Spare wheel, does everyone carry one?

[Gareth111278]

Hi. I've not been on here for ages , but with spring in the air , thoughts turn to caravans!
I've known since last year that my spare wheel carrier is seized, but having not been away I've left it. I really need to get it over the pit at work & try to free it or if push comes to shove cut it off!
I've been thinking about my options if I do have to junk it & was wondering about just not carrying the spare, we used to carry it in the caravan but its a pain to lug about. New cars often don't have spares but do all new caravans??
I'm also not sure about what my breakdown cover would provide if I called them to a 'puncture, no spare'? I suppose getting hold of a trailer tyre might be a problem at short notice?

Any thoughts?
Gareth

 

[birdman101]

I would never consider not having one.A friend of mine learnt the hard way ,was travelling late on a friday night for hols, had a blow out, phoned breakdown service.They took him to a tyre center which they had arranged to open up and fit tyre.He then had to pay 3 times the normal price of a tyre for call-out and after hours service.The first thing he done when he got home was to buy a spare.

 

[otherclive]

Not very sensible not to have a spare wheel. Often if you get a blowout the local breakdown/tyre depot only carry car sizes and also it will take longer to fit a new tyre onto your wheel, which itself may be damaged. They can charge a lot more, check the small print of you cover. I have given up carrying the spare on its underslung wheel carrier as when you do have a puncture/blow out its likely that you may be on a road where there is not enough room to pull the spare out. Also you will need to jack the van up just to pull the spare out if it is a nearside puncture. On the Continent you would be pulling it out into the traffic stream....great. I carry the spare in the van wrapped in a zip up tyre cover and when on site it goes under thevan locked to the chassis with a hardened bike chain. When the porch/awning is up it cannot be seen. Some keep the spare under the fixed bed if they have one, but I prefer to sit it over the axle firmly wedged in place when travelling.

 

[emmerson]

Gareth, why is it a pain to lug about? ( Unless you have a back injury of course) You need to lift it in when you leave home, and lift it out again on site, the vice versa going home. And, being round, you can roll it!

 

[weejock]

Last year for the first time in over 20 years of towing I had a puncture. This was on the way to catch a ferry so I was very pleased to have a spare with me. I was even more pleased once we were in France and it took 3 days for my new tyre to arrive.
Whether it be car or caravan I would never go far without a spare. You don't often need them but when you do you need it then and now.

 

[ValA.]

I agree! Like otherclive we keep ours in the car when travelling, and then under the van when on site. We had a blowout (completely shredded tyre) in Burgundy one year on our way home. Fortunately we had a spare wheel so changed it and carried on, but we couldn't source a similar tyre anyway (and believe it or not we didn't call on a breakdown insurers). We tried about ten tyre depots on the way towards the ferry. It's definitely worth it!

 

[Gareth111278]

That settles it then, I'll keep hold of the spare!
If my carrier is beond repair I'll get one of those bags, we had one for our old car, it was LPG so no room for the spare.

I never go over the water but even in the UK it sounds like tyre depots don't stock caravan tyres.
Does anyone carry a small trolley jack , or just rely on the screw jack provided?

Sorry for the delay in replying, my laptop doesn't lime this forum, posting on my phone now!

 

[weejock]

I carry the standard alko jack with me. It is far from the best on the market but having only had to use it once in 20 years then I reckon it is suitable for purpose. On top of that I cannot afford the extra weight.

 

[Gareth111278]

True , weight is a big problem. I have no weight worries as such . I have a big 4x4 people carrier & only 1200kgs MTPLM of caravan. But the price of fuel makes me think about all the stuff I carry around!
It's a pity the car spare won't fit the caravan!

 

[Steve L]

I can see the argument for not carrying a spae wheel if you haven't had a puncture in 19 years of towing. But then it's like the age old cherry of why does my insurance still go up when I haven't had an accident. The industry answer to that is, statistically you're due to have one.

I always carry a spare wheel for any trailer I tow, even if it is only just legal. At the very least you can fit a spare wheel and get to the next lay by, to await help.

My only caravan puncture in 28 years of caravanning was just 5 miles from home. But then wether it's 5 miles or 500 miles if you can't change to a spare wheel, you're usually stopped in the most awkward spot and about to face a pocket wrenching recovery bill.

