Spare tire

[mfitz709]

Just bought a 2006 coachmen 34ft epic. During my weekly checks I looked for the spare tire. Guess what there isn't one. The dealer told us that sometimes they receive MH with no spare. Does everyone have a spare tire? or am I being over cautious? Also were is the best place to buy a spare? New / Used??

[Skid_Row_Joe]

bluwtr49 wrote:
While I can't speak to your coach, many have different wheels for the front and rear. That would make carrying a mounted spare more difficult since you wouldn't know which wheel to put it on. Carrying an unmounted spare (still over 100 lbs) may not bring much relief if you can not find a service that will mount it along side the road.

Than, of course, you still need to replace it periodically whether or not you have ever used the tire.

With all that in mind, I prefer to carry a Coach Net card and be prepared to purchase a new tire at the time....plus save the bay space.

If your tires are from Discount Tire, if you bought certificates on your Michelin tires, then Discount Tire will reimburse your out-of-pocket for that new tire when you present the receipt on that tire bought out of town from another retailer.

You will then need to purchase a certificate from Discount Tire, on that new tire to cover it.

Good advise!

[bluwtr49]

While I can't speak to your coach, many have different wheels for the front and rear. That would make carrying a mounted spare more difficult since you wouldn't know which wheel to put it on. Carrying an unmounted spare (still over 100 lbs) may not bring much relief if you can not find a service that will mount it along side the road.

Than, of course, you still need to replace it periodically whether or not you have ever used the tire.

With all that in mind, I prefer to carry a Coach Net card and be prepared to purchase a new tire at the time....plus save the bay space.

[rgatijnet1]

RLS7201 wrote:
While running up the Oregon Coast we had a flat. A replacement Michelin tire was 24 hours away. I installed the spare and proceeded to my next destination where I ordered a new tire. I know most owners are not capable of installing a spare tire but road service can't install a tire they can't get in short order.
So carrying a spare tire is dependent on time and aggregation.

Richard

And that is why the ones of us that have the room, carry a spare. Right here on this forum, we had a post from someone that was stuck, with his family, on the side of the interstate, just north of Tampa, FL. Unfortunately it was on a Sunday, on a holiday weekend, and they were on their way home. It only took about 8 hours to find a tire and someone to change it and he was right near a major city. Murphy's law sometimes enters in to the picture with breakdowns, and what seems like a non-issue can quickly become something that ruins a trip.

[RLS7201]

While running up the Oregon Coast we had a flat. A replacement Michelin tire was 24 hours away. I installed the spare and proceeded to my next destination where I ordered a new tire. I know most owners are not capable of installing a spare tire but road service can't install a tire they can't get in short order.
So carrying a spare tire is dependent on time and aggregation.

Richard

[sdianel_-acct_c]

Changing a big tire on an RV is not an easy thing to do and can be very dangerous if you don't have the proper equipment or know what you're doing. I watched them change a tire on a small Winnebago Brave and decided right then that we would not be doing that! I would not want my DH on the side of the road trying to change a tire on the RV! If we have a flat we will call Coach Net.

[bullydogs1]

look under coach in rear...see if there is a spare tire setup...the 2006 Coachmen models had a spare tire mount that was insufficient and the spares would come undone and go flying...It happened to me when I had my 2006 Aurora....my issue did eventually cause a recall....if you don't see the setup to hold it up under the rear ...then I guess Epics didn't come with one..but Auroras did.

[Executive45]

In over 40 years RVing, I've had only ONE flat, last year. Coach Net sent a guy out with a new Goodyear, date code 8/2014, changed it on the side of the road and I was back in business. Extended warranty paid for the service call AND the tire. Didn't cost me anything but an hour wait. Allowed me time to wax one side of the coach....do the math..it makes little sense to carry a 200# spare that I'm not going to change anyway. That's 200# of extra food, beer whatever that I can carry.....Dennis

[tropical36]

egh33 wrote:
What size tire? When I had a coach with 19.5 tires I carried a spare in a compartment. Now that I have a different coach with 22.5 tires I have no place to carry a spare even not mounted.

Take a good look under the coach and especially behind the fuel tank for a place to build a rack of sorts.

[tropical36]

mfitz709 wrote:
Just bought a 2006 coachmen 34ft epic. During my weekly checks I looked for the spare tire. Guess what there isn't one. The dealer told us that sometimes they receive MH with no spare. Does everyone have a spare tire? or am I being over cautious? Also were is the best place to buy a spare? New / Used??

We have a mounted tire in it's own compartment, but that's with our vintage coach from the old days and providing a spare of any sort has ceased to be the practice in most instances.
Always good to have a spare IMO, even unmounted and as long as it's good enough for taking it slow and getting to a tire shop for proper replacement at the right price, warranty claims...etc.
Your road service will change it out, without delay and you won't have to be concerned about high priced mis-matches, while they are trying to find a tire for you.

[mfitz709]

Thanks for all the advice, gives me a lot to think about. For now not going to worry about it. I, like many of you have been RVing for quite some time and never had a tire issue. I myself would hate to spend the money for a tire and rim to have it rot in its compartment if it would even fit. Thanks again yall and see you on the road..:)
heading out Monday to Ragland Bottom TN.

[mfitz709]

Thanks Dick, very helpful..

[rgatijnet1]

Some people never travel far from a large city where all size tires are readily available. Others, like us, like to travel out in the less visited areas of the country where we have been 100+ miles away from the nearest gas station. For that reason, we carry an unmounted spare tire with us(the best tire left from the last tire change). CoachNet will come to us to change the tire and if we have one with us we can then drive to a tire store of our choice and buy a tire that matches what we have. This way we do not get stuck with an expensive replacement tire that may not be the same brand or diameter as our other tires.

[Dick_B]

Search this Forum for `spare tire' in the Class A section and read what has already been posted.

[mfitz709]

Tire size is 22.5 but I do have roadside service if that helps?