Spare Wheel in Garage

[C33JAY]

We are looking at a Rapido A Class due to arrive in November and we were curious has to whether Owners fit / place a Spare Wheel / Tyre in the large Garage areas which would be a nice out of sight place to store one, or does this impact too much on payload.

TIA CJ

 

[Griffithii]

We've put a spare wheel in ours...

 

[The Coops]

How much is your payload? if on PHGV no problem if on 3500kgs chassis ( not upgraded but sellable to general public!) Its a no go. Assuming you are ok, look at fitting an under chassis wind down wheel carrier loads from breakers yards even ones from cars, just make sure floor pan or chassis can take it , it is not rocket science just be practical or given the boot space just leave it in the boot. The alternative is to not use a spare but make sure your insurance covers you via breakdown Europe wide ( If you venture into such places ) for someone to come out and fix, if that is the case then I would buy and store a tyre alone that could be fitted on the rim so no charge for call out, no charge for fitting, no recovery costs and no one trying to make a fast buck off you, see there is a 2019 tyre for sale in the classifieds for less than £40 cheapest option and lighter than carrying a wheel tyre and rack!

 

[Bobd]

I keep mine in the garage.
But I did finish up having my m/h uprated from 3.7 to 4.0 as I was struggling to keep within the payload

 

[PeteH]

I have the 999M. The spare came under the Bed!. (no Garage, didn't want one) when I dragged it out it is dated 2008. The whole thing despite being an alloy, weighs in at 27Kg. At this time it resides in the garage, AT home!. I am way beyond changing wheels on 3.8t vehicles at the roadside, and leave that to the RAC. the last time was 2008. So I have the "injection" kit, and may possibly look at just carrying a tyre, but just where is a moot point. I do have a adaption on the tow bar for a mobility scooter, which could be further adapted to take the wheel I suppose?.

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[C33JAY]

Thanks everyone for the quick comments and information on options etc so far

 

[cmcardle75]

I have the 999M. The spare came under the Bed!. (no Garage, didn't want one) when I dragged it out it is dated 2008. The whole thing despite being an alloy, weighs in at 27Kg. At this time it resides in the garage, AT home!. I am way beyond changing wheels on 3.8t vehicles at the roadside, and leave that to the RAC. the last time was 2008. So I have the "injection" kit, and may possibly look at just carrying a tyre, but just where is a moot point. I do have a adaption on the tow bar for a mobility scooter, which could be further adapted to take the wheel I suppose?.

It's still worth having if you can afford the payload and have somewhere to put it. They will absolutely fleece you to get the right size tyre in an emergency and in some countries, they will only fit the same brand as you already have, so there might be a week's delay as they dispatch the last remaining one on a private jet all of which you have to pay for, whilst being without transport or accomodation.

 

[Sid52]

Keep mine in the garage. Most of the punctures I've had on other vehicles, other than very slow leaks, have been catastrophic, ie sidewall ripped or a major hole, not something a bottle of goo could have fixed.

 

[The Coops]

£40 don't look to bad ( Assuming right size tyre)

 

[PeteH]

It's still worth having if you can afford the payload and have somewhere to put it. They will absolutely fleece you to get the right size tyre in an emergency and in some countries, they will only fit the same brand as you already have, so there might be a week's delay as they dispatch the last remaining one on a private jet all of which you have to pay for, whilst being without transport or accomodation.

UK only for us these days, the time of international travel went in 2014 when the Winnebago in Texas was sold. We cannot get health insurance at any price. I can get a compatable tyre shipped and fitted next day here. Spending the night in a lay-by on a "flat" is not the end of the world. I`ve slept in too many lay-bys in trucks to worry about it. In fact nearest Pub with a car park, is usually a good bet!. Normally have Toad on hook, so even getting my own tyre is not out of the question.

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[G7UXG]

I keep mine in the boot, but I do have about 800kg payload (5 ton tag axle). Wouldn’t be without it. Changing the wheel is not a problem because we’ve got E&P jacks. In the event of a puncture, I’d be on my way in 20 minutes. The alternative is to wait potentially hours for a man to turn up with a replacement tyre and pay through the nose for it.

If you’ve got the payload and the confidence to change it, I’d carry a spare in the boot.

 

[PeteH]

I keep mine in the boot, but I do have about 800kg payload (5 ton tag axle). Wouldn’t be without it. Changing the wheel is not a problem because we’ve got E&P jacks. In the event of a puncture, I’d be on my way in 20 minutes. The alternative is to wait potentially hours for a man to turn up with a replacement tyre and pay through the nose for it.

