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An expansion of Les's spare tire thread- A poll


Big5er

To expand on Les's thread - A Poll  

55 members have voted

  1. 1. Do you carry a spare tire for your HDT?

    • Yes, a mounted spare tire and wheel.
    • Yes, an unmounted tire only.
    • No, I don't have the room
    • No, I don't think it is necessary.
    • Other-Please explain in a post


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I thought the results would be interesting.

MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.
~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~

2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission
singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin
2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 

2014 smart Fortwo

 

 
 
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Thanks Phil. It will be interesting to see the results.

 

I must say, my answer likely will change as we start spending more time on the road.

KW T-680, POPEMOBILE
Newmar X-Aire, VATICAN
Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row
Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer.
contact me at rickeieio@yahoo.com

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I thought the spare tire question was for the trailer. The response below pertains to the trailer. Have not carried a spare on my tractor for 4 million miles and have never had a need to .

 

The alternative is to be at the total mercy of whatever local tire service company wants to charge you, assuming they even have an appropriate tire Hours of delay, settle for a round black thing which will get you going and will be useless after that and triple the cost of having the right tire/wheel mounted. Save even more by having a hydraulic jack and decent lug wrench and doing it yourself.

Jeff Beyer temporarily retired from Trailer Transit
2000 Freightliner Argosy Cabover
2008 Work and Play 34FK
Homebase NW Indiana, no longer full time

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Our HDT came with a mounted drive tire. We had in on the bed for a few years, never used it and it was too heavy for one person to unload. I found a great deal on an unmounted steer tire ($8.00) that I can lift so we now carry that one just in case. We carry two mounted spares for the trailer and have had to use them both in one trip a few years ago.

 

I have a couple of unmounted trailer tires at the house too. With 15" rims it is not if you will get a flat or blowout but when!

 

Dave

2005 Freightliner Century S/T, Singled, Air ride ET Jr. hitch
2019 46'+ Dune Sport Man Cave custom 5th wheel toy hauler
Owner of the 1978 Custom Van "Star Dreamer" which might be seen at a local car show near you!

 

Check out http://www.hhrvresource.com/

for much more info on HDT's.

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We carry spares for ALL of the rigs simply because we travel to many remote locations getting to Dolly-the-paint-horse camps and trail heads and much of the time we have NO cell coverage (just imagine).

 

Virtually no tire shop would have the service rig or techs willing to come so far out in the boondocks and if they tried I would likely have to rescue them....

 

I am a old geezer but I can likely change the tire in just half the time it would give a tire service directions to our remote locations....

 

Drive on.....(drive carefully but don't forget the spare)

97 Freightshaker Century Cummins M11-370 / 1350 /10 spd / 3:08 /tandem/ 20ft Garage/ 30 ft Curtis Dune toybox with a removable horse-haul-module to transport Dolly-The-Painthorse to horse camps and trail heads all over the Western U S

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When I had a class A, I had a flat between Austin and Houston. I had road service with my auto insurance so I tried to call. No answers. Backed up a driveway and changed it myself. With current rig, we had 2 flats in the middle of nowhere Texas. I had to place bad tires on bed of truck and drive 20 miles to purchase new tires. Arrived just before closing. Those tires are now carried uncounted in addition to a mounted spare. I also have unmourned spare for truck just in case.

Ron C.

2013 Dynamax Trilogy 3850 D3

2000 Kenworth T2000 Optimus Prime

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Ron, were those two flats on the trailer or the truck? My question was about your HDT. We have all had trailer flats and I think we all know how to handle those.

Also what crummy roadside service wouldn't answer the phone? I hope you have a better service now?

 

And so far only 32 people have voted, but the "NO"s have it by more than 75% (25 to 7).

MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.
~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~

2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission
singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin
2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 

2014 smart Fortwo

 

 
 
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I don't believe that changing a tire on my truck is anything that I would care to do. I could carry the tools to do it, I just have no desire to do it.

 

Todd E.

“…nothing so liberalizes a man and expands the kindly instincts that nature put in him as travel and contact with many kinds of people.” – Mark Twain

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Maybe it is just me but I would not even attempt to change a tire on the HDT. That is what Coachnet is for. I do not carry a spare for the HDT. I would probably age it out and never use it and then the money is wasted. I'll take my chances about having to pay if and when it happens.

 

Brad

Brad and Jacolyn
Tucker the Wonder dog and Brynn the Norfolk Terrier
2009 Smart "Joy"
2004 VNL630 "Vonda the Volvo"
2008 Hitch Hiker 35 CK Champagne Edition
VED12 465 HP, Freedomline, 3.73 ratio, WB 218"
Fulltiming and loving it.

 

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Maybe it's not so much the tires that are aging out, as much as our bodies. Not so long ago I would not have dreamed of letting someone else work on my vehicles. Yesterday I took the Mack to the dealer for a new throw-out bearing and a few other smaller issues. My knuckles don't heal as fast as they used to.

