Did the dreaded weighbridge in the new Hymer!! (2 Viewers)

[EX51SSS]

When you initially call your breakdown service to report the problem. You tell them that you require a tyre fitting service, such as ATSeuromaster adding further that you have a spare tyre onboard or that you require the puncture to be repaired in situ.
This is a common occurrence for truck drivers.

Pete

Not that common for truck drivers. I've been one for decades and never used an independent because I've never carried a spare. Yes, on a coach but except for Johnny Foreigner, I've not seen trucks carry spare tyres or wheels.

 

[EX51SSS]

I can understand that and have seen trucks having their tyres replaced at the roadside but they are unlikely to carry spares I believe and this service will cost a lot more than the breakdown service we are talking about.

That's because it's out of necessity. Trucks, well certainly the company's I've worked for and subbed for don't carry a spare.

 

[Tykatem]

Not that common for truck drivers. I've been one for decades and never used an independent because I've never carried a spare. Yes, on a coach but except for Johnny Foreigner, I've not seen trucks carry spare tyres or wheels.

When I said "This is a common occurrence for truck drivers" What I meant is for them to call and report that they require a Tyre fitting service as opposed to a breakdown service.

Pete (Heavy goods licence held for 38yrs)

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[Langtoftlad]

Back to weights...
Mine is max 3.4 but nowhere near that despite bike & rack, spare wheel, 2nd leisure battery, awning etc

As mine is the budget model of the brand - I'm wondering if a premium brand means better materials, means heavier construction?

 

[Xabia]

I have been travelling to and from Spain for about 17 years and never had a puncture but always had a spare on board. I imagine that if there is a puncture when you are travelling fully loaded at 55-60 mph there might be significant damage to the wheel. You would then need to source a wheel which would mean a delay, especially at weekends.

 

[JeanLuc]

Ours has a spare (2003 Hymer B630 on a Sprinter chassis) and the van is rated at 3,800 kg MAM. Fully loaded with full water, fuel, gas, food, walking gear, books (can be heavy) and things like optics (for bird watching) and camera gear we come in under the limit with room for wine!
The spare is quite heavy but I have had to change a wheel three times in a total of 9 years ownership so far. Once soon after we bought the van (I suspected a dodgy tyre valve extender fitted by the previous owner) and twice in one 6-week trip to Italy and back through France a couple of years ago. Glad I had a spare and a decent bottle jack (standard equipment). I always carry a long 'breaker-bar' to turn the socket and release the wheel bolts and a torque wrench to do them up again (190 Newton-Metres - it's quite tight!)

Glad you're still enjoying the trips Coolbeanz

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[Dave LL]

As a mobile tyre fitter [many years ago, I admit] who was on call 24/7, I attended many roadside tyre "problems".
As a general rule we demanded the tyre size & type required before proceeding to the location, so that we had the replacement on board in case it was required. No puncture repairs were allowed at night due to the difficulty of inspecting a tyre properly without adequate light. The only option was replacement. Alloy wheels on cars and light commercials are a problem if the tyre fitter is only equipped with lump hammer and tyre levers - they will get damaged breaking the bead of the tyre away from the wheel. Very few punctures result in wheel damage on the driven vehicle because the driver becomes aware of the problem before the tyre is flat enough to self-destruct. The lumps of tyre you see on the roads usually come from multi-axle trailers. Heavy goods vehicles generally do not carry spare wheels because they reduce the carrying capacity of the vehicle with each tyre weighing in excess of 1 cwt plus a wheel at nearly as much.

Don't panic, just carry a spare.
The one thing you MUST do if you stop on a motorway is to evacuate the vehicle.

 

[Billggski]

The problem in France is that the garage will sometimes insist that you need two new tyres if they can't source an identical tyre to a damaged one. The law over there says they must be the same rating etc. on each axle, my spare and wheel weigh about 28kg.
As it's a steel wheel I also need different wheel bolts to the alloys on the Moho.

 

[Flamenca]

Others remain "under 3.5t" because their owners take the decision to never weigh them. Ignorance is bliss ....... but no excuse when you get pulled over in a police/VOSA check.

