Husband checking tires for up coming 9/12 trip. Took cover off of spare and someone has stolen our rim and tire and replaced it with their rim and blown out tire. Don't know when or where we were camping. Told DH I don't want anyone to get hurt, but I hope all four of their tires blow out at the same time so loudly they think they are getting shot at. If I had seen this transaction, they would have gone ahead and made my day if you know what I mean. Is there any type of lock we can put on our spare so this doesn't happen again? Thanks for advice and letting me vent.

My Class A, has a spare mounted under the back like a Pickup Truck. Well last year after several trips I discover that the spare is missing...they got a 10 year old tire and the rim. I got rim from Colaw in Carthage, and my shop that does my repairs still had my old tires that I replaced 6 months earlier so installed one of those.You can bet I will check to see that I have a spare much more often.

That would be a variation on the windshield wiper replacement system: drive around until you find a car like yours, swap wiper blades with 'em. Write down location and license no. Then, after the next rain storm, go find the same car, and swap blades again. Works best if your original blades are REALLY crappy, and on the theory they will have bought new ones when they couldn't see in the last rain storm, you wind up with the brand new ones.No, I've never done that.But you gotta stop camping in such rough neighborhoods. I am glad, however, that you discovered the problem before you needed that spare.As for locks, there are locking lug nuts, as well as bicycle cables. The problem is that all locks can be defeated with the right tools and enough persistence. The best you can do is make yours enough harder than the next guys that the thief does HIS and not yours.

Have always put a lock on the spare tires on the MH and trailers. I'm not a "trusting soul."

I have not checked mine in over a year. :EThanks for the reminder.

Beware Of Tire Thieves | Good Sam Community

_40Fan
Explorer
Aug 29, 2013
My vote is "Sleep Camping" and the DH just doesn't remember it!
nickthehunter
Nomad III
Aug 28, 2013
It's amazing how hard a thief will work so he doesn't have to get a job.
tom1948
Explorer
Aug 28, 2013
Last summer I was looking under our 5'er parked in the front yard and noticed that the spare mounted underneath was about 1/3 down. Never had this happen before. I think the scum in our 'hood tried to steal it. I cranked it back up and I check it pretty often and it has never come back down.
time2roll
Nomad
Aug 28, 2013
Seems more like an honest guy down on his luck or in some unusual hurry to move his RV out of storage.
bucky
Explorer II
Aug 28, 2013
They must not have wanted to pay the disposal fee for the ruined tire.:) Loaned out the camper, kids been using it? No self respecting crook would take the time to remount the bad tire.
n7bsn
Explorer
Aug 28, 2013
gbopp wrote:
I have not checked mine in over a year. :E
Thanks for the reminder.

You might have another problem, a flat spare
Tachdriver
Explorer
Aug 27, 2013
I used a length of steel lock cable for both the spare tire and my propane tanks, it has a built in combo lock, figured if they break it at least I gave them a run for the money, both locks have the same combo so I wont forget.
RAS43
Explorer III
Aug 27, 2013
smkettner wrote:
Kinda lame in storage. On the road I could see someone in a desperate pinch to swap spares.

Think about it. A storage lot will have many rigs with the same size tires so it makes it easier for a thief to get a new set of tires without a lot of effort and expense. Storage lots are a necessary evil but one cannot let their guard down!
mlts22
Explorer
Aug 27, 2013
Thats_Ok wrote:
Grammie wrote:
Took cover off of spare and someone has stolen our rim and tire and replaced it with their rim and blown out tire.

Sorry to hear this :(

We have lots of sneak thieves coming into our good neighborhood of late.

I'd like to thank the state of California for allowing the early release of non-violent criminals, and maintaining them on an over burdened parolee system.

From mailboxes to homes to vehicles nothing is safe.
They kipe everything...very frustrating.

I think we are getting that type in Texas too. Some of the thefts are mind-boggling. So far, the most notorious example was when camping a few months ago, someone slashing a neighbor's tent open with a knife only to steal what was once a tequila bottle, but was being used as a modern day version of a chamber pot. I'm guessing the thief enjoyed the sunny yellow/amber fluid inside. The theft of the bottle wasn't annoying. It was the loss of a very good tent that hurt.

I've been lucky so far, but who knows what might happen.
CR_CRUISER
Explorer
Aug 27, 2013
Those of you using locks on your spare tires, make sure that you know where the key is and that it will actually unlock that rusty old lock when you need it.

I put 5 new tires on my previous 5er and put a lock through the stud hole. I had a flat out in the middle of nowhere and yupp the lock was siezed. I put the tire iron through the lock to try and break it off but all that I accomplished was breaking the spot weld off of the back of the stud. I had to unhitch and drive into town to buy a hacksaw. I got the lock cut off but I had mangled the threads on the stud and now the nut and stud just spun loosely. I had to use the hacksaw blade and cut stud off between the nut and the rim. It wasn't pretty and the air was foul.