spare wheels

[StephenAyrshire]

Hi Everyone,

Can you tell me if the majority of tourers carry a spare wheel for your caravan?

I have noticed that a spare is an optional extra if you are buying new, neither of the caravans I have bought used had one. I do have the can of puncture repair just in case.

Stephen

 

[vauxhall2]

its just my opinion but even a breakdown lorry can not help if you have no spare and you tyre is damaged beyond repair,you would need lifting onto the back to get home.

 

[JTQ]

Cant answer if the majority carry a spare but both our German vans were factory supplied with them.

Your "can of puncture repair" is all but useless for a caravan as you will not be aware of a minor puncture until the tyres side walls are irrevocably damaged by over-heating.

Apart from sometimes being aware of increased drag you are basically unable to "feel" the van's tyre is having problems. Its quite unlike the vehicle where you are sitting inside it and sensing the ride/noise the van's tyres are remote.

Even by the time you sense the drag of a puncture that drag will have over-heated the tyre. you might catch it before it blows but not before the side walls are damaged.

 

[Sproket]

Stephen.

At the very least i would get a steel wheel with correct tyre fitted to be used as a spare, I personally wouldn't take the van out with out one.

With a correct / suitable jack & spare wheel, if you have a puncture you can change it & be on your way in less than half an hour.

Have a look on this link tyreline

 

[Heethers]

The spare's not the problem they are not that expensive it's how you get it from under the van from its carrier, what a pain.

Its about time the Manufactures come up with a better solution, every one l spoke to seemed to say Avondale cracked it by accessing it from inside the van under the floor

 

[KeithJ]

Carry the spare in the front gas locker and throw away the slide under carrier - unless you have a Bailey Pegasus!

 

[Heethers]

Keith in my Brightstar l had it in the front Locker no problem has l tow with a Shogun, but those that are governed by nose weight not so easy.

 

[KeithJ]

NGH - true, but it works form me (Bailey Pageant Burgundy). I carry one calor lite, one camping gaz, aquaroll, slide under waste tank, and spare wheel, and nose weight comes to less than 100kg (max for van).

Keith

PS None of this will go in a Pegasus, except the gas.

 

[vernon]

The spare's not the problem they are not that expensive it's how you get it from under the van from its carrier, what a pain.

Its about time the Manufactures come up with a better solution, every one l spoke to seemed to say Avondale cracked it by accessing it from inside the van under the floor

Yep, I agree - my Avondale, when new, came with a spare fitted inside, in the floor, brilliant way of carrying it.

 

[otherclive]

I have similar concerns when touring abroad as a puncture invariably means that you will have to pull the spare wheel out into the domain of the road traffic. So I just carry the spare wheel in the van above the axle. It fits neatly and won't move when wedged with some soft luggage such as a groundsheet. When I get to site I shove it under the van and secure it with a bike chain and then when the awning is up its virtually invisible except if someone were to get down on their knees and peer under the van from the offside.

Cheers

Other Clive

 

[KeithJ]

Clive

Just a word of warning - I once carried a spare wheel inside an earlier van and it left a nasty black ring on the flooring, and I never managed to remove the mark!

Keith

 

[WatsonJohnG]

I agree with Michael

3 times in 45 years I have needed a spare

The first time in Denmark I didn't have one and the van was resting on a large block of timber on site while a tyre was sourced

I needed a spare when kerbing a wheel in Spain and that was when I discovered how hard it was to operate the Alko jack with the sun beating down!!

The third time was 2 years ago when the wheel came off the caravan and disappeared

Spare wheel and spare nuts were needed but RAC soon had us back on the road

Removing the Alko carrier and wheel is one of the most mauling jobs on the van only surpassed by putting it back

It is out of the way and most of the time not needed and it reduces the nosewight but as has been said it could be made easier

It comes under the same heading as many caravan accessories in that it can be listed on the spec sheet as " spare wheel fitted" but its not the best answer just as many other spec items aren't the most expensive or best quality but look good on paper

 

[KeithJ]

As I have said on another thread, under Accessories, the last time I had a puncture was 1982!! ....but mustn't be complacent. I have always carried a spare wheel but never a jack, and reckoned I would call the breakdown service to change it. Most breakdown services insist on you having a spare wheel.

However from reading these threads I am now thinking of buying a Kojack!

Keith