Rotating Spare (2 Viewers)

[Rednexus]

The Goodyear endurance on my 10k rated trailer, have a 60 psi max tire pressure.
And that’s what I run them at with good results.

Seem like your way over rated on your tires.

Perhaps so, but they are what came on it new from the trailer factory in South Dakota! Little 225/75R15s.

I'll pull the trigger on the Goodyears in 2025, as we plan to pull the camper all the way to Yellowstone and Glacier then. That'll be a 4-5K mile round trip pretty easily.

 

[Broski]

I never cared for the term poor. First 40 years of my life didn't have much money but had many riches that many other folks didn't have. When my second son was born the Ex told me we that made us eligible for WIC. Told her I had a job and as an E6 wasn't taking no damn food stamps. And didn't. Likely one reason I will keep working until 70, I'm making more money than I ever have in my life. There is something to be said for having access to money and a good income, but if I have to give it up been there and done that.

That what’s great about this country, I grew up poor, didn’t go to college, went right to work in construction and never knew what it was to be hungry again.
Purchased my first home at 24 years of age got married put both my kids through college.
Put in 40 plus years working with my hands and retired comfortably at 59 that was 5 years ago.

 

[rav8]

@Broski @Rednexus
I think there is some variation depending on size. Mine are marked Made in USA and max inflation/load capacity is 80psi/2830lbs. I run at 60psi with a load under 4k lbs and have good wear indications. I think they are speed rated to around 85mph though I rarely go over 60.

Edited to add mine are also 225/75R15. The china bombs were only rated to 50psi.

 

[Cold Iron]

That what’s great about this country, I grew up poor, didn’t go to college, went right to work in construction and never knew what it was to be hungry again.
Purchased my first home at 24 years of age got married put both my kids through college.
Put in 40 plus years working with my hands and retired comfortably at 59 that was 5 years ago.

Last month was 29 years since I retired from the Navy. Damn there is a LOT of money to be made out here in Civlant! No regrets though as I've drawn pension since I retired 29 years ago. Even if I didn't make that much while active duty it has paid off. And finished 2 degrees while active on my own, in my "spare" time. You sound like me I'm fond of saying is this a great Country or what?! Don't have much use for those that complain and make excuses.

Damn you are almost as old as me, bet you remember $1 an hour wages too

@Broski @Rednexus
I think there is some variation depending on size. Mine are marked Made in USA and max inflation/load capacity is 80psi/2830lbs. I run at 60psi with a load under 4k lbs and have good wear indications. I think they are speed rated to around 85mph though I rarely go over 60.

Edited to add mine are also 225/75R15. The china bombs were only rated to 50psi.

Mine are made in the U.S.A. says so right on the sidewall of the picture I posted of them. Max is 65 PSI ST205/75R15. Trailer and buggy weigh 3K and at highway speeds run them at 65. But as soon as off main highway they go down to 50 PSI. I normally run 72 on highway marked 65 or 70. In SD where it is 80 mph will go up to 75-76 but that was in the Taco be interesting to see how the GX handles the higher speed. Not so sure I will take the trailer up much higher than I do now however.

 

[jakemccurdy]

Wow, this got more lively than a “should I use premium gas in my GX” thread.

The biggest reason to do a five tire rotation for me is that if I get a flat 100 miles from pavement I don’t want to pull out some rotten 8 yr old street tire to get me and my family back to safety across 100 miles of rocks. If you do a five tire, you know that tires always good because it’s in the mix.

Of course, none of that really matters if you didn’t buy a GX for what it’s designed for and just like the look of an off-road vehicle (nothing wrong with that). I drag my family out into the middle of nowhere on a regular basis, so I want five matching KO2’s that get checked and rotated every 5000 miles.

And those of you who say “it’s inconvenient or expensive to rotate an extra tire“… may I introduce you to a little known company called discount tire? They rotate all five tires for zero dollars whether you bought them there or not. The one by my house also has Wi-Fi and free water

 

[r2m]

And those of you who say “it’s inconvenient or expensive to rotate an extra tire“… may I introduce you to a little known company called discount tire? They rotate all five tires for zero dollars whether you bought them there or not. The one by my house also has Wi-Fi and free water

What! No coffee and donuts??

 

[Broski]

Wow, this got more lively than a “should I use premium gas in my GX” thread.

