Are you sure your newly purchased car has a temp or spare tire back up?

[Streetcar]

Not Geico, it is liberty mutual commercial

 

[k0ua]

Not Geico, it is liberty mutual commercial

OK, I couldn't remember for sure... BUT I do know what a lug wrench is...:laughing:

 

[JimWalch]

My 98 Silverado came with a full size spare. It was secured with a with a factory padlock that came with the keys to the Ignition . Helping an out of town friend late Saturday night and off to the motel. Well Sunday morning at 6 am rt rear was flat. No problem have a full size spare! Wrong key for the lock. I don't normally carry bolt cutters so my full size spare didn't help. The truck was still under warranty so off to the dealer Monday morning to ask WTH? They didn't do anything but cut the lock off and gave me a new lock. Its in the tool box to this day. No sorry or offer an apology. Even overheard them laughing about it. Still driving that 98 with 252000+ miles on it. Next truck WILL NOT be from that dealer.

 

[ultrarunner]

When we towed a lot back in the 70's it was real common to size trailer wheels to match that of the tow vehicle... many of the stock trailer and horse trailer makers offered it as an option... found it to be very practical once... two trailer flats in the middle of nowhere Nevada... had two spares... one from the trailer and one from the truck

 

[WM75Guy]

When we towed a lot back in the 70's it was real common to size trailer wheels to match that of the tow vehicle... many of the stock trailer and horse trailer makers offered it as an option... found it to be very practical once... two trailer flats in the middle of nowhere Nevada... had two spares... one from the trailer and one from the truck

I did that with my 94 GMC 1500 6.5 turbo diesel and a 2 horse bumper pull trailer. I had matching 15" rims and tires, looked nice. I wanted to do that with my 2 GN trailers that we have now but they both have 235/85R16 tires. The 2008 GMC has 245/75R16 tires and the 2017 GMC has 18" tires. I do take the spare off the flatbed trailer with me on long trips with the horse trailer so I have 2 spares.

 

[4570Man]

I did that with my 94 GMC 1500 6.5 turbo diesel and a 2 horse bumper pull trailer. I had matching 15" rims and tires, looked nice. I wanted to do that with my 2 GN trailers that we have now but they both have 235/85R16 tires. The 2008 GMC has 245/75R16 tires and the 2017 GMC has 18" tires. I do take the spare off the flatbed trailer with me on long trips with the horse trailer so I have 2 spares.

What kind of mileage did that truck get. My dump truck gets about 12mpg. I figure you could put it on a 1000 pound diet with a pickup bed and it’s got 4:10 gears.

 

[WM75Guy]

What kind of mileage did that truck get. My dump truck gets about 12mpg. I figure you could put it on a 1000 pound diet with a pickup bed and it’s got 4:10 gears.

20 mpg with 3.73 gears. It was 2WD.

 

[docrocky]

Gentle men: I confess I am the nut who started this thread. I am 81yo, have arthritis, back trouble, Lupus and just got over the Flu in spite of the vaccine and I can **** sure tell you I can get off my butt and change a tire if I have to. But what I am trying to say here is that if you do not have a spare to change a destroyed tire, you are up the creek...Road side assistance can do nothing but hopefully tow you away, if you happen to be able to reach them. Take the time to cover your butt and find you a used tire and rim (that fits your car or vehicle) and travel with it especially out of your home range. Please protect you wife and kids from the problem if you take a little time.

 

[k0ua]

Gentle men: I confess I am the nut who started this thread. I am 81yo, have arthritis, back trouble, Lupus and just got over the Flu in spite of the vaccine and I can **** sure tell you I can get off my butt and change a tire if I have to. But what I am trying to say here is that if you do not have a spare to change a destroyed tire, you are up the creek...Road side assistance can do nothing but hopefully tow you away, if you happen to be able to reach them. Take the time to cover your butt and find you a used tire and rim (that fits your car or vehicle) and travel with it especially out of your home range. Please protect you wife and kids from the problem if you take a little time.

Good advice. :thumbsup:

 

[ning]

I've had 3 flats in the last 20 years.
#1: edged too close to the curb. AAA was going to be 2 hours, so I put the spare on to get the car to a station to fill it.
#2: driving in rain, nailed a brand-new pothole that sliced the tire; instant decompression. got soaked swapping to spare.
#3: motorcycle, rear tire picked up a nail, probably on the off-ramp. noticed as I went through the following intersection and the bike was wallowing; plugged with kit and drove it 200' to a station for a fill-up. I carry a pump now.

I remember growing up in the 70s that we used to get flats all the time; as a big kid/young teenager I learned quickly to swap spares on mom's van. I think why we don't get many flats now is a combination of (1) she bought used tires (2) worse roads at the time (3) tires weren't as good - definitely not as good. Now you can get a set of grippy all-season tires that will last 40k+ miles, or less-grippy tires that'll do 80k. 80k? cars barely made it to 80k in those days.

 

[CADplans]

I am 81yo, have arthritis, back trouble, Lupus and just got over the Flu in spite of the vaccine and I can **** sure tell you I can get off my butt and change a tire if I have to.
Please protect you wife and kids from the problem if you take a little time.

I am over a decade younger than you,, and I have a full sized spare,,, BUT,,,

I doubt that I can lift one of these tires on my new truck enough to get it on the axle,,,

Maybe my wife will help me??

