One spare or two

Hi #410

It probably is OK if you are staying on good roads.
If anything get a second spare for the Cruiser - with 1 spare if you have 2 failures your not mobile.
With a dual axle van and 1 spare you would have to have 4 tyre failures before you are immobile as you can limp into the next town on 1 axle at slower speed in a worst case scenario.
Cheers

We always carry two spares for our cruiser, but we go off the main roads a lot. It is extra weight and we did not appreciate carry the two until we got two damaged tyres in the Kimberley. The damage occurred at different times and we were able to get one of them repaired, but it was just a great feeling when you get a damaged tyre in a remote location knowing that you still have another spare. (We also carry a tyre repair kit and could have used it.) But if you are just doing main bitumen roads and will not be very far from repair shops, then maybe just carry a repair kit. But then again, do you want to restrict yourself to only travelling on main roads? Kevin

If, as you say, you will sticking to the main roads then 1 spare for each is OK. We have a single axle van and one spare and have never (touch wood) had a flat on either the van or tug in 10s of thousands kms. Quite a few if those have been on dirt roads as well. Having said that it is the luck of the draw.

If you have the room, I would take two spares for both vehicles.
My Prado spare is a steel wheel, that was scratched and dirty when i bought it (cheaper) and a coat of paint made it look new. It is the same size as my mags so no problem.
Van wheels are around $50 but same size secondhand wheels can be found with a little bit of scrounging.

I went around the island for two years and while I didn't use any tug spares, I used both van spares when the tread was worn down. It was comforting to know I had backup when out in the sticks.

bill

We carry one spare. One son has two spares and the other has one spare. We have been to all the usual places like Kakadu, The Kimberley, Cape York and some deserts. Heaps of trips up into the Vic Alps on both sharp and easy rocky roads. We are careful with the tyres. Correct tyre pressures whereever we are. We do not tow anything and run the 100 series at max GVM most of the time. The car is not used at home much and basically ikept to the hills, deserts, bush and of course red center etc. Naturally we carry a trye repair kit.

The last flat was about 40 years ago and neither of the sons have had a flat since leaving home up to 15 years ago.

Murphy has been good to us and we certainly try to help him stay away.

Touch wood!!! A bloody big piece of it as well.

Personally I would think that one spare for both would be fine. But stick a tyre repair kit, a spare tube and a postable compressor in somewhere. You can use a tube with a tubeless thats got a hole in it to get to the next town.

Phil

Hi Rich,

Yeah,I probably carry too much stuff but I believe " it is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it".
Having said that, if weight and or space is a problem, a set of puncture repair plugs and the kit to fit don't take up much space. I would imagine you have a portable compressor anyway. At very least a patched up tyre could get you to the next town at reduced speed.

Cheers
Pop

Spare tyres are one of those things you hope never to need.....in over 30 years of driving I have never has to change a wheel by the side of the road on any of my vehicles.

On company cars and other peoples vehicles and trailers yes..but not my own.

That said a second spare is a realy simple and relatively cheap precaution.


SO....your about an hour past the previous town with 3 hours to the next, you've just changed a flat tyre...how do you feel about being more than 200Km from town and the autoclub over two hours away without a spare tyre.

two spares for each..peace of mind...

OH BTW do you carry a complete spare hub with bearings ready to go for the van...and know how to change it.

I can not ever remember traveling north out of brisbane and not seeing someone on the side of the road with some sort of wheel or bearing failure on a trailer of some discription.

Ran up the Sunshine Coast to visit some relatives last weekend and saw 3 during the 2 way trip.

cheers

Hi 410,

When touring the Outback we carry a spare wheel and shockie for each axle. Also carry a tyre repair kit (plugs, internal patches etc) and a tube for both car and van. Would like to carry a beadbreaker and levers but weight and space don't permit it, so if it comes to removing a tyre for repairs or fitting a tube we'd have to wait for help - or travel with someone who has that stuff. At least we have the consumables. Might get an R&R beadbreaker and levers - I'm sure there's something we could leave behind to make room.

We also carry two sets of pre-packed caravan bearings and seals, plus grease and gun for trailer service and enough tools to fit the spares we carry.

Cheers

Hi All
Thankyou to everyone for the reply's. We have a tyre repair kit ,compresser, spare tube and tyre leavers. But this trip; wife ,3 kids, new 30ft van ( From head to toe) and hopefully travelling for a year where does it stop on what to take or not. You buy the new cruiser and add: Bulbar, towbar, stablizers, cargo barrier, side steps, draws, driving lights, winch, recovery kit, up grade the tyres to Coopers, now i am thinking rear wheel and jerry can holder ?
Regards
Rich

Could always have your trailer wheels, matched up to your cars wheels. Lots of spares then in an emergency.

I have double carrier. And did carry two tyres when crossing Simpson. You indeed may struck VERY bad luck, but I would say one is enough. Take tyre repair kit (invaluable thins! but do not forget descent compressor) and spare tube or two (if you incredibly paranoid). Saying that I should add that I WILL NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES tow something for extended expedition that uses wheels that differs from tow vehicle. More wheels you have - more chances to have a puncture. Having one spare on trailer and one on car and have them interchangeable is massive advantage.

YMMV

I Would take 2 spares for both if they are different sizes.
Unlike the lucky ones I tend to get flat tyres (Punchers )
I don\t need to be in the outback I can manage them on
the way to and from work.Just unlucky I guess
For peace of mind I'd take two
Norm

For years I always carried 2 full spares and used them many times. In recent times tyre technology has improved greatly and (touch wood) I have not had an ON road puncture for a long time. OFF road is very different and a bad wheel placement or unseen object can ruin a tyre.

When travelling now I tend to only carry 1 spare and a repair kit if the roads are benign. For off road I carry 1 full spare, a couple of tubes and a tyre casing which is far lighter. The tubes can get even a badly damaged tyre driveable (slowly).

The above assumes that all tyres are in prime condition and I won't go off road with tyres that are below 50%. So if you are mainly on road or good gravel I think 1 spare each and a kit will get you through.

Have a good trip.