The biggest reason to do a five tire rotation for me is that if I get a flat 100 miles from pavement I don’t want to pull out some rotten 8 yr old street tire to get me and my family back to safety across 100 miles of rocks. If you do a five tire, you know that tires always good because it’s in the mix.

Of course, none of that really matters if you didn’t buy a GX for what it’s designed for and just like the look of an off-road vehicle (nothing wrong with that). I drag my family out into the middle of nowhere on a regular basis, so I want five matching KO2’s that get checked and rotated every 5000 miles.

And those of you who say “it’s inconvenient or expensive to rotate an extra tire“… may I introduce you to a little known company called discount tire? They rotate all five tires for zero dollars whether you bought them there or not. The one by my house also has Wi-Fi and free water

Way over rated. And tires aren’t made of Swiss cheese. You could go thousands of miles on a tire that’s been out in the sun for eight years let alone one that’s been tucked up under the car.
And if need be I would drive on the rim to get my family to safety

 

[Cold Iron]

Wow, this got more lively than a “should I use premium gas in my GX” thread.

The biggest reason to do a five tire rotation for me is that if I get a flat 100 miles from pavement I don’t want to pull out some rotten 8 yr old street tire to get me and my family back to safety across 100 miles of rocks. If you do a five tire, you know that tires always good because it’s in the mix.

Of course, none of that really matters if you didn’t buy a GX for what it’s designed for and just like the look of an off-road vehicle (nothing wrong with that). I drag my family out into the middle of nowhere on a regular basis, so I want five matching KO2’s that get checked and rotated every 5000 miles.

And those of you who say “it’s inconvenient or expensive to rotate an extra tire“… may I introduce you to a little known company called discount tire? They rotate all five tires for zero dollars whether you bought them there or not. The one by my house also has Wi-Fi and free water

Didn't know that about DT thanks for the heads up. I was able to negotiate 2 years of oil changes and rotations with the Toyota dealer when I got the GX. But after that it is good to know.

Whoa you saved me some money for once? LOL. Just finished replacing the overhead lights in the GX with 4K Diode Dynamics in map and middle and 6K in the rear. Because have a large box from Poland sitting in the driveway. Way back when I had the Xterra had a homemade attic rack made from a closet maid shelf and the one thing I recall the most is I want as much light as possible back there. Would have ended up with the Bison Gear shelf anyhow as it has the magnetic latches for the pet barrier and is foldable when I don't need it, strong win.

Then I can get to work on the base platform and after that a removable platform above it. Need to have the attic rack and base platform in place to know how high to make it and the snow is melting early this year.

For the base platform going with 3 pieces of L Track, it will work perfect for the dog crates and want similar for the platform above it. Wasn't sure how to do it and keep it lightweight and removable. Then I ran across some random guys youtube video on the internet with 8020. And L Track. It's almost like I'm not making this up for once...

Perfect although mine will be designed differently for large items under and dog crates, etc. on top.

Attaching the legs of the 8020 to the L Track was the tricky part. Was, the more I explore it the more I find someone has already came up with a solution.

Thanks for helping me spend my money. But in the end will have something that meets my needs and nothing off the shelf comes close. And will still be money ahead. Well not counting research and design time, but nobody is paying me for that anyways.

 

[Rednexus]

And those of you who say “it’s inconvenient or expensive to rotate an extra tire“… may I introduce you to a little known company called discount tire? They rotate all five tires for zero dollars whether you bought them there or not. The one by my house also has Wi-Fi and free water

Honestly it's less effort for me to knock out the rotation at a 5K oil change rather than take the rig to the tire shop, wait for them to do it, and then come back. Just the drive time to the shop and back (which is maybe 1 mile from my house) plus time at the counter is probably more than my DIY tire rotation time .

I actually haven't used DT yet, despite a new one having opened here. I've been dealing with my local indy tire shop who will order anything I want and have it there in a day or two. They are also outside of the city limits to tax is half what it is at DT. Still I may give DT a shot if the price delta is attractive for my next pair, and if they offer free balancing (not offered by my indy shop - usually I have them balance 1X or 2X a year when I get an alignment but not rotate).

Either way we should all have onboard air and a tire kit if we are going out into the boonies .

 

[re_guderian]

...if I get a flat 100 miles from pavement I don’t want to pull out some rotten 8 yr old street tire to get me and my family back to safety across 100 miles of rocks.

