Spare Wheel, or What?

[Mel E]

I think a few of you have confused what I have had done to my tyres.

 

I do not carry round a bottle of 'gunk' to inject when I get a puncture. ALL the tyres have already been injected. This makes a big difference as it makes a blow-out much less likely. Blow-outs are usually caused either by a failure of the tyre due to a manufacturing defect, or to a puncture which enlarges until the area affected becomes very hot and then an explosive decompression occurs. If the puncture site is immediately sealed, the second situation should not arise - especially since the sealant is formulated to be heat conductive and hence take excess heat away from the puncture site.

 

As to mixing tyres: it is illegal to mix TYPES of tyre on one axle such as cross-ply, bias belted and radial. But, as far as I can tell, it is not illegal to have different tread patterns of the same tyre construction on one axle. It is not good practice, but I do not believe it is against the law. I think it is even legal to mix tyres from differerent manufacturers on the same axle. I cannot even find anything that bans mixing radial tyres of different constructions (cord reinforced radials vs. steel belted radials).

 

Of course, you should ideally replace tyres with the same as those originally fitted, but, in extremis, you do not have to do so.

 

As to Michelin Camping Car tyres, my own view is that they are over-rated, over-priced and have extremely poor availabilty in some countries, especially in the UK and other countries, such as Spain, with small motorhome populations.

 

But travelling without a spare is a personal decision. I have decided to do so and am completely happy with the decision. I equally understand that others may come to a different decision. I certainly would NOT be happy travelling without a spare and only a bottle on gunk to re-seal the tyre so it can be re-inflated (you presumably also have to carry a tyre pump). As I've said before, when I have had a puncture in the past, the tyre has always been a write-off by the time I've discovered the problem and got to a place I could park - so gunk would be useless.

 

Mel E

====

[Mel E]

Brian,

 

So my reponse to your response is that, if I have irreperable damage to a tyre, I do not have to fit one of the same. I have Continental Vancos which are fairly widely available but, in extremis, I can fit whatever they've got and replace it with the spare in my garage when I get home.

 

Of course, if I was going somwhere a bit more 'Third World', I'd probably carry the spare. But remember, the spare only protects you against the first puncture! Most punctured tyres these days seem to be unrepairable, especially if a nail has entered one of the radial belts. So having used up your spare you're in exctly the same position as me!

 

Have fun,

 

Mel E

====

[Brian Kirby]

starspirit - 2007-01-18 9:04 PM Fair enough Brian but surely it is not beyond the wit of man to devise a carrying place for a spare wheel? The roof comes to mind as one possible place given it's limitations of access and load bearing capabilities but many vans do have roof racks and ladders. The back wall too comes to mind and perhaps with ingenuity a bike rack and mounting points can be suitably reinforced on some vans? I don't know - but I do know that I wouldn't let the problem beat me and if all else fails I'd give the supplying dealer the ultimatum to sort it or I'd buy a different van elsewhere!

True again, Richard, if you want that much work!  Afraid I was just assuming folk would want an easy fix for the problem. 

Re the roof, I dont think I'd want to try getting a van wheel + tyre onto, or off, the roof of the average coachbuilt.  They're B***dy heavy!  Back wall safer and, I think, much more convenient.

If you can buy something else instead, that's fine.  However, I think it would be worth pointing out that lack of a spare is the only reason for that change.  The message won't get back unless lost sales are being noted!

The real problem is when there is no other 'van that fits the bill, and one has no viable alternative.  I still think these spareless vans are unreasonable for all the reasons stated above, and should be resisted, whatever the van manufacturers say.

[Brian Kirby]

Mel E - 2007-01-19 12:33 PM Brian, So my reponse to your response is that, if I have irreperable damage to a tyre, I do not have to fit one of the same. I have Continental Vancos which are fairly widely available but, in extremis, I can fit whatever they've got and replace it with the spare in my garage when I get home. Of course, if I was going somwhere a bit more 'Third World', I'd probably carry the spare. But remember, the spare only protects you against the first puncture! Most punctured tyres these days seem to be unrepairable, especially if a nail has entered one of the radial belts. So having used up your spare you're in exctly the same position as me! Have fun, Mel E ====

Mel

Three thoughts on that:

1 That may be OK for the Vancos, but more vans are on Michelin XC campings and I still don't know what can legally be mixed with them.

2 That trip back to your garage may just be several thousand miles.

3 The biggest difference between a damaged tyre with no spare, and a damaged tyre with a spare, surely, is that in the latter case you (or A. N. Other) can fit the spare, and you can then go shopping for an appropriate replacement spare tyre without having to drive on one you are not happy with.

Please don't misunderstand me, I'm not arguing that your choice is invalid, and I very much like the sound of the injected sealant with, or without, a spare.  However, I do think the failure to supply a proper spare wheel on motorhomes is a very retrograde step by the manufacturers, which short-changes the consumer.