Carry a spare...yes or no?

[Eskimo]

This debate was hashed out on our local board, but we've got alot of pickup guys with room in the bed, or Jeepers that lose their mind if they don't have the prerequisite swing-out spare tire carrier adding weight allll the way at the ass end (and they wonder why they can't climb), so they don't count.

I don't carry one right now, and haven't for the last few years. I do have a ready-to-run spare on the trailer though.

With all the work to make my junk lighter, I hate to toss 125lbs back on, and up high.. (only place would be on the roof or behind the seats, at head height - there goes seeing behind me!)

I guess it's gonna take me cutting one down, and having to do the patch & tube thing on the trail to make me carry one.... I've only seen one bias TSL cut down on our runs, the rest have all been radials, mostly BFG's.

I run SX's for a reason!

 

[woody]

used to, not anymore....part of that is the weight issue, part of that is the dammed expense. 39.5 tire is $220 and a rim is another $250....

however, I do have a cheap 17" rim (thanks nolen!) and once I find a POS tire to toss on there, I will...

3 years with the SX's, couldn't even get them to leak air, much less cut one down.

IMO, it also depends on WHERE you are wheeling....running the 'CON where you'd be away from a trailer-mounted spare is foolish when it's most of a day away. Running in Attica where Troy has tires for sale makes a spare pretty worthless....lol

I also believe sharing a similar spare is smart....get 4-5 guys who all run 38-39 tires, keep one spare for the group. Odds are slim that more than one has an issue...

And, radial guys are definitely at a disadvantage over the bias guys cause of sidewall strength....I always carried one with 33's, and used it a few times too.

 

[Jonathan_Ferguson]

Only Tyre problem that I've been involved with, was the fracture behind one of the five Spokes of a 16x8 Alloy Wheel on the rear right of Dad's FZJ80. Happened more than two years ago on a Rural Highway, and will be picking up a Genuine Toyota Steel 16x8 Tomorrow. $200 with Landcruiser Club Membership, couldn't obtain a Zero Offset Steel 16x8 anywhere else.

But If I ever go wheelin' I'd take two Spare Tyres on Rims. Unless you wan't to donate me some TSL's.

 

[Jonathan_Ferguson]

For a Day Trip, one complete Spare should suffice.

 

[orangefj45]

the only tire problems i've had on the trail were a blown bead and a couple of busted valve stems. in all cases i was able to reseat and inflate the tire again and run it the rest of the trip. i think having aspare back at camp or on the trailer is cool if you're worried about weight. i personally do not care about the extra weight so i carry one.

 

[lowenbrau]

I carry one but I can sure see the logic in not bothering. I've seen guys sew up really bad tears and continue on the trail and I personally drove back from Alaska with a handfull of plugs in the sidewall of an SSR ( that would puke out every 500 miles or so) I feel like having a spare and no repair tools is far worse than no spare and a plug kit.

 

[KOWBOY]

When I was runnin' 33's .... I carried one on a standard swing out carrier.

When I went to 35's .... I carried one on a beefier swing out carrier.

When I went to 38.5's .... I carried one on the mother of all swing out carriers.

Now I got 42's ... and it's just too big to fawk with.

 

[Throttleman_610]

Run a spare in summer because you could blow out a side wall. No spare in Winter cause of the weight over snow. Carry tire repair stuff and on board air.

 

[4alarm]

I hate when people don't come prepared. I've had to leave the trail to drive back to town with people to get their tire re-mounted after breaking a bead just because they didn't want to carry a spare. Don't ruin your groups fun day of wheeling by making them wait on you to get your spare tire from camp or get your tire fixed.

 

[Poser]

Yep.


Both times that my 42 Swampers have been cut bad on the sidewall...bad...



Even had to use the damn thing last year at Gilbert......VERY sharp rock there...



Good time tho...

 

[TxCruzr]

I carry a spare mainly because I still DD it and don't want to be stuck in the middle of no where. If it wasn't such a pita to get out I would leave it at camp when I wheel at places like katemcy.

 

[Mark W]

I gotta agree with Bruce. In fact I believe it was some of our crew he saw sewing tires up and then running them for a few days. Course he's probably seen it elsewhere too.

I'd rather than a tube and patches and sewing gear for a torn sideall than a spare. I carry this stuff for myself and for the others I am running with. I also am an advocate of prearranged sharing of spares. If you have 6 people running 35s, then chances are you don't really need to carry 6 spares. JUst don't show up with no spare and simply assume that someone will loan you one if needed.

If you are runnng 42s or 44s, than carrying a spare is problematic. Particularly when you consider how often it will actually be needed. Tools to repair the tire make more sense.

If you're running 16R20s, then... you can probably skip the spare. And the minitruck support rig you would need to haul it for you.

Mark...

 

[Darkrealms]

Both times that my 42 Swampers have been cut bad on the sidewall...bad...

I agree, I always carry a spare offroading now (I'm generally the designated spare). I was wheeling with my brother and a friend (we all had 84 yota pickups at the time) and my brother slashed his sidewall pretty good, I'd say a 4 or 5 inch slash. At the time none of us had spares, I hadn't gotten around to getting new tires yet so my future spare was my best tire at the time. I got tires the next month and have carried a spare since (offroad).

 

[marvin82]

Always will... only ripped one sidewall but when there are no other 6 lugs around you kind of have to fend for yourself, plus you then do not have to rely upon or count upon the kindness of others... (heeps)

 

[LC_Hamma]

My frame of mind is why inconvenience anyone else in the group when you need a ride back to camp to get your spare. Be as self sufficent as possible at all times on the trail. Now, things that don't normally break & add a lot of weight, leave at camp. Like spare knuckles, 3dr member, tcase, etc.........

 

[teapot]

Every time i'm on the trail

 

[woody]

My frame of mind is why inconvenience anyone else in the group when you need a ride back to camp to get your spare. Be as self sufficent as possible at all times on the trail. Now, things that don't normally break & add a lot of weight, leave at camp. Like spare knuckles, 3dr member, tcase, etc.........

I've used a spare 2x since 1989....both times were 33" Swamper Radials and their weak/pathetic sidewalls. I've busted about 5 pinions, 1 knuckle, leaf springs, lockouts, front axles, t-case shafts, etc.....funny thing is, I DO carry some of that stuff, and the spare pinion alone has saved many a trip. (Cruise Moab 2004, end of Pritchetts, 45 minutes from busted to running....)

based on the "weight" logic, most of these other spare parts weigh less than a 39.5 tire on a beadlock rim, AND take up significantly less space.

 

[cruzer]

Well i have decided that no spare will be run with my 36 bias iroks. To much room in the rig, and don't want a rear tire carrier. But I am planning on picking up a tire patch kit and a bunch of plugs, also will be getting OBA sometime (probably york) so that i can reseat a bead if need be (no bead locks...yet) so that will be my solution. Plus in New England you aren't going to be very far from your trailer at any given time/point. I will always throw one on the tow rig or in the trailer if i have it.....

Stew

 

[fj40charles]

I carry a 42" spare tire with me all times. Carry it in the back of the bed. (no rear seats). Only time I've need my spares was when I was running TSL radials. I run bias and have not had any flats.

 

[frismanis]

I've always carried a spare, but that's just because what I've been wheeling is pretty much stock. Now that I'm putting 40" tires on my 40 I'll still have one, but not always carry it. No point when you are wheeling with a few good friends, and camp/trailer is only a mile or two away.