There very few places in the lower 48, even in the SW, that are 100 miles from pavement. Even 50 miles. I've been to a few, and I carry extra spares and a patch kit, but still...

I don’t want to pull out some rotten 8 yr old street tire to get me and my family back to safety across 100 miles of rocks. If you do a five tire, you know that tires always good because it’s in the mix.

Alternately, your putting on a spare that's just as worn as the one that just gave out... 20 years ago I did an all-dirt, Mexican border to Utah border trip across AZ. Being poor, I started this journey on well-worn BFG AT KO's (avatar picture is from that trip, trailer full of supplies, parts, tires, and mountain bike). I had lots of flats (4, including one on a precarious incline) due to the nature of the road and the worn state of my tires. I'd rather have a 10 year old , full-tread spare under the car than one with 45,000 miles on it already. 8-10 year old tires just don't magically blow sidewalls after a certain date. But that's just me, and apparently my risk appetite is off-the-charts for this group. I even (gasp) run a smaller spare than my 275/70/17's, because you know what? Torsen says it's not a big deal. Lots of conflation here with viscous coupling Subarus and other AWD systems that just don't have the same risks for imagined "drive train damage" as our rigs do. Assuming you use a spare for it's limited purpose (I do.). I know there's some that won't accept that, and say "just in case, I will never take any risk > 0.0%). Guess what? Your tranny might blow anyway, even though you've used a 5 tire rotation for the last 14 years...

Less over-thinking, more wheeling...

 

[rav8]

There very few places in the lower 48, even in the SW, that are 100 miles from pavement. Even 50 miles. I've been to a few, and I carry extra spares and a patch kit, but still...


Alternately, your putting on a spare that's just as worn as the one that just gave out... 20 years ago I did an all-dirt, Mexican border to Utah border trip across AZ. Being poor, I started this journey on well-worn BFG AT KO's (avatar picture is from that trip, trailer full of supplies, parts, tires, and mountain bike). I had lots of flats (4, including one on a precarious incline) due to the nature of the road and the worn state of my tires. I'd rather have a 10 year old , full-tread spare under the car than one with 45,000 miles on it already. 8-10 year old tires just don't magically blow sidewalls after a certain date. But that's just me, and apparently my risk appetite is off-the-charts for this group. I even (gasp) run a smaller spare than my 275/70/17's, because you know what? Torsen says it's not a big deal. Lots of conflation here with viscous coupling Subarus and other AWD systems that just don't have the same risks for imagined "drive train damage" as our rigs do. Assuming you use a spare for it's limited purpose (I do.). I know there's some that won't accept that, and say "just in case, I will never take any risk > 0.0%). Guess what? Your tranny might blow anyway, even though you've used a 5 tire rotation for the last 14 years...

Less over-thinking, more wheeling...

My other car is a 1991 MR2 with directional tires staggered front to rear...so I could be overcompensating with my wild GX rotation habits.

 

[jakemccurdy]

Either way we should all have onboard air and a tire kit if we are going out into the boonies .

Agreed! But that won’t help a sidewall.

I'd rather have a 10 year old , full-tread spare under the car than one with 45,000 miles on it already.

I don’t understand this argument. What about your other 4? Do you change you tires every 30k worn or not? Did you buy a brand new AT tire and not rotate it or like most of the people asking this question, leave the 5 yr old city tire under there that the truck came with so you don’t have to buy a matching rim?

20 years ago I did an all-dirt, Mexican border to Utah border trip across AZ.

The AZBDR! I did the first 1/4 two years ago but my throttle body went out around empire ranch and I had to limp home on pavement : /

Less over-thinking, more wheeling...

Agreed but Im dragging an 8 year old out there and a fifth spare only costs a rim once in the worst case.

But you’re right, most of us fret over negligible risks.

Attaching the legs of the 8020 to the L Track was the tricky part.

Those might work but you’ll have to nail the hole drilling since the L-tracks have fixed positions. I’ve got a different solution but don’t want to hijack the thread. I’ll update my thread a bit later. And sorry for the light wallet! You’ll love the bison gear. Use Ny-locks and thread-lock. I don’t know why they don’t send nylocks : /

 

[Broski]

There very few places in the lower 48, even in the SW, that are 100 miles from pavement. Even 50 miles. I've been to a few, and I carry extra spares and a patch kit, but still...


