had without getting a punture, so far.
Last van new tyre got a puncher in first 50 miles.

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[G-RMPS]

I noticed the small print in my breakdown cover specified I must have a spare tyre. I am replacing two tyres now. I’ll throw the better of the two in the “cave”. Another 12kg on the back axle that I could well do without!

 

[G-RMPS]

Wouldn't think of going anywhere without a spare, so far this is the first van we have had without getting a punture, so far.
Last van new tyre got a puncher in first 50 miles.

How many different ways do you know to spele puncture?

 

[Northernraider]

Hey I've not needed a condom in months but I still carry one

 

[Barclaybasher]

Hey I've not needed a condom in months but I still carry one

You definitely don't need a puncture in that

 

[Scotch mist]

I Got a nail in my tyre , first day on my 400 mile drive home , it was on the tag axle ,bye the time I got home it was 11pm so never noticed it till the next morning , I now have a spare wheel in the garage, BUT it does help having 1200kg pay load

I also bought tyrepal so I know what’s going on with the tyres

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[Stealaway]

It is gamble and you can be unlucky but I'm happy to play the odds as I've not had a puncture in any vehicles for 20 plus years - and I don't think I could change a wheel on this monster.

 

[Lenny HB]

It is gamble and you can be unlucky but I'm happy to play the odds as I've not had a puncture in any vehicles for 20 plus years - and I don't think I could change a wheel on this monster.

You are living on borrowed time.

 

[Jake Royd]

When we bought our MH, my first one, I did not check the tyre age.
Replaced all 4 service tyres because they were getting on for 10 years old.
I did not replace the spare because it's out of the way of UV etc.
In an emergency I would use it but then replace asap.

I have tested getting it released from underneath by the rear axle beam (Ducato)
That's an achievement in itself.

 

[filopastry]

Luckily, mine is sat in the garage, dry, clean out of UV danger and an expensive extra bit of weight I hope I never need. Really don't like changing wheels ... always happens when it's peeing down and blowing a gale, why never in the sunshine

 

[JJ]

Hey I've not needed a condom in months but I still carry one

Reminds of the two five year old girls walking home from school...

First little girl says,

"Guess what? I found a condom behind a radiator at school today..."

Second little girl says,

"What's a radiator?"


JJ

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