Flat Tires & Spares in the Van

[van_350sd]

Flat Tires & Spares in the Van

I have new ties on my van and never had a flat.

I have a 10 lb. PowerTank to fill up my flat tire so I could plug it right away if I ever get a nail or screw in the tire. POWERTANK - CO2 Air Systems


The C02 Powertank fills the tire in about 1 minute to 80 lbs. , then I can plug the tire if I need to.

Do you think it's worth it to even carry a spare tire?

[klhansen]

You'd have a hard time plugging the sidewall tear the I got once. Ran over an alder stub that someone had cut at an angle (nice and pointy). I don't think I'd ever leave the spare behind unless I felt like walking a long way.

[SuperbeastVan]

I agree! You would be surprised with some of the things I've seen sticking out of a tire.

[Mark Kovalsky]

I think I had a nail in a tire once at 75 MPH. By the time I got to the shoulder of the freeway and stopped there was no plugging THAT tire!

[van_350sd]

Good advice gents,

I am going to buy a new Alcoa Classis 19 lb. rim to match to other four and retire the steel rim that weights 10 lbs. more than the Alcoa. this way I have a matching michelin Tire and I know it's not all cracked and old. Maybe I can find a cover for the spare tire to help protect it while under the van. It would also help to carry the jack in the van. I have never even looked at it before. This jack is sweet, 2 Ton Air Jack - RakJak - 18 - Mfg# TBT2

[XRACER]

Nice, but pricey...

Check this out....X-Jack exhaust jack from ARB

[van_350sd]

The exhaust jack looks cool also, I wonder if it will hold up to a diesel?

The whole thing about a flat tire is Speed. Fixing it fast with the right equipment.

___________________________________

A dramatization:

Imagine your stuck in the center island break-down lane on an interstate with vehicles whizzing by. It's night time and very dark. So you set up your triangle, flares, LED's or whatever you have handy. Put the Flashers on, I have strobe lights installed also, so I fire those on.

The First thing I will do is call *FHP , this calls the State Police in Florida on the cell phone. Then call AAA and tell them where I am. I don't have a GPS, so I need to tell them I'M about 4 miles south of Atlantic Ave . next I would try to pull off as far as I can to a safe, level spot.

That's my next subject. I need to buy a GPS for my van.

So do I try and install the spare tire myself? Or wait for help?

I have the C02 Powertank to run the 1/2" drive Impact Wrench to remove the lugs.

But now I realize I have never tried to take my spare tire out of the van?
I don't have the manual in the van. Panic sets in as I hear cars locking-up tires due to a drunk, or some chick on the cell phone.


Ok, so I failed the safty flat tire change. I never did a dry run to change a tire, only how to plug a tire while the tire was still on the van.


So now I need to take my jack out of the garage and put it in the back of the van, and learn how to drop the spare tire.

This weekend I'M going to learn how to handle a spare tire change.

[u2slow]

I haven't had a spare in my E350 at all. Its a cutaway model, so I don't have room under the back - the fuel tank is there.

I do have a tire plug kit, 16-ton bottle jack, small compressor, and the confidence of H/4800# rated tires (on the rear at least).

No flats yet.

[XRACER]

When I was 18 (1976), I had a 1962 Econoline window van. It was my first vehicle. Very early one morning, in a blinding snow storm, I crested a hill on Route 17 in the Catskill mountains.....fishtailed....hit the median snow bank, and knocked the front left tire off of the rim. No patch kit or compressor was going to fix this problem.

Head and wrist throbbing from the impact that each had with the windshield (no seatbelts...) I set to changing the tire. Got under the truck and used my brand new Sears 3.5 ton bottle jack to lift the front end. Removed the wheel, got the spare out, and was about to put it on......when out of the corner of my eye I spot a brand new Chrysler New Yorker coming over the same hill....just as sidways as I was when I came over it. It was all I could do to get out of the way before the impact.

So here we are.....me and mister New Yorker......my trailer hitch punched clean through his right front fender, van knocked off the jack, cold, head pounding, and pretty much wanting my mommy.

Luckily I lived to laugh about it.

I learned an important lesson that day. Rule one: get to a safe spot. Never try to change a tire in a danger zone. It's just not worth whatever damage you might otherwise do to the truck. Shred a flat tire, damage a hub or a wheel well, whatever. Just don't stop in a bad place NO MATTER WHAT. Drive way off the road, go to the next exit, do whatever you have to do, but don't stop unless you have no choice. And if that happens, wait for help. A couple of flashing lights 100 yards behind you to slow traffic down will save your life.

[van_350sd]

My first car was a unmarked state police car, 1 year old, so it was a 1973 Chevy Biscayne w/ the 400/4 barrel air cleaner said 300 Horsepower. Dual spotlights, un-connected siren, pozzi traction, and just a fast car. I remember putting leaded high test in this car with octane booster, had the carbs set for more fuel. It had that cool, flip top air cleaner top.

my 8-Track Craig Quad tape player with Car Krickets in all four corners, I had more fun in that car.

When I was growing up in a small town, the cops never bothered us, we could drink, pary with no worries.

now=a=days, the cops are all bust crazy, they want to get everyone for a seed, or roach etc.

the good old days are gone.

[ujointclothing]

I've considered leaving my spare @ home as well, but sidewall damage keeps me from doing so. The only reason I would is to not have the extra 150lbs, or the giant brick of a tire on top of the brick that is my van. I keep a repair kit anyway...... I know that as soon as I don't have that spare, something will go wrong.

[u2slow]

I have extra faith in my sidewalls because they have steel plies. I also know I can call on CAA or a tire shop for mobile service. It is my work van though... I would pack a spare for travelling for sure.

[MikeL46]

I like the idea of a matching wheel on the spare tire. Have one on my van so I can do 5 wheel rotations. Takes about an hour with hand tools, but at least I know the spare has air and I can change it when needed.

Mike

[mxgimp]

this just happend to me last night the valve stem cracked lost air fast. hit a corner and the rear was all over so i pulled over tire was about half flat then only took about a minet to go to the rim. to make madders worse the stupit kid at big o put my spare on (back door spare)with an impact and spun the carage bolt used on the carrier. so we could not get it off. i was heading to my dads for dinner so i had him bring me one of his old dodge wheels but the inner circle was to small. we tried to cut the spare off but broke the only sawsal blade we had. lucky i was only about 10 miles from my sisters house my bother inlaw has a beed braker he picked up the tire and put a new valve stem in for me just 3 short hours later i was good to go

[clapsrm]

I had a blow out on my tt camper coming down from Lake George last summer and had to use the jack from the van to get it changed. It is really not a big deal; easy to figure out. The hard part is putting the jack and lever back in place! Getting the spare down is easier than it looks also you just have to get the screwdriver down that hole and you can feel it catch then you're good to go. I think sun is the worst thing for tires and being under the van it does not get any so I just maintain the 80lbs, a little armourall if I get bored.