Not all with a 3.5T MH ignore weights. On my way to the ferry for our last trip I popped mine on a weighbridge. Fully loaded with gear, 2 people, FULL tank of water and full fuel tank and still had 140kg payload left. However, I still opt for mainly wine in cartons to avoid carrying too much surplus glass

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[sdc77]

We carry just a tyre too.

 

[BwB]

They've changed MHs - not downrated an existing one.

OK now it makes more sense.

 

[MR. FUSION]

I know discussing a female's weight in public is not the done thing but at the risk of upsetting Hermione we took her to the weighbridge yesterday prior too our trip to France on Monday. As we have downgraded from a 4.5 ton to a 3.85 ton we figured we had better see what, if any spare weight we have for filling up on wine .

We had already removed the 4 bike rack as we only use the garage for our bikes and we were surprised to discover it weighed 9kgs.
We were pleased to discover she weighed in at 3680kg with both of us on board and we have an estimated 40kgs more of stuff to add. Definitely room for some wine then!!
It does however raise the question of how 3.5 ton Motorhomes remain within the legal weight limit as we carry much less stuff than I have seen crammed in many other Motorhomes and neither of us are exactly overweight.
One thing that is very heavy is the spare wheel. Apparently Motorhomes don't come with one anymore but Paul at Edgehill supplied us with one as well as a jack and tyre inflator. Do you all carry a spare tyre? We have full breakdown and recovery so I wondered if this was an unnecessary weight that we could do away with?

Yep always have a spare, without one and a non repairable tyre you are at the mercy of circumstance and the incompetence and/or corruption of a 'local' repairer.

It seems even the most common Vanco tyre is special order in the capital of the Netherlands the home of the prolific camper, so what the replacement situation is like in some European backwater I dread to think! Without a spare when my tyre had a chunk taken out of it I would have been needlessly stuck up crap creek. As it is it cost me a €160 to get the damaged tyre replaced at Kwickfit Hague, bit at least I was no hostage to fortune there and regard that as getting off lightly

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[MR. FUSION]

You could just carry the tyre and not the rim which is the really heavy bit. We were thinking of doing this as finding the right size tyre is going to be the thing that holds you up on your travels.

That's not a good idea, because if one of the existing wheel hubs is damaged which they can be, especially with an impact type of blow out you have nothing to put the tyre on. Then you become a hostage of fortune to the local repairers getting hold of a new wheel hub.....

 

[tonyidle]

The one thing you MUST do if you stop on a motorway is to evacuate the vehicle.

I've always had a problem with that advice. On the surface it makes total sense but often weather conditions and the exposed terrain that motorways pass through mean that there's a serious risk of exposure. On top of which my dogs would rapidly become distressed if left for long in such a noisy situation. I do wonder if the advice takes into account that if protective clothing is carried (a big if in most cars) it is likely (at best) to be a simple waterproof.

 

[MR. FUSION]

I've always had a problem with that advice. On the surface it makes total sense but often weather conditions and the exposed terrain that motorways pass through mean that there's a serious risk of exposure. On top of which my dogs would rapidly become distressed if left for long in such a noisy situation. I do wonder if the advice takes into account that if protective clothing is carried (a big if in most cars) it is likely (at best) to be a simple waterproof.

I think the advice is based on how many people have been killed or injured whilst being on the hard shoulder vs had exposure and upset dogs......the former is higher than the latter. Judging by how many lorry drivers and other motorists drive whilst texting or are on the net I'll take my chances on the embankment or in the case of a 'smart' motorway in a corner of concrete.

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[Phillybarbour]

Taking the van over to Europe without a spare seems very odd to me, might risk it in the UK if I was pushed. Spare wheel is a must piece of kit for me.

 

[Dave and Ginny]

I imagine that if there is a puncture when you are travelling fully loaded at 55-60 mph there might be significant damage to the wheel. You would then need to source a wheel which would mean a delay, especially at weekends.

I was talking to a Rapido owner last year who had a spare wheel strapped to his cycle rack; He had a blow out and the wheel was damaged somewhere in France. It took three days to source a replacement alloy wheel. Needless to say he now never travels without a spare!

 

[CWH]

I've always had a problem with that advice. On the surface it makes total sense but often weather conditions and the exposed terrain that motorways pass through mean that there's a serious risk of exposure. On top of which my dogs would rapidly become distressed if left for long in such a noisy situation. I do wonder if the advice takes into account that if protective clothing is carried (a big if in most cars) it is likely (at best) to be a simple waterproof.