Alternately, your putting on a spare that's just as worn as the one that just gave out... 20 years ago I did an all-dirt, Mexican border to Utah border trip across AZ. Being poor, I started this journey on well-worn BFG AT KO's (avatar picture is from that trip, trailer full of supplies, parts, tires, and mountain bike). I had lots of flats (4, including one on a precarious incline) due to the nature of the road and the worn state of my tires. I'd rather have a 10 year old , full-tread spare under the car than one with 45,000 miles on it already. 8-10 year old tires just don't magically blow sidewalls after a certain date. But that's just me, and apparently my risk appetite is off-the-charts for this group. I even (gasp) run a smaller spare than my 275/70/17's, because you know what? Torsen says it's not a big deal. Lots of conflation here with viscous coupling Subarus and other AWD systems that just don't have the same risks for imagined "drive train damage" as our rigs do. Assuming you use a spare for it's limited purpose (I do.). I know there's some that won't accept that, and say "just in case, I will never take any risk > 0.0%). Guess what? Your tranny might blow anyway, even though you've used a 5 tire rotation for the last 14 years...

Less over-thinking, more wheeling...

Finally a post that includes common sense

 

[Rednexus]

There very few places in the lower 48, even in the SW, that are 100 miles from pavement. Even 50 miles. I've been to a few, and I carry extra spares and a patch kit, but still...

As someone who only recently picked up wheeling as a hobby (after finally hitting midlife and having some $$) and was previously more focused on hiking, backpacking, and cycling, I can honestly walk out of just about anywhere I'm going to wheel in ~4-5 hours max. We have one place here in MO where I can get around 25 miles from pavement, even at that place I can climb to the top of a high ridge within an hour or two and get cell reception. Either way, the hiking and cycling hobbies (which I do 95%+ solo) are far more dangerous. Many of the places I hike here in MO are zero service if you can't make it to a ridge and get very little hiking traffic, so twisting an ankle would likely result in me spending at least a night in the woods until SAR finds me.

Regardless, I always carry enough survival stuff in my rig that I and/or my kids (I wheel solo with my 6 and 8 year old pretty often) can spend the night and be just fine. Having a real GMRS now provides an extra layer of protection in case there is no service as I might be able to get the local power co/op or someone else on a channel.

If it's crazy inclement weather (like January when it got well below 0) I stay home.

 

[Cold Iron]

As someone who only recently picked up wheeling as a hobby (after finally hitting midlife and having some $$) and was previously more focused on hiking, backpacking, and cycling, I can honestly walk out of just about anywhere I'm going to wheel in ~4-5 hours max. We have one place here in MO where I can get around 25 miles from pavement, even at that place I can climb to the top of a high ridge within an hour or two and get cell reception. Either way, the hiking and cycling hobbies (which I do 95%+ solo) are far more dangerous. Many of the places I hike here in MO are zero service if you can't make it to a ridge and get very little hiking traffic, so twisting an ankle would likely result in me spending at least a night in the woods until SAR finds me.

Regardless, I always carry enough survival stuff in my rig that I and/or my kids (I wheel solo with my 6 and 8 year old pretty often) can spend the night and be just fine. Having a real GMRS now provides an extra layer of protection in case there is no service as I might be able to get the local power co/op or someone else on a channel.

If it's crazy inclement weather (like January when it got well below 0) I stay home.

In the 70's and 80's we all had CB radios. Pretty much worthless in the Olympic and Cascade mountains of Wa. State to contact someone else. The further you moved down the coast the more likely to find someone on the other end. By the time you got down on the East side of the mountains of San Diego you stood a good chance of getting a hit. Which was good because of sand. Shovel, come a long, hi lift, bow saw are requirements in the woods, sand is different.

I spend mid Sept to end of Oct. running solo where there is no cell phone coverage, and no other people. If I see someone else especially during the weekday time to find another spot to chase birds. GMRS is pretty much worthless there and Canada, just aren't any repeaters or other people if there are it is time to move on. When I turned 60 my mother started in on me to start carrying a Sat phone. Mothers always worry but they often know what they are talking about. She was right. No one would be looking for me for weeks or expecting to hear from me.

