Replacing Tyres - What about the spare

[Jasz]

I'm looking at replacing my tyres with all season ones. One issue I have with the decision, is the fact that tyres such as the Michelin Cross Climate are directional so the spare would only be able to go on one side. What have other people done? My spare is out of date but unused.

 

[Brains]

Personally I'd hang onto the spare.

It's a 'get you home' tyre.
It's been stored out of sunlight for years, so will not have deteriorated much.
Just ensure if you ever need to use it, it's on the van for the shortest possible time.

The other option is to buy a 5th or even 6th tyre, and ensure you swap them around every 6 months.
Whilst this works well in countries where everyone has a summer set and a winter set and so are used to swapping all the tyres every six months, it tends to to work in the UK.

 

[Gellyneck]

If to be fitted on the "wrong side" could the fitter not just remove it from the wheel and turn it around? Or am I being my usual daft self?

 

[ivorantony]

Even if it’s supposed to be use in one direction it wouldn’t be a problem to fit as a spare to get to a garage, have you seen the size and tyre width of a space saver spare wheel, admittedly Only to be used at 50 kmh or less,
But as been suggested keep you spare as it will be perfectly usable, mine is 7 years old and like new,

 

[Gaston aires]

I have never changed a spare. They are under the van and do not get the UV ray’s that deteriorate the tyre. I recent used mine after a blowout and it was in perfect condition after a date stamp of 7 years ago.
Phil

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[Badknee]

I’ve just changed an unused 17yr old spare for a new one and put the best of the rest as spare. For the spare as has been said don’t worry too much about direction of rotation.

 

[PP Bear]

Same here, the spare has been hidden away and never used since 2006. I inspect it yearly, ensure the pressure is correct (can’t remember the last time I had to add any puff to it, as it never seems to lose any), so will hang on to it as an emergency spare.

I‘ve had my car since new in 2006 and it has the space saver spare in the boot and I wouldn’t dream of renewing that unless I had too.

 

[mofurt]

I'd not worry overly about putting a tyre on the wrong way as a "drive gently and swap as soon as possible" get me home. There's a 50% chance it'll be the right way anyay; on one of our vans with directional tyres that's what I've got as a spare. Another van had two fairly new but budget tyres and two ancient ones when I bought it. I moved one of the new-ish but not great non-directional tyres to be spare, and put good directionals on all round.
You might consider that if your spare does need renewing - put a non-directional tyre on the spare then it'll be fine, but I'd still swap ASAP as having non-matched tyres isn't great.

 

[Lenny HB]

I would always change the spare it's not just UV that affects them, the compound goes hard with age especially when unused.
It is acceptable use directional tyres the wrong way to get you home.

The main reason I went for the Toyo Observe Van is because they are non directional, I replaced all 5 and I rotate the spare.

Also need to take into account if you have a tyre fail in France or Spain the tyre fitters/breakdown service will insist on matching tyres on the same axle. Can get expensive if they can't get a matching tyre and you have to buy a pair of tyres you don't really want.

 

[Jasz]

It doesn't suprise me to get mixed comments as I could see the reason for keeping the original spare (especially as it could go the lifetime on the new ones without being used), but it is a recommendation to replace it.
Slightly off the original question how important is the snow symbol on a tyre if you're heading to Spain in the winter? A lot of tyres seem to have a mud and snow symbol.
Lenny HB What do you think of the Toyo Observe Van tyres?

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[Lenny HB]

It doesn't suprise me to get mixed comments as I could see the reason for keeping the original spare (especially as it could go the lifetime on the new ones without being used), but it is a recommendation to replace it.
Slightly off the original question how important is the snow symbol on a tyre if you're heading to Spain in the winter? A lot of tyres seem to have a mud and snow symbol.
Lenny HB What do you think of the Toyo Observe Van tyres?

Far better than the Michelin campers they replaced but that's not hard. Nice ride grip level appears good in the wet, very pleased with them.

 

[Bessy765]

Just fitted Michelin all season.bought a steel spare wheel as our Burstner only came with the gunk kit. In over forty years of motor homing I have been lucky enough to only have had three punctures in over a half million miles using my van for work covered a lot of miles. One puncture in the UK nearside front. Two abroad then the offside or kerb side. So I had my spare fitted for the drivers side forward direction. As odds are that may be the side as debris may lay in the gutter and hope fully that might be the side most likely to get one. I bought six all season tyres and the sixth one is stored wrapped in black plastic under the floor in the house. The idea being as we cover quite a lot of miles I expect to need to change them in three years. Then I will put the hopefully unused spare and the extra one on the rear, rears on the front and the part worn will now become the spare. By the time they are worn out it will be probably time to think about carrying on with the motorhome.

a possible problem with having a different type of tyre if you get a puncture in France and need roadside assistance to change it, you may find some garages or fitter will not fit a different type of tyre to the same axle. If it is the same type the the fitter could just turn the tyre and fit it the correct way around. I had this when I took my trailer in for a slow puncture the tyre was perished so could not be repaired and the garage said they could not fit a different tyre as they could not match the one I had. The fitter said if I parked around the corner took the wheel off and brought it in to them on its own they could fit a tyre to it.

