Dual wheel truck, spare tire/ flat tire questions

[JB4310]

I've got a dual rear wheel utility body, Ram 3500. I don't carry a spare, never got one with the truck. I want to at least carry a jack and lug nut wrench.

I figure if I get a rear flat, I can limp on the one good tire on that side, to a shop to get it repaired or replaced.
I'm thinking if I get a front flat I could take a wheel off the rear and put it on the front, just to get me off the side of the road to get to a repair facility.

Is that a common/ acceptable practice with dual wheel trucks?
Would it ruin the flat tire running it next to the good tire on the back??
Does it make any sense putting the flat tire /wheel from the front on the back???

I should get a spare, especially for long road trips. But I rarely leave a very small geographic area with this truck. I do carry a couple of cans of that "fix a flat" which I would probably try first.

I've had the truck 4+ years already, but I'm just thinking about being more prepared now.

Thanks, JB

 

[Bird]

The first thing I'd do is throw away the cans of fix-a-flat.:laughing: As for running with one dual flat . . . how far and how fast? You won't go very far or fast before the flat one comes apart and scatters pieces around. As for taking one of the duals off and using it on the front . . . yep, you can do that if the truck isn't too heavily loaded for the singled rear.

 

[zzvyb6]

You might consider carrying a plug kit (plugs + reamer + insert needle + rubber cement + needle nose pliers for pulling a nail and a cheap 12v air compressor. Stuff it all into a Tupperware container and keep it handy for yourself or another traveler in need. I've patched on the fly without too much trouble. Don't need the jack if you are lucky. There's something to be said for safety triangles, too. Some dazed drivers will aim for you. If you run on it completely flat and go too fast, the tire will self destruct and take out a fender liner. Patch it right away and you might not need a new tire.

 

[schmism]

I had a rear tire toss its tread. and had another one break some internal belts and go all bulge like recently.

both were while towing with a load.

Your scenario of just running on one tire is likely not going to work out well if your carrying a load. (when your most likely to run into tire troubles.)

 

[newbury]

I've used "fix a flat", put three cans into a retread. It leaked like a seive till it "hardened" then I drove it about 20 miles slow and got the tire replaced.

It depends on what caused the air loss. If it's a pinhole leak from a small nail I'd recommend slime and be ready to plug/replace the tire.

Buy that spare and sleep at night.

/edit that was on a full sized van (not maxi van), not loaded.

 

[JB4310]

The first thing I'd do is throw away the cans of fix-a-flat.:laughing: As for running with one dual flat . . . how far and how fast? You won't go very far or fast before the flat one comes apart and scatters pieces around. As for taking one of the duals off and using it on the front . . . yep, you can do that if the truck isn't too heavily loaded for the singled rear.

I think you mentioned working in the tire or repair business before, I know that fix a flat makes a mess for the poor guy that has to take the tire off
But I saved a family this summer who were baking on the side of the road, they were waiting over an hour already for AAA in near 100 degree temps, 1 can got them back on the road, I told them to go straight to a repair shop.
That was a small passenger car though, not sure if it would work on my truck??

I would not be going very far or fast with the one flat, I would be trying to avoid doing more harm than good.
In other words is it worth it to change that front flat to the rear and limp to the nearest garage for repair or just wait til a repair could come to me?
I'd rather not wait if there was something I could do myself.

You might consider carrying a plug kit (plugs + reamer + insert needle + rubber cement + needle nose pliers for pulling a nail and a cheap 12v air compressor. Stuff it all into a Tupperware container and keep it handy for yourself or another traveler in need. I've patched on the fly without too much trouble. Don't need the jack if you are lucky. There's something to be said for safety triangles, too. Some dazed drivers will aim for you. If you run on it completely flat and go too fast, the tire will self destruct and take out a fender liner. Patch it right away and you might not need a new tire.

Yes I do have one of those now in all my vehicles (along with the fix a flat)
I've rarely ever been stranded with a flat, usually find them in the yard or hear a hiss and drive to a shop for a plug. I saw how the guy struggled though, putting a plug in my truck's multi ply tire. had another one done from the inside, which I think is recommended for truck tires.

I had a rear tire toss its tread. and had another one break some internal belts and go all bulge like recently.

both were while towing with a load.

Your scenario of just running on one tire is likely not going to work out well if your carrying a load. (when your most likely to run into tire troubles.)

The truck is heavy, close to 12,000 everyday sometime more, just bought another 8 ton hyd jack and a breaker bar to keep in the truck.

I've used "fix a flat", put three cans into a retread. It leaked like a seive till it "hardened" then I drove it about 20 miles slow and got the tire replaced.

It depends on what caused the air loss. If it's a pinhole leak from a small nail I'd recommend slime and be ready to plug/replace the tire.

Buy that spare and sleep at night.

If the fix a flat (actualy did buy the Slime brand that does say for truck tires) would at least get me off the side of the road, I'd be happy.

The problem is making space for the spare, the truck is often full with tools and equipment on normal work days. for longer road trips there would be enough room to throw the spare in.

Thanks JB.

 

[me0418840987]

On my 79 dodge d350 dump, I used to have the spare mounted on the front bumper. It stayed there until I hit a cow in the fog at 1am coming home from work. Pushed the alt to the firewall. Rebuilt her and kept until 1999 406,000miles on it's 2nd 360 gas motor and orig trans.

Keep a spare on the truck, I learned the hard way. 84 d350 dump-no spare Had 2 pallets of Quickcrete on the bed, and blew an outer. Thought I could limp it SLOWLY 10 mph to the next exit in the curb lane. Long story short, I called Pomps 1/2 mile later, and they were more than happy to bring out 2 7.50-16 bias and replace them both for the small fee of $526 and change. Spare on roof- not pretty, but works.

I have an 05 ram 1500 4x2 that had many problems with the light duty 9.25 rear axle, and the heavy duty way I use the truck. I now have an 8 bolt rear and 5 bolt front, I have the 8 bolt spare mounted on the front reciver hitch while the 5 bolt stays underneith the truck where it belongs.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I personally would want a spare but thats me. You can also just call tire service vehicle out if you do ever get a flat.

Chris

 

[Bird]

I personally would want a spare but thats me. You can also just call tire service vehicle out if you do ever get a flat.

Chris

Yep, I just never went without a spare for car or truck, or for boat and travel trailers. I do have a little 5' x 8' utility trailer now without a spare. And 3 months ago, I let AAA change a tire for me for the first time in my life.:laughing:

 

[JB4310]

I personally would want a spare but thats me. You can also just call tire service vehicle out if you do ever get a flat.

Chris

Yep, I just never went without a spare for car or truck, or for boat and travel trailers. I do have a little 5' x 8' utility trailer now without a spare. And 3 months ago, I let AAA change a tire for me for the first time in my life.:laughing:

I've got spares in all my other passenger vehicles, but I also have cans of fix a flat and a puncture repair kit, I figure if it's nasty out I don't feel like changing a tire/wheel on the side of the road.

With my service body truck it's a space constraint issue. I guess it's a bit of a gamble not carrying a spare, but it's based on the fact that I've rarely been stranded due to a flat.

If I knew I could safely limp a few miles with one tire flat on the back, it would make me feel a little better about not having the spare.
Definitely not worth ruining an expensive tire though, cause I didn't want to wait for tire service truck.

Side note: Very soon I'll be due for new tires, not looking forward to the cost of 6 HD tires, and at only 21,000 miles not to thrilled with the life I got out of these. Stock tires, American General I believe, regular street tire tread.

JB