Some wheel questions!

Feb 25, 2017
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The Lunar Venus 320/2 comes with two alloy wheels and a steel spare. Is it worth getting an alloy wheel for the spare as a weight saving exercise? I can pick one up at the scrappy for a fiver. Also, I was thinking of keeping the caravan on axle stands with the wheels just off the ground to prevent cracking etc. Is it worth the small amount of effort?. Thx. Simon.
 

Damian

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Mar 14, 2005
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As far as the alloy wheel is concerned, you will find that the steel wheel is lighter than an alloy wheel, so no point in changing.
Keeping the wheels off the ground for prolonged storage times is sensible, but often not the easiest of tasks.
Todays radial tyres do not suffer from flat spots as the old crossply tyres used to, and any slight deformation is quickly rectified after a few miles on the road.
The biggest tyre killer is the sun and general atmosphere, more so in areas close to the sea.
Keep the tyres at their correct pressures and cover with hessian sacking. Do not use plastic covers as they promote sweating.
 
Apr 20, 2009
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Also check you have the correct bolts to fit the spare steel wheel, ask the dealer/manufacturer if the same bolts fit both. Mine are two different sets with the steel spare bolts being slightly shorter.
 
Nov 6, 2006
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If you can pick up a matching alloy for just a fiver, go for it. There's always the possibility of damaging one of your originals,quite apart from having a matching spare.

If you are willing to take the trouble, by all means put the van on stands. It is certainly better for tyres to be stored flat in the dark at normal pressures
 
May 7, 2012
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On the basis we have never needed the spare (famous last words) I would not change it. If the spare is steel though, you should have another set of wheel bolts for it, and be aware it needs a different torque setting.
If our caravan stands for more than a couple of months I move it about a quarter of a turn to prevent flat spots.
 
Oct 17, 2010
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Raywood said:
On the basis we have never needed the spare (famous last words) I would not change it. If the spare is steel though, you should have another set of wheel bolts for it, and be aware it needs a different torque setting.
If our caravan stands for more than a couple of months I move it about a quarter of a turn to prevent flat spots.

My 2012 Challenger 442 has a steel spare and I do not have a second set of bolts 88Nm steel (Spare) 130nm Alloy
 
May 7, 2012
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Not sure about that Swift but I would check with your dealer. Our Lunar came with a spare set of bolts but no indication of what they were for but our previous Avondale had no spade bolts. I am not sure if they should have been there
but were not supplied though.
 

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