Spare on Class C

[vjswhippet]

My new Class C does not have a spare tire. When I asked the dealership about it, they told me I wouldn't be able to change it anyway. Yes, I know that but it doesn't make sense to me NOT to have one for Roadside Assistance to change it for me. Or do they have tires in stock to bring with them ?

[Dusty_R]

You can get a trailer hitch to put on the front of your C mh. Then you could put a split tire carrier up front, less weight added to the rear.
I bought a remote hand pump for my bottle jack, sure is nice not having to lay under mh when raising rear axel.

[mgirardo]

vjswhippet wrote:
My new Class C does not have a spare tire. When I asked the dealership about it, they told me I wouldn't be able to change it anyway. Yes, I know that but it doesn't make sense to me NOT to have one for Roadside Assistance to change it for me. Or do they have tires in stock to bring with them ?

When we owned our Class C motorhome, we had AAA Plus with RV. The with RV portion covered replacing spare tire and towing if necessary. AAA, however, would only cover removing the flat tire and putting my already mounted spare tire on. The spare had to be mounted on a rim. Although any mobile tire repair guy could bring a spare tire to mount, AAA would not cover it. I was chatting with a fellow camper once that told me he had a spare for his Class A, but it wasn't mounted and with his road side assistance either CoachNet or GoodSam, I can't remember which, he had to pay $100 to remove the flat from the rim and put the spare on.

So check with what your Roadside Assistance Program offers.

-Michael

[mleekamp]

I have a Class C -- 2018 model E450 -- and I am one of those "be prepared" type of folks. I ordered a Class C spare tire holder from eTrailer. It's not cheap, but that's because the tire/wheel for a C is HEAVY. The holder is extremely heavy duty.

For the Wheel and Tire, I went to my local Ford dealer, got the wheel. I saw that you can buy the wheel online as well..eTrailer.

Call or search eTrailer....they have what you need. The great thing about the spare tire holder is that it uses your hitch...and it has built in another tube for you to still tow. We can still flat tow our Jeep with the spare installed.

And, yes, all told I'm thinking it was about $800 for the holder, tire, wheel. Not cheap, but worth it.

Also -- I carry a large 5T bottle jack. If I had to, I could use my boards and the jack to lift he RV just enough to change a tire. We have auto leveling system (hydraulic), and I've tested this in driveway...I would use that system to help stabilize and lift as needed.

Lastly, I bought a middle of the road (about $100) cordless impact just for changing tires. Right out of the box, after battery charge, I could not believe it....it actually was able to remove ALL LUGS from one tire...and reinstall (of course I used a torque wrench to finish it out).

Point is...I bought the stuff, then "practiced" using it to ensure I had what I need. I'm an engineer by trade, so blame that on the fact that once I have a plan or theory, I must test it to be sure.

eTrailer....call 'em.

[BFL13]

Our spare is on a holder that goes on the rear bumper (that holds the sewer hose)

I agree with those who say have a spare the RA can use if you have a flat. It is possible to change your own if necessary. Front single is a lot easier than the inner dual though 😞

Had a flat. BTDT. Oh, and with the spare if mounted, be sure and make sure it has air in it from time to time or it adds to the hassle if it is flat too! 😞

[BarabooBob]

If I am boondocking in the middle of nowhere and I have a flat. I don't want to gamble that I will have cell service and that the repair shop will have the correct tire. I personally will always carry a spare mounted on a good rim.

[ksg5000]

Older RV's tended to come with spares - some of the newer ones don't. The dealer is correct that carrying a spare doesn't guarantee that your capable of changing the tire -- but it does guarantee that you have tire/rim when the mobile tire repair outfit shows up to do change the tire.

[Seattle_Steve]

I'm in the "I don't care about the spare" category. The last flat I had was as a teenager in 1972 on a motorcycle I bought from a friend for $100. But I do always replace my tires early and check the pressure and tire wear regularly.

If you're talking about the motorhome in your signature, the F-450 is very common and, should you need a replacement tire, will be easy to find. If you buy and carry a spare you have to remember to replace it every 7 years. If you're constantly replacing unused tires because of their age, that's wasted money. If I happen to need a tire on the road, even if they charge me double the going rate, I'm still way ahead on money.

So, no spare (or roadside assistance plan, or extended warranty) for me. I self-insure on everything, and over the years I am way ahead financially. On the rare occasion I need something, I rely on a credit card and the promise of a really good tip to the person taking care of me.

[DrewE]

Your dealer is making excuses. While it's not exactly something one would do for fun and relaxation, changing out a wheel for a spare on a typical class C is very much doable by ordinary persons. The lug nuts on mine are tightened to 140 ft-lbs, which is well within what one can muscle with something like a two foot breaker bar. The wheels are heavy and unwieldy, but not impossible to move around (and they can be rolled).

I have the spare mounted on a cable lift mechanism underneath the motorhome, and that works out nicely if you have a spot where it can go. Some pickup trucks use a similar sort of a mechanism. (If such a lift were too close to the back of the motorhome, you'd run the risk of it being the first thing to scrape when you encounter a steep transition in the pavement such as at some gas stations.)

[BB_TX]

.............

[bobndot]

Find a good welder to fabricate a rack/tire holder at the rear of your rv.
You can buy the hand-crank tire assembly but a welder may have to add a support bracket.

Check the Lippert crank down rack from etrailer.com
There are others less expensive if you do a search but be careful attaching a spare tire to your square tube bumper.

[midnightsadie]

on my C there was a rail around the roof in the rear ,bought just the tire ,had a water proof cover made with tie down straps. worked great,never had to use it. I will never travel without one.

[gbopp]

harley-dave explained it very well. The RA company may or may not have the correct size tire or they may or may not be able to get what you want.
And, you are at their mercy for the cost of the tire.
Find somewhere you can store/carry an unmounted tire. This will give you the correct tire and size at the best price.
Or, do you feel lucky?

[harley-dave]

We're lucky in that our RV has a spare. Several friends of ours have no spares and have had to get the tire that roadside had available. Some times you must wait longer for them to get a tire or pay much more for the tire they bring. One of them had to settle for a cheap tire of another size since the roadside company didn't have one of their size. Now they carry a spare tire (just the tire) in the bottom of one of their storage bins.

Dave