Carried a Garmin inReach for years until it finally died last year. Would cancel the plan for 10 months of the year. Don't think I will replace it if I do it will be a dedicated Personal Locator Beacon which is upfront ~$400 that is what 2 months of a Sat phone rental is. But is only good for 5 years and one way communication and only for when the SHTF. Average of 3.5 hours to the nearest hospital (EMT and clinics usually 1.5-2 hours) so if I have a heart attack or stroke not going to do me much good by the time SAR shows up. And don't want to be THAT guy that uses it when I'm broke down or stuck.

Used to cover 8-10 miles a day busting brush in the woods, the Alpha on the dogs showed they would run 20-22 miles. Now before bird season opens I have Mayo Clinic Sports Med shoot up both knees and ankles with cortisone. Lucky to get 3-4 miles a day in anymore and some days are better than others. I'm not walking out of anywhere if I get stuck or break down. Pretty much know how to get unstuck from most situations, don't get into them to begin with But still carry a lot of recovery gear with me. Just in case.

If my body breaks down kind of screwed. Friend that I often hunt with is on the SAR team in the Mn. Arrowhead. I accuse him of just wanting to drive the Shepa.

And he likes to remind me a large part of what they do is body recovery. I don't want to be that guy either. I may have just talked myself into buying a PLB to get me through the next 5 years instead of replacing the inReach.

 

[Rednexus]

And he likes to remind me a large part of what they do is body recovery. I don't want to be that guy either. I may have just talked myself into buying a PLB to get me through the next 5 years instead of replacing the inReach.

I haven't gotten around to hooking up my GMRS antenna yet, but need to do that before I go wheeling next time. No GPS beacon either, although one day I'll probably also get one, when I start to get up there in age (turning 40 this year) and undoubtedly develop more joint/health problems. Personally I really do like heading out on foot or on two wheels, totally alone into a communication-light or free area, for an afternoon to a couple of days, although I did start carrying a 9 mm a few years ago on those trips . My longest trip has been 13 days, but that was before I had a family.

 

[jgalt]

"Cheap" tires degrade more rapidly than premium tires in general due to the relative amounts of anti-oxidants and anti-ozonants used. So time is one enemy of tires, especially those which skimp on proper additives. Then there's the whole other list of things which keep tires safe/satifsying like design and execution. In my opinion, price and long wearing are last on the priority list. Tires are very difficult to get right and tick all the boxes, so I wouldn't cut corners here if possible. Switching from cheap to premium tires opens up a whole new world. Michelin's PAX technology, though a commercial failure, is an example of great performance and execution.

 

[r2m]

Either way we should all have onboard air and a tire kit if we are going out into the boonies .

One of the best comments yet...
If not onboard air with a patch kit, then at least a patch kit and a can of aerosol emergency flat repair. Or, heck, even a patch kit and a bicycle pump!

 

[re_guderian]

"Cheap" tires degrade more rapidly than premium tires in general due to the relative amounts of anti-oxidants and anti-ozonants used. So time is one enemy of tires, especially those which skimp on proper additives. Then there's the whole other list of things which keep tires safe/satifsying like design and execution. In my opinion, price and long wearing are last on the priority list. Tires are very difficult to get right and tick all the boxes, so I wouldn't cut corners here if possible. Switching from cheap to premium tires opens up a whole new world. Michelin's PAX technology, though a commercial failure, is an example of great performance and execution.

You lost me a "PAX". As an early PAX owner on Honda Minivan, I whole heartedly disagree. There's definitely an "academic" cool factor to them. But the significant cost, weight, and longevity penalties that are noticed every time you drive FAR outweigh the benefits provided when compared to the standard solutions to what are clearly Intermittent failures.

Same goes for the "cheap tire composition argument" While potentially academically true, in the grand scheme of normal usage over the life of tire, including extended storage and extremely infrequent, short-duration usage of a spare, they become "practically" irrelevant.

 

[r2m]

By the way if anyone is wondering what patch kit I'm referring to, it's not your bicycle patch kit.
Something like this: Amazon.com : tire patch kit - https://www.amazon.com/s?k=tire+patch+kit&crid=2DS6WZ4E2YSAE&sprefix=tire+patch+kit%2Caps%2C167&ref=nb_sb_noss_1
Doesn't cost much nor take up much space. If on a trail, can be used for side wall puncture if it's not too big of a gash, BUT only to get you to a road to call for tow truck or help. Don't drive on the road with a sidewall repair.