Changing flat tires?

[RAllison]

Getting ready to retire and travel with my travel trailer a lot more. Was thinking about getting another spare tire so I have 2 and a 1/2" impact to change them with. And that got me wondering how many people change their own tires and how many people wait on roadside assistance to show up.

[Terryallan]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Terryallan wrote:
Ffor those of you saying to use a block to run the good tire on to raise the bad tire. Remember, that doesn't work on ALL axles. My las t TT had floating axles, and you could raise the good tire 18 inches, and the bad tire would still be firmly on the ground.
So doing a dry run is a great idea to see if raising the good tire will actually raise the bad tire. That's why I carry a bottle jack, and use links levelers to put it on.

Interesting! Please show what axles you have that give 18" suspension travel.

They were on my 2004 Fleetwood Pioneer. And raising either wheel would not raise the other. As I remember, they were floating axles. I haven't tried it on the TT I have now. I just go ahead and use the jack.

[Cummins12V98]

Terryallan wrote:
Ffor those of you saying to use a block to run the good tire on to raise the bad tire. Remember, that doesn't work on ALL axles. My las t TT had floating axles, and you could raise the good tire 18 inches, and the bad tire would still be firmly on the ground.
So doing a dry run is a great idea to see if raising the good tire will actually raise the bad tire. That's why I carry a bottle jack, and use links levelers to put it on.

Interesting! Please show what axles you have that give 18" suspension travel.

[Terryallan]

Ffor those of you saying to use a block to run the good tire on to raise the bad tire. Remember, that doesn't work on ALL axles. My las t TT had floating axles, and you could raise the good tire 18 inches, and the bad tire would still be firmly on the ground.
So doing a dry run is a great idea to see if raising the good tire will actually raise the bad tire. That's why I carry a bottle jack, and use links levelers to put it on.

[Cummins12V98]

I can assure all that she was totally safe doing the tasks she did. I handled the RnR of the spare and bad tire while she installed and removed the lug nuts.

She will appreciate the compliment Jerry!

[MFL]

Hey, let's just be happy a fellow member posted a pic of his pretty lady! Would you rather she had steel toed boots, coveralls, and a dirty face.

I'd sure accept her help, if she stopped to help change my tire! 🙂

Jerry

[time2roll]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

I recommend better shoes and a pair of leather utility gloves to handle a shredded tire.

I always keep a pair of gloves in my glove box. People often ask what are these for? My answer... it is a glove box, what else would you have in there?

[Jarlaxle]

2oldman wrote:
I'm not sure what you mean by a 'block.' Road cones?

Probably a deputy's car 50' behind the trailer with his strobes on.

[Jarlaxle]

wowens79 wrote:
Had on blow drivers side on the interstate. Luckily a wide should, but it was like 95 degrees and humid in South Carolina. My 16 year old and I coordinated our plan before getting out of the truck. He started loosening lugs with the 4 way while I jacked. I handed home the spare as he pulled the shredded one off, slapped the new one on and dropped the Jack down. Back on the road in less than 10 min.

Trying out for a NASCAR pit crew? 😄

[JRscooby]

2oldman wrote:

bucky wrote:
First thing I did was call the State Police non 911 number and ask for a block. They transferred me to the local Sheriff dispatcher and I had the block not 5 minutes later. .

I'm not sure what you mean by a 'block.' Road cones?

Sometimes LEO will put their car in the lane to warn traffic of your vehicle in/near the roadway. Most often they will just order a tow.

[2oldman]

bucky wrote:
First thing I did was call the State Police non 911 number and ask for a block. They transferred me to the local Sheriff dispatcher and I had the block not 5 minutes later. .

I'm not sure what you mean by a 'block.' Road cones?

[JIMNLIN]

RAllison wrote:
Getting ready to retire and travel with my travel trailer a lot more. Was thinking about getting another spare tire so I have 2 and a 1/2" impact to change them with. And that got me wondering how many people change their own tires and how many people wait on roadside assistance to show up.

One big thing I did back in the '80s was change all my RV and non rv trailers with 4k up to 6k axles was move to all LT tires. No more carrying 2 spares on road trips. No more ruined tires. Tire mileage went from 12k-15k up to 40k-50k.
The big plus was no more tire issues on any of my trailers and no more hauling two spares around.

For 7k-8k axles the Sailun S637 made for regional service trailers is commercial grade all steel ply carcass that comes in a ST235/8016 G load range at 4080 lbs/110 psi...or for more capacity the same Sailun in a ST235/85-16 G at 4400 lbs capacity. These ST tire can easily go for 50k+ miles. Carrying two spares with these tires is a waste of space and money.

[bucky]

We've been lucky so far. Have only had one flat on the RV in 20 years or so. The one we had was in a bad place on US 58 in VA with a 2 foot wide shoulder and a ravine. First thing I did was call the State Police non 911 number and ask for a block. They transferred me to the local Sheriff dispatcher and I had the block not 5 minutes later. So a shout out to Suffolk VA for the great department they have.
I found a Discount Tire store about 30 miles up the road and bought 2 new tires. TPMS did alert but it was too late, whatever I hit sliced the tire good.
This was a very new to us 5er at the time. I found out that the spare on the road side would not come out the access door on that side, I had to crawl thru from the door side to get it out. Something to check on some 5ers with the spare in the storage area.
Also this 5er has the axles mounted under the axles whereas the former Jayco had the axles mounted above the springs. Make sure if you use a ramp it will get the flat off the ground. I had to use leveling boards to make that happen.
Like someone else said, practice in your driveway. My ramp worked great on the Jayco when I was doing brake/bearing maintenance.

[Cummins12V98]

2oldman wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Asked the wife you want to set here..

Boy does that look like my ex! How nice to have a wifey helper along.

It is, she does whatever she can.

[JRscooby]

azdryheat wrote:
Wheel bearings, if installed and maintained properly, have very little chance of failing. From my experience, bearing failures have occurred from bearings that are tightened too tight or haven't seen fresh grease in years.

This is very, very true. OTOH, more than a few millions of miles driven, much in equipment others thought to old to make a profit. Other than a flat tire I can't think of any breakdown where I had all the parts and equipment with me to solve the problem. For my camper, I will carry everything I need to fix anything that would keep me from getting it home.