Flat tire questions

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RedandSilver

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Aug 25, 2016
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I just want to know this for IF it happens to me what I might expect.

So IF you have Coachnet or GoodSams and you have a flat.
Is the total cost to replace a tire covered?

Now I assume a New tire is not covered.

So How bad did you get taken and how much did you have to pay for a new tire when on the side of the road?
Did you pay Cash, Credit or Debit?    Did you wait more then a hour?  Two hours? for service.
Did you have a choice on the tire brand they brought out to you? 
Did you end up talking to the Wrecker Service directly OR was it all handled through CN or GS?

Did they change the tire right there and then?
Did you get a tow (on a flat bed?) to their facility to have it changed there?
Did they try and up sell you or tell you that a set was the best way to go vs. buying only 1 tire?
Did an inexperienced person show up to do the work, and leave you unsatisfied with the results?

Has anyone ever carried a tire (in their basement or on the roof or in a trailer) so as not to pay a huge amount because you had no choice?
Reason I ask is, what if the Service that came out DIDN'T have the size tire you needed - but if you had one they could have changed it?

Sorry for the dumb questions but IF I knew the answers I wouldn't ask them.
I believe that preparedness is usually equal to the rate of success.  ;D
 
What is covered is the road service call for a tire shop guy to come out to you, and to install your spare IF you have one. Any tire repairs or new tire you may require are your responsibility.  Alternatively, you can be towed in for tire service at no additional cost, but you still have to pay for any repairs or labor once you arrive.

Obviously, if you need a new tire your choices are limited to what is available. That may be just one of a certain size, or maybe even zero if its 10 pm on Sunday night in the hinterlands. There is no predicting what is available when you need it. And you don't have any negotiating room either, unless you don't mind sitting on the roadside and waiting for somebody else to bring a tire from East Doofu (also at your expense).

Long ago I decided to simply not worry about it. It's gonna be expensive if it ever happens, and I'll end up paying extra for the convenience of not buying and toting around an expensive spare for years and never needing it.
 
Gary RVer Emeritus said:
Long ago I decided to simply not worry about it. It's gonna be expensive if it ever happens, and I'll end up paying extra for the convenience of not buying and toting around an expensive spare for years and never needing it.

Not only that, but if get new tires when needed, the chance of a flat is greatly reduced, and the spare will age even if never put in service, and will need replaced when you buy new tires as well.  I suspect the cost of buying those unused spares may far exceed the inflated cost of one IF or when you need it.
 
Thanks for the replies - Keep them coming.
For now I will forget the idea of carrying a spare tire.

So no one has ever had a tire replaced on the road?

I would like to know how much it cost, and how you paid for it.
Not every person I come into contact with would I feel comfortable giving my CC to.
So I might try and keep enough cash on board, IF I felt that was a better choice then handing over a CC etc.

Did they require money (payment) upfront before they started working on wheel removal and tire replacement?

 
The one time I needed a replacement tire while on the road, the tire service that Coach-Net contacted called me to verify my location and tire details. He didn't have the correct size new tire in stock, but said he could get one from another dealer. He also offered me a used tire for $50 including mounting that he felt was in good enough condition to use for at least a few thousand miles so I could arrange for a new tire of my choice. I took him up on the used tire deal and about 45 minutes later the tech arrived and made the swap. He swiped my credit card on one of those smart phone attachments to pay the $50. All other charges were covered by Coach-Net. The response time for any road service is a variable that depends on the travel distance required, the call volume being handled, and the priority of the call, so trying to use that as a measure of ERS value is relatively futile.
 
RedandSilver said:
Not every person I come into contact with would I feel comfortable giving my CC to.
So I might try and keep enough cash on board, IF I felt that was a better choice then handing over a CC etc.