KW T-680, POPEMOBILE
Newmar X-Aire, VATICAN
Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row
Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer.
contact me at rickeieio@yahoo.com

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Maybe it's not so much the tires that are aging out, as much as our bodies.

Yeah, so true.....but at least I can replace an aging out tire.

I'm kinda stuck with this aging out body. Yeah, you can put a new paint job on it and maybe some bondo here and there but that engine overhaul ain't all that good so I hear.

And that's why I gave up motorcycles...I don't bounce near as good as I used to.

MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.
~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~

2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission
singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin
2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 

2014 smart Fortwo

 

 
 
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Yup, that's how they steal them too. Deflate the outer tire, let the inner hold it up. Driver shows up the next morning and his 4 outer drive tandem tires are missing.

MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.
~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~

2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission
singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin
2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 

2014 smart Fortwo

 

 
 
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Thanx for doing the poll!

 

I had another consideration when asking that question.

 

Besides the daunting task of carrying a mounted Spare weighing around 150# and moving it around. Then dealing with wheels to torqued to 450# or MORE.

 

Then having to change out said 150# wheels/tires and retorqueing to 450#

 

Then thinking about the trailer I want to have built will use the same 22.5" wheels. I thought holy crap, I hope these tires are tough because I'll have 18 of these monsters to deal with going to Alaska! How in the H*LL do I deal with Spares!

<<Les Garten>>

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I voted "other" so I guess I need to explain. 1st shot will be to call Coachnet. My theory is if I have a steer flat that I cannot plug and re inflate we will take a drive from the outer rear, put it on the front and limp slowly to the nearest reputable truck tire dealer. A flat on the drives is of lesser concern. If I had to do this myself I could only hope some kind passerby would stop to help me lift the bad tire onto the truck bed. I do carry a torque buster lug wrench and a 36" bar to leverage a tire on or off if help cannot be summoned.

300.JPG.c2a50e50210ede7534c4c440c7f9aa80.JPG

Randy, Nancy and Oscar

"The Great White" - 2004 Volvo VNL670, D12, 10-speed, converted to single axle pulling a Keystone Cambridge 5th wheel, 40', 4 slides and about 19,000# with empty tanks.

ARS - WB4BZX, Electrical Engineer, Master Electrician, D.Ed., Professor Emeritus - Happily Retired!

 

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I have a mounted tire , ready to go. But I have to say the first 12 years I never had a flat on the TC. So after two flats on the rear, in 2014, I finally broke down and took off the 18 year old recap tires. (Shame on me) I put on 50% old (new) steer tires I had stacked up at home. Tire problems, went away, for now. Now the trailer....HOOOO....Many... Got new trailer with 14 ply, !6 inch tires and seam to be wearing and holding up good. And ...yes I have all the tools.... with 5 ft of leverage. Try to take care of any tire problems tire problems be for we get on the road. OU812

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I carry an un-mounted spare steer tire. Usually carry it on the deck of the truck, or on the deck of the flatbed trailer. I have never needed it, but I feel it is a small inconvenience compared to relying on roadside assistance to source a tire and installing it. At least I know my spare is the right size, and the right price. I am actually picking up a mounted spare for my toy hauler next week that will be stored under it.

Most of our driving is done at night, and we live in the middle of nowhere (no cell coverage). I have most of the required tools to change the tire. (at least the outside duals or the steers). In a pinch, I can make it work.

Chris & Tonya

'99 Freightliner FLD120, '01 Wabash Toyhauler (32' garage, 20' LQ)

27b.jpg.d0423223324307d7b8525a90ffe5746e.jpg

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OK - for those that carry an unmounted spare, what do you do to keep water, dirt, slime, and mosquito larvae from collecting inside the open casing? Other than a big, heavy duty waterproof bag or a closed storage compartment (which I don't have) ........ "If" I were to carry one it would be under the bed between the frame rails where the hitch is located. A rather dirty and wet location.

300.JPG.c2a50e50210ede7534c4c440c7f9aa80.JPG

Randy, Nancy and Oscar

"The Great White" - 2004 Volvo VNL670, D12, 10-speed, converted to single axle pulling a Keystone Cambridge 5th wheel, 40', 4 slides and about 19,000# with empty tanks.

ARS - WB4BZX, Electrical Engineer, Master Electrician, D.Ed., Professor Emeritus - Happily Retired!

 

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I don't. "IF" I need it, I will scoop out the water with a cup and wipe it out with a rag.

If you are planning on carrying it under the bed, maybe some of the industrial shrink wrap would work. Or a LARGE trash bag.

Chris & Tonya

'99 Freightliner FLD120, '01 Wabash Toyhauler (32' garage, 20' LQ)

27b.jpg.d0423223324307d7b8525a90ffe5746e.jpg

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I drove from Cincinnati to Louisville and back today. I paid attention to how many of the "real" trucks were carrying spares. I saw exactly one. That said, I likely missed a few, but I looked at perhaps 100 trucks.

KW T-680, POPEMOBILE
Newmar X-Aire, VATICAN
Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row
Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer.
contact me at rickeieio@yahoo.com

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