If you’ve got the payload and the confidence to change it, I’d carry a spare in the boot.

I can see your point, and would in some circumstances agree. My issue is the fact that. 1) It occupies space, which "herself" requires to carry items we "need". 2) I have never needed one since 2008, in fact thinking about it now, it may even have been earlier. 3) being closer to 80 than 70. I` am disinclined to grovel under any vehicle to retrieve and fit a wheel. Dependant on where it happened, spending a few hours waiting in a self contained vehicle is not the end of the world.

P.s. I might be a bit nervous if it was a motorway, but as I tend not to use them, if at all avoidable, the the issue would be in the realm of "Hens Teeth". As a matter of interest, the (US) Winnebago did 20K miles and was in storage for 6 months a year in Texas. In that time I never had to bother "Good Sam". Changing R-V wheels is a job for professionals.

 

[grasscutter]

I carry a spare in my Hobby garage.
It originally comes with the repair kit instead of a spare.
I did however uprate from 3500 to 4000 to enable me to carry it.

 

[Coolcats]

We don't carry a spar wheel, if manufactures do not supply them why should I carry one ?, these things are commercial vehicles and the breakdown truck can come along and change my wheel thank you

 

[C33JAY]

We don't carry a spar wheel, if manufactures do not supply them why should I carry one ?, these things are commercial vehicles and the breakdown truck can come along and change my wheel thank you

I guess it depends on a few things e.g the Mo Home Im going to have a look at has a massive garage with openings from side to side so a great place to keep a Spare Nice a dry & Clean and no crawling under the vehicle to retrieve it even if its just a Tyre as suggested by others and if you've ever been let down by breakdown services on a motorway and I have e.g 7 x hours on a hardshoulder on the M5 not nice so if i can help myself in someway it sounds like a good plan each to there own of course

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[Katies-travels]

Good place to ask is the Rapido owners club

 

[nicholsong]

I carry a spare in the garage in the original place from vehicle being new in 2003, i.e. on a plinth so off the floor space.

We had a blow-out near Leipzig 3-4 years ago. It was in road works down to only inside lane and no proper hard shoulder, just some tarmac and gravel on a steep camber. No way would I have attempted to lift 3850kg with our scissor jack in that situation, and the ADAC manhad to use 2 jacks.

Even with the spare wheel we were there 1 hour, but without could have been a lot longer, as the guy came in a van not a recovery vehicle, and we were in a very vulnerable position with all the heavy lorries thundering past inches from the MH. There was no safety barrier and a very steep embankment impossible to climb. So we had to sit it out 100m beyond our vehicle, as protection. Would you fancy that for time it took to wait for recovery and then wait for them to soutce a wheel and correct tyre, at a w/e maybe?

For me spare wheel always. At 3850kg we have the payload. Just another reason I dread losing my C1, as I cannot imagine being able to do our style of MHoming in under 3500kg.

Geoff

 

[Barclaybasher]

Mine was under the MH

Had it removed and it is in the MH garage.

Tyre fitter said I would not have been possible for me to remove it - the bolts holding the brackets were so rusted - the tyre itself is still brand new - but 17 years old - never used....

 

[Coolcats]

I guess it depends on a few things e.g the Mo Home Im going to have a look at has a massive garage with openings from side to side so a great place to keep a Spare Nice a dry & Clean and no crawling under the vehicle to retrieve it even if its just a Tyre as suggested by others and if you've ever been let down by breakdown services on a motorway and I have e.g 7 x hours on a hardshoulder on the M5 not nice so if i can help myself in someway it sounds like a good plan each to there own of course

Absolutely and unlike a car you can make yourself a cup of tea, and have a nap whilst awaiting the breakdown service

 

[Stacetop]

We had a blow out once in a brand new tyre. We were on the side of the motorway in France where the hard shoulder is very narrow. Luckily the motorway people parked behind us very quickly. We had a spare in the garage but it wasn’t easy to get to. The recovery trunk didn’t even ask for it just gave us a full lift to his depot where he then changed the wheel to the spare. He had a nightmare getting the wheels off. There is no where we could of done this on the roadside, he had to hammer them off. This was a 3 year old vehicle at the time.

we now have a new van with no spare! I’m currently debating the same issues-

do I just get a tyre? (To keep in the garage)

do I get a spare wheel for the garage? We have alloys but would I get steel?

do I put a spare wheel under the van? But the same problem would exist re side of the road!