I'd be complete opposite in that situation.  Credit cards (or debit cards run as credit) have complete fraud coverage through Visa/MC/etc.  You would not be liable for any charges made, that you did not agree to (such as if you CC number was stolen-- I assume that's your concern).  In a roadside breakdown, in a strange place far away from home, dealing with a unfamiliar service provider... I'd much rather put the "risk" on my credit card than be dealing with several hundred dollars in cash.

And this is coming from a guy who pays cash (actual paper money) for nearly everything, from repeated monthly expenses to major purchases (cars, RV's) that I save up for.  Sometimes the convenience/security aspects of electronic payment are worthwhile.
 
I am one of those guys that would come out to your motorhome when you have a flat.The problem with motorhomes is RV tires are often off sized from truck tires.Usually not worth stocking.Smaller companies do much of the road service,some care about you,some dont.Ive worked for both over the years.Carrying an unmounted spare will keep you from getting screwed. Iwill get flamed fot this comment but changing to a truck size when you buy 6 tires will save you grief.Of course checking tires often[tire pressure monitor best] or using a gauge or heat gun. 19.5s are truck tires and are easy to get.The new tire in the belly of your motorhome dosent age as quickly with no sun on it,will last longer than the 7 year life of most tires.I carry a mounted spare,a Sampson tire only cost 200,less than half of the Firestones dealer put on before I bought it.Your usage of your motor home also comes into the picture,weekend warrior,150 miles from home,tier 2,3 tires are fine for you,Full timer,30k a year go with the best.Just my opinion !
 
I have to agree with ronster about changing to a more common tire size where practical (and it often is). Sizes in frequent commercial use will often be lower-priced to begin with, and much easier/cheaper to get in an emergency. I changed my rear tires from 295/80R22.5 to 11R22.5 for those reasons, but the 11R lacked the necessary load capacity for use on the front. I considered 12R22.5 for the front, but there seemed to be little advantage in that size.

As for carrying an unmounted spare, to me that is strictly a space consideration. We carried a lot of recreational gear and our bays were always chuck-full, so a carrying a spare meant leaving other things home. A LOT of other things. The 295/80 is over 41" in diameter and near 12" thick.


In 16 years of motorhome travel, about 115k miles, we had one flat tire. And that turned out to be a failed rubber valve stem rather than an actual tire problem. Did not do as well with out 5W trailers - lost 3 of  4 tires in a 3 day period and still not sure why.  I know the pressure was OK, but at that time I had not educated myself well enough to assess other reasons why the tires could have failed. Still, that was essentially one event in 5 years of trailer travel.
 
I agree that carrying a spare - there are pros and cons.

When I pull my trailer I could easily take an unmounted spare tire with me.
I know this Summer I will take a 3 week trip and have my trailer.  After that I'm not sure
how much I will or will not pull a trailer, unless I was snowbirding and then I will have it for sure. 
A tire would take up a lot of space in the basement and moving it between the MH and trailer, would be some work for sure.


I have never heard of a 11R or a 12R22.5 can anyone explain?      The tires I have now are 275/70/22.5 - Is that a common size?

I'm thinking this is going to be catch22 in that,
IF I don't have a spare I will (have) needed one - but IF I have a spare I will never need it.  Decisions, decisions.......

What are your thoughts on getting a used tire?  For a spare that may or may not ever be used?
I would agree that if kept out of sunlight etc it should last longer than 7 years - and if it was used just to get
me home from where ever, then I could replace it (or more) tires as needed.  Isn't that the idea of a spare?
 
Another thought.... are you able to manhandle the weight and size of a 22.5" wheel and tire along with the torque needed for the wheel nuts?
 
Alfa38User said:
Another thought.... are you able to manhandle the weight and size of a 22.5" wheel and tire along with the torque needed for the wheel nuts?

I have no intentions of carrying a wheel mounted with a tire  - just a tire IF I go this route.
I have heard a tire weighs about 140lbs.  Good thing it's round and can roll.
I have a ramp door on my trailer so I don't think it would be a problem for the most part.
Beside I would probably let the guy that came to replace it man-handle it if for some reason I couldn't.