 

[cyberyacht]

Never even thought about 'directional' tyres. I'm thinking of getting Continental All Season (3 peaks) Campers next time. Are they directional?

 

[Bessy765]

Yes. All season tyres give improved grip by virtue of being directional assists in causing any accumulate snow to be thrown outwards, if the tyre was on the wrong way around it could compact the snow into the centre of the tread pattern

 

[Jasz]

As far as I can tell looking at the pictures the Continentals are not directional.

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[paddymcc]

My Continental Contiwinter Contact 2 are apparently not directional according to my local tyre fitter.

 

[DandG5515]

I would always change the spare it's not just UV that affects them, the compound goes hard with age especially when unused.
It is acceptable use directional tyres the wrong way to get you home.

The main reason I went for the Toyo Observe Van is because they are non directional, I replaced all 5 and I rotate the spare.

Also need to take into account if you have a tyre fail in France or Spain the tyre fitters/breakdown service will insist on matching tyres on the same axle. Can get expensive if they can't get a matching tyre and you have to buy a pair of tyres you don't really want.

Does that mean that space savers are not legal in Spain and France?

 

[Odd-no-more]

I did think about this a lot in the end I did replace it. My thinking is if I'm on the way to Spain, through France and get a puncture, I don't want to complete the journey at 80mph with a 10 year old tyre. As it happened I never used it, but I'm still happy I replaced it.

 

[Lenny HB]

Does that mean that space savers are not legal in Spain and France?

Not got a clue but you only get those on cars not on vans.

 

[Lenny HB]

Never even thought about 'directional' tyres. I'm thinking of getting Continental All Season (3 peaks) Campers next time. Are they directional?

Are they available for the aftermarket yet?
Although they are being fitted to Motorhomes I can't find any info on the Continental site or from any suppliers. Seems a bit odd if you have them fitted and need a replacement or just a spare.

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[ElliesBoss]

I'm thinking of going with the Barum Vaniss AllSeason. Part of the Continental group and according to MyTyres they are not directional.

 

[M50]

I’ve got two 17“ full winter tyres for sale if there your size
But in reply to the actual question is I didn’t do the spare I risked it knowing if I needed to change to it the first job would be to get a replacement and return the spare as a spare

 

[cmcardle75]

By law, a directional tyre must provide adequete performance when mounted in the wrong direction, specifically to cover this scenario. You can then get it sorted at your convenience, typically when the blown tyre is replaced.

 

[EuroTrotters]

I'm looking at replacing my tyres with all season ones. One issue I have with the decision, is the fact that tyres such as the Michelin Cross Climate are directional so the spare would only be able to go on one side. What have other people done? My spare is out of date but unused.

TOYO H09's Now "Observe" Switching From Michelin Agilis Alpin

As you may know from many of my numerous tyre posts and replies, I have always fitted Winter Tyres to all of our Motorhomes and vans. The last 3 Motorhomes, including the current one, have had Michelin Agilis Winter Tyres, as do my Sprinters. However, the prices of Michelin have rocketed (Paid...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[Jasz]

Unfortunatly Toyo don't appear to make the Observe in 215/70 15 - they do make them in 225/70 15 though.
After much serching I am now thinking of the Continental conti vancontact 4 season but there is also the vancontact camper 4 season. Is it a good idea to go for the camper or would the ride be harder?
It's a real struggle to confirm whether tyres have the 3 peak symbol or not!

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[gus-lopez]

ve had my car since new in 2006 and it has the space saver spare in the boot and I wouldn’t dream of renewing that unless I had too.

Helped a lad change a wheel he had damaged .Space saver he hot out the boot,original and unused looked like a Chinese wheelbarrow tyre. Had loss of air and more cracks in it than crazy paving.
I thought it might burst when we pumped it up.

Does that mean that space savers are not legal in Spain and France?

They are legal here.

 

[Jamesh]

Unfortunatly Toyo don't appear to make the Observe in 215/70 15 - they do make them in 225/70 15 though.
After much serching I am now thinking of the Continental conti vancontact 4 season but there is also the vancontact camper 4 season. Is it a good idea to go for the camper or would the ride be harder?
It's a real struggle to confirm whether tyres have the 3 peak symbol or not!

Why not use 225 70 / 15.....

 

[two]

Do these directional tyres prevent you from reversing?

 

[Mountain man]

Unfortunatly Toyo don't appear to make the Observe in 215/70 15 - they do make them in 225/70 15 though.
After much serching I am now thinking of the Continental conti vancontact 4 season but there is also the vancontact camper 4 season. Is it a good idea to go for the camper or would the ride be harder?
It's a real struggle to confirm whether tyres have the 3 peak symbol or not!

Continental vancontact camper have the M/S and also the 3 peaks symbol.Got them fitted to my van in December 225/75 R16 118R £780.

 

[PP Bear]

Helped a lad change a wheel he had damaged .Space saver he hot out the boot,original and unused looked like a Chinese wheelbarrow tyre. Had loss of air and more cracks in it than crazy paving.
I thought it might burst when we pumped it up.

They are legal here.

You defo need to keep on top of the space saver. Mines never been used (yet ) and I do check pressure at the same time as the road tyres.

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