One of my biggest tips to all caravanners is to take your caravan to a lay by and practice a wheel change. You'll soon find out why a Hi Viz jacket, working trousers, a good torch, a good jack, and all the other parafinaillia are now being carried in the boot of the car.

I've just swapped my emergencey kit over from my rover to our jag estate and it is suprising how much I have ;-
Hi Viz vests x4
Wind up torch
Hazard Triangle
Extendable wheel spanner
Bottle jack
Gloves
Waterproof coat
Boiler suit
Set of jump leads
Ridgid tow bar
Tow rope
Folding shovel
Small tool kit of essential spanners and pliers
Cable ties for temporary repairs.

All of this neatly packed away into the spare wheel well in the Jaguar and doesn't take up normal boot space.
My point being, it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it !!!!!!!!!

 

[AdifferentJim]

I haven't had a blowout or puncture in 27 years of caravanning but I had a tyre delaminate on me Between Bordeaux and Biarritz 2 years ago. The tyre stayed inflated enough for me to pull over, change to the spare and carry on to the site in Biarritz.

I tried for nearly 3 days of our holiday to get the correct size. One tyre dealer managed to source one but it had to come from Spain and would take 4 days. I declined.

It was at the beginning of our holiday so I phoned the Caravan Club (Red Pennant Insurance). They took 2 more days trying to get one in France. In the end they arranged for two tyres from the UK by courier and for a garage to call and collect the wheels and tyres, take them away for re-fitting, including the Tyron Bands.

It was an inconvenience but if I hadn't had a spare I would have had to wait for a breakdown trailer to load the van onto. It couldn't have been towed on one wheel and we'd have probably got to the site after dark. We would have encountered big problems trying to get the one wheeled van sited on the pitch and had a caravan up on blocks or a jack until the new tyre was found. Not something I'd have fancied on a very windy clifftop overlooking the Bay of Biscay.

 

[anotherDavid]

I managed to burst a tyre on a site by clipping a projecting step. What we did find out was that the jack wouldnt fit under the chassis and we had to draw the van up a leveling block befor we could start jacking. Check that your jack will fit under if the tyre is deflated.
David

 

[RayS]

Last autumn in France I had the first caravan puncture since starting caravanning in 1967. It was also my first trip without my trolley jack since 1992 (never used it, too heavy...). Had a good small bottle jack but had great difficulty in getting under the chassis to lift.
I'm now going to design and get made two rightangle brackets a la Alko (since they won't sell just the brackets)

 

[anotherDavid]

Last autumn in France I had the first caravan puncture since starting caravanning in 1967. It was also my first trip without my trolley jack since 1992 (never used it, too heavy...). Had a good small bottle jack but had great difficulty in getting under the chassis to lift.
I'm now going to design and get made two rightangle brackets a la Alko (since they won't sell just the brackets)
[/quote
Yes they do Ray look at the ALKO shop, about £34
David]

 

[thursdays child]

I read this thread and did not really relate to the subject.HOWEVER whilst travelling via a diversion we had our very first flat on our twin axle.Himself got to use all the toys I had ribbed him about ie:- kojak jack and heavy duty powerpack ergo wheel changed and journey resumed without stress. We had a new tyre fitted to the wheel next day £49 so we have the spare back in reserve.You just never know????
Thursdays Child

 

[Dustydog]

It's a no brainer. My last three caravans all came with an underslung spare . Quite right too. You just never know.
The original Al-ko jack was only fit for the bin. I carry a 2 tonne capacity trolley jack in the back of the car. Handy for a puncture but an essential for the Al-ko wheel locks.

 

[joeby]

http://enews.emgroup.com.au/cmh/2012/be_prepared
click the above link and you will see where the the Australians put theres

 

[Beachball]

All the time i have been caravaning i have always carry a spare for the van you never know when you will need it .

 

[thursdays child]

Gareth111278, it is absotively and positutely a requirement to carry a spare wheel.Also we have now been told that we should have extra load tyres for our Heavy Hetty van.Just because they dont cover as many miles as the car tyres doesnt mean they will last as long.
Thursdays Child