I also would NOT plan on removing the wheel from the MH as I don't plan on carrying a jack big enough to lift the MH.
Again the Guy that came would have all that stuff and if he does it for a living should be better at it then I will ever be.  JMO.
A man has to know his limits, right?
 
I agree with Gary and others that carry a spare tire in a motorhome might be a pain.  However, in a TT or FW it is good idea if you have the right set up.  My FW has one under the chassis.  Last year when I needed one of the tires replaced while I was in the campground, I called for road service.  The guy came, took it off, replaced the needed tire, put back the bad one under the chassis, and left.  I paid nothing.
 
My coach has a spare hung under the rear of the coach like a pickup truck.  Unfortunately it didn't come with a jack or lug wrench.  I've added a jack, because I had a brand new 12t sitting in the shop at home, but have yet to acquire a lug wrench.
Now you guys have me thinking about getting rid of the spare altogether.  I've got a portable dog pen that won't fit in any of my storage bays that I could carry in the freed up space with some minor fabrication.
I do have GS roadside service.
 
For a smaller gas rig (smaller than a DP anyway) with 19.5" or 16" LT tires, I think it's pretty darn handy to have a spare on board.  I know I was glad I had one when a tire blew on my 1994 gas MH during a road trip in 2010... although upon removing the spare from its storage spot, I was terrified to learn that it was original to the rig and manufactured in 1993!  But, the rubber had rarely seen the light of day and had never held a pound of weight, and somehow it got me home.  I bought two new matching tires the next day, installed them together (1 to replace the blown tire, and 1 to match on the other side), and the removed "good" tire became my new spare.

I have no doubt you'd end up paying through the nose (full retail price or more) if roadside had to bring you a spare.  Plus then you have issue of 1 tire being different from the other 5 (or 7 if you have w tag axle) that has to be worked out later.
 
Yeah, you're right, I'll probably keep the spare and get a lug wrench.  I'm just pissed about the dog pen.  This coach is 9 feet longer than my previous one, but, because of the saddlebag style storage on the slide, I don't have the big pass though storage to take that dog pen like I did on the 29' '89 Sportscoach I just got rid of.
Note to self:  Next coach with a slide will not have saddlebag storage bins.
 
One other thing about a spare.. I've seen some spares go bad faster than the tire they were a "Spare" for..  Tires, specifically those exposed to the sun, like to be rolling, rolling, rolling, keep those tires rolling, bring protective oils out of the tire..  Spares, even covered, get enough UV to bother them, but no "rolling"

As for the 12T Jack...  Had a guy having problems centering his 5ER on the leveling boards.. I told him get it level then we will pick it up and move the boards... I can only pick up 12 tons...... You can imagine the look I got... Finally he got it level, I got the 12 ton air/hydraulic jack and compressor... and then he understood... I was not exaggerating.  I really could pick up 12 tons, with just two fingers and proper preparation.
 
RVRAC: What Roadside Assist do you have? & how happy are you with it?
 
RedandSilver said:
Thanks for the replies - Keep them coming.
For now I will forget the idea of carrying a spare tire.

So no one has ever had a tire replaced on the road?

I would like to know how much it cost, and how you paid for it.
Not every person I come into contact with would I feel comfortable giving my CC to.
So I might try and keep enough cash on board, IF I felt that was a better choice then handing over a CC etc.

Did they require money (payment) upfront before they started working on wheel removal and tire replacement?


Thanks everyone for your posts.

BUT I'm beginning to think that this might be an issue that I should stop worrying about BECAUSE

NOT ONE person has said that they needed a tire replaced on the road AND no one quoted a price they paid for
a replacement tire - so do I assume that no one has ever had a flat (particularly on a Class A DP) and a tire replaced on the road?


Maybe the people on this forum are really lucky and never had a problem. That would be nice.  :) :) :)

 

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