:confused2:

:laughing:

 

[docrocky]

CAD: An old time farmer taught me how to mount a heavy truck tire. I have a dodge Ram 15oo with the R17 rims and they re heavy. Since I rotate my tires with each oil change this is tough. First make sure your axel is just high enough that the tire/wheel has about 1" ground clearance. A must is a small milk crate that you sit on. Straddle the bottom of the tire with both feet and use both hands on either side to guide the tire onto the lugs as you lift the wheel with both feet. I understand that your rims are R18 and a bit heavier than my R17s but I have also used this technique mounting front wheels on Ford 4500 FEL.

Oh by the way I am not macho being 5'6" and about 180 lbs.

Rocky

 

[ESBkevin]

My previous car had no spare. Just some gunk to blow in to get you home.
I had the car 4 years and had 4 flats in that time, all good brand tyres!
The problem with the gunk filling is the tyre fitters hate cleaning the rim ready to refit a new tyre (which you will probably need if the walls were run flat at all). If you get towed/carried home by the Automobile service you wake up in the morning at home with a useless car outside that still has a flat tyre!
Go to a scrapper and get another wheel with a decent used tyre, make sure there is a jack, brace/wrench and pump in the car. Even if you or your wife can't fit it the chances are some kindly youngster will stop and help, people are like that.
I know the modern way is to get the roadside assistance people along and do nothing yourself, but that isn't always an option out of town, or even in town and it takes far too long.
I used ebay and got a used wheel/tyre for about £40/$50 delivered.

 

[oosik]

I've got a better idea. I buy the tires for my two vehicles - F-150 & TJ Jeep - from a dealership that provides lifetime free tire rotation. I learned long ago - this 'ol bod just isn't designed for lifting heavy tires, period.

And yes, I buy Toyo tires - same price from dealership A that charges to rotate tires or dealership B that rotates them for free. Guess who gets my business and has for the last 36 years.

But, Yes, if I EVER get a flat while cruising the outback - I'll have to sweat & scream like a Brazilian stevedore to change tires. They ain't light...........

 

[kenmac]

Wife calls me from the store yesterday. I hear a hissing sound coming from my car. Me,, Ok go into the store, when you come out, call me if it's still hissing

A few minutes later the wife calls me. The hissing has stopped, but now the tire is flat. I will be there in a few to change it...

Glad I made them throw in the spare tire when we bought the car:dance1:

 

[dmccarty]

... One reason I use Discount Tires is they always use a torque wrench to check torque when changing a tire, especially since I stand there and watch them.
...

Me too. I have been a loyal Discount Tire customer for years after I bought my first set of tires from them and I saw they used a torque wrench on the lug nuts. And there prices are good. :thumbsup:

My wife had tire issues once upon a time. Long story short, the idiots had left a couple of the lug nuts OFF the tire and the ones on the studs were loose.

I have not had many flats in my years but I have had a few. Changing the tire sure beats having to wait for a tow truck to show up.

Later,
Dan

 

[PJSprog]

My '14 Kia Soul came with one of those "flat kits" instead of a spare. I didn't realize this until I came out one morning to find a flat tire. The goo/compressor thing fixed it well enough to get me to a tire shop where it was replaced. I found out after that that Kia only offers spare tires standard now on their higher package vehicles. Mine was the base model, so no spare unless I buy one. I did after that. It was about $400, including the lug wrench and scissor jack. They sell the tire and the rim as separate items, and then charge to assemble them for you. I like Kia, but that's a load of cr*p. I did get a flat a few months ago on the way home from work, a puncture in the tread. I was on the side of the highway in East St. Louis, IL - not the best area to be - and it took me all of about 10 minutes to change the tire and be on my way. Made it home in time for dinner.

My Wife's '12 Sorento came with a spare. I made her check after my compressor experience. Had it not, we would have been buying one for it, too.

 

[oosik]

All this talk about spare tires. Went out and checked the pressure --- Jeep is OK @ 28 - - guess its been a while since I checked the pickup - it had all of 14 pounds.

 

[Creamer]

My '14 Kia Soul came with one of those "flat kits" instead of a spare. I didn't realize this until I came out one morning to find a flat tire. The goo/compressor thing fixed it well enough to get me to a tire shop where it was replaced. I found out after that that Kia only offers spare tires standard now on their higher package vehicles. Mine was the base model, so no spare unless I buy one. I did after that. It was about $400, including the lug wrench and scissor jack. They sell the tire and the rim as separate items, and then charge to assemble them for you. I like Kia, but that's a load of cr*p. I did get a flat a few months ago on the way home from work, a puncture in the tread. I was on the side of the highway in East St. Louis, IL - not the best area to be - and it took me all of about 10 minutes to change the tire and be on my way. Made it home in time for dinner.

My Wife's '12 Sorento came with a spare. I made her check after my compressor experience. Had it not, we would have been buying one for it, too.

You make a good point - there are certain areas where you sure do not want to wait for roadside assistance.

 

[4570Man]

I’ve found that a shovel makes a pretty good tire lift. Not that that’s going to help you on the side of the road. Someone has already said it but sitting on a bucket and using your arms and legs works pretty good. Not that you’re likely to have a bucket either. I guess if you can’t lift the tire you could adjust the height just right so it’ll slide in like you’d do with a tractor tire.