So carry better protective clothing and good harnesses/ cages for the dogs.
Read the first posting on the following link (apologies to Polly & Arthur if they read this & find it upsetting - I think you gave us all a salutory lesson, never to be forgotten)

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[Minxy]

What I really don't understand is those who choose to carry a tyre but not a fully usable spare wheel ... if your payload is that tight that you cannot accommodate the extra weight of the wheel rim then surely it would be better to jettison/reduce what you're carrying to accommodate it? Or am I missing something obvious????

 

[alfandM]

What I really don't understand is those who choose to carry a tyre but not a fully usable spare wheel ... if your payload is that tight that you cannot accommodate the extra weight of the wheel rim then surely it would be better to jettison/reduce what you're carrying to accommodate it? Or am I missing something obvious????

Sensible statement

 

[tonyidle]

I think the advice is based on how many people have been killed or injured whilst being on the hard shoulder vs had exposure and upset dogs......the former is higher than the latter. Judging by how many lorry drivers and other motorists drive whilst texting or are on the net I'll take my chances on the embankment or in the case of a 'smart' motorway in a corner of concrete.

I don't disagree but under certain circumstances I think it would be a difficult decision. Hard shoulders are, as you suggest, very dangerous places.

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[tonyidle]

So carry better protective clothing and good harnesses/ cages for the dogs.
Read the first posting on the following link (apologies to Polly & Arthur if they read this & find it upsetting - I think you gave us all a salutory lesson, never to be forgotten)

I read it at the time. I've been out with a colleague (a long time ago) on that very section maintaining emergency phones in winter. At that time of year it would still be a tough call.

 

[MR. FUSION]

What I really don't understand is those who choose to carry a tyre but not a fully usable spare wheel ... if your payload is that tight that you cannot accommodate the extra weight of the wheel rim then surely it would be better to jettison/reduce what you're carrying to accommodate it? Or am I missing something obvious????

I have to agree, it's a ridiculous idea to take a spare tyre but no hub, especially out of the UK. As I said it took Quick fit in the capital of Holland (and campers!) 2 days just to source the most common Vanco tyre, how long would a damaged wheel hub take to replace ? And at what price ? And where would the wheel less van be stored and how and at what cost ?

Maybe take out the gas barbie ????

 

[EX51SSS]

I have to agree, it's a ridiculous idea to take a spare tyre but no hub, especially out of the UK. As I said it took Quick fit in the capital of Holland (and campers!) 2 days just to source the most common Vanco tyre, how long would a damaged wheel hub take to replace ? And at what price ? And where would the wheel less van be stored and how and at what cost ?

Maybe take out the gas barbie ????

Just a question. When did The Hague become the capital of Holland /Netherlands? It's the seat of parliament but the copies Amsterdam.

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[MR. FUSION]

Just a question. When did The Hague become the capital of Holland /Netherlands? It's the seat of parliament but the copies Amsterdam.

oh well I should read Lonely Planet more carefully But don't think a Vanco will necessarily turn up any faster there.....

 

[Armytwowheels]

I have to agree, it's a ridiculous idea to take a spare tyre but no hub, especially out of the UK. As I said it took Quick fit in the capital of Holland (and campers!) 2 days just to source the most common Vanco tyre, how long would a damaged wheel hub take to replace ? And at what price ? And where would the wheel less van be stored and how and at what cost ?

Maybe take out the gas barbie ????

You might think it is a ridiculous idea but the manufactures of new cars and Motorhomes don't, some are only providing gunk to inject onto the damaged tyres. It is up to the individual to decide on the risks they are prepared to take and live with the consequences.

 

[MR. FUSION]

You might think it is a ridiculous idea but the manufactures of new cars and Motorhomes don't, some are only providing gunk to inject onto the damaged tyres. It is up to the individual to decide on the risks they are prepared to take and live with the consequences.

Yes that's because it saves them money and makes the payload look better!

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[Minxy]

Yes that's because it saves them money and makes the payload look better!

Or because there isn't room ... our Twingo is rear engined so no-where for a spare to go!