I think I’m leaning towards just a tyre!

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[Spriddler]

Across my 4 vehicles I've had just one puncture in about 5 years (the car). I don't carry a spare for the m/h. If I had a puncture it would be inconvenient, a bit unnerving on a motorway maybe, but nothing more than that.
(I'm retired and don't do stress any more )

 

[the1andonly]

To carry a spare is so dependent on individual experiance and risk adversion quotient.
Me i want a spare ( even the 2 cars have full size spare).
I called a former boss at work capain risk averse. I like to assess probability and consequences.
edit PFMEA process failure mode effect analysis
The rapido is on a lightweight fiat chassis with no factory spare and no garage.
I fabricated a hanger to carry the spare wheel underneath centrally using the ducato winder mechanism.
If my payload (uplated to 3850) was restricted i would find something else to chuck out.

 

[C33JAY]

We had a blow out once in a brand new tyre. We were on the side of the motorway in France where the hard shoulder is very narrow. Luckily the motorway people parked behind us very quickly. We had a spare in the garage but it wasn’t easy to get to. The recovery trunk didn’t even ask for it just gave us a full lift to his depot where he then changed the wheel to the spare. He had a nightmare getting the wheels off. There is no where we could of done this on the roadside, he had to hammer them off. This was a 3 year old vehicle at the time.

we now have a new van with no spare! I’m currently debating the same issues-

do I just get a tyre? (To keep in the garage)

do I get a spare wheel for the garage? We have alloys but would I get steel?

do I put a spare wheel under the van? But the same problem would exist re side of the road!

I think I’m leaning towards just a tyre!

The Tyre only idea sounds good to me and if I did buy a wheel aswell I think i would just buy the cheapest option which is probably the steel wheel.

 

[TinaLes]

This topic comes up often on Fun, to carry a spare or not to carry a spare etc, this time its where do you fit yours, garage if big enough with sufficient payload, or hung underneath on a hanger.
I have sat here up to now thinking I am alright Jack, as I bought a spare alloy wheel and tyre before we picked the van up from new for £150 on Gumtree, and its in the garage keeping nice & dry.

But Now a little voice is saying to me.....Les Be Real! Could you change the wheel especially a rear one on the MH?, when you know the supplied Fiat scissor jack cannot do the job, I have also read that the supplied wheel brace is not up to the job, without a club hammer on board, which I dont carry.
I am now thinking, we have got breakdown cover, they have better jacks to do the job safely, why not save on payload and just carry a new spare tyre, big weight saving if the breakdown guys can change a tyre on the rim.

But then even with a Tyrepal, hopefully giving me an early warning of an imminent failure, could the alloy rim be potentially damaged getting to the side of the road on a motorway, therefore needing a complete new spare wheel & tyre?

Conclusion for me reading this thread is, I will continue to cart heavy wheel & tyre in the garage as a spare just in case, but the idea of being able to change it myself without the appropriate jacks & tools to do the job, is now out the window.

Thanks Guys you have made me face the realism of a situation that may, may not happen, but now I know & realise, I aint fixing it myself, because I dont have the tools on board to do it safely in any situation.
Keep safe everyone, get a tyrepal would be my biggest recommendation, if you do not have a TPMS fitted as standard.
LES

 

[Gellyneck]

Absolutely and unlike a car you can make yourself a cup of tea, and have a nap whilst awaiting the breakdown service

Not on a motorway hard shoulder hopefully!

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[Lenny HB]

Always carry a spare the same as the other 4 wheels so no problems in France or Spain where tyres have to be the same on the axle.
Would only change myself if safe to do so. Also wouldn't carry just a tyre as I have damaged rims with punctures.
No problem with payload as we have 1350kg.

 

[AJM2]

As above, always carry one abroad. Wouldn't think about trying to change it myself but feel reassured I have one available when the recovery services turn up in some out of the way place after garage closing time.

 

[stevewagner]

Absolutely and unlike a car you can make yourself a cup of tea, and have a nap whilst awaiting the breakdown service

Nott on a motorway as you have to leave the vehicle

 

[Barclaybasher]

On the Eriba I made a bracket and mounted the spare wheel on the bike rack so that when it folds down to carry a bike it lies below it. It's been like that for a couple of years with no issues

 

[David and Sally]

Store ours on the bike rack or in garage if we take bikes. A real nuisance but I don't trust those goo things. As we have self-levelling changing a wheel would be no real hassle.

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