Spare tire scraping on ground?

Kats

I have noticed that when we back the T@B into our driveway, the spare tire scrapes or rubs against the pavement as we go up the lip of the driveway. I can't help but think that this is wearing the side of the spare down and that if/when we need it, it will be weakened. Any suggestions?

Dalehelman

Ours does the same thing. I found that it I approach the drive way at an angle until  get over the lip it will not drag. I do the same thing when leaving.

Allie

I was afraid that problem would occur with mine also, so I had the dealer remove the tire.  I carried it in the SUV on the first (and only so far) trip, then got a tire holder for the tongue.  Many others here have done the same thing.

Nomad

I moved mine to the tongue (side mounted) not because it would scrape but because I couldn't even imagine trying to get the spare off while laying on the side of the road with a flat.

Rad

PXLated said:

I moved mine to the tongue (side mounted) not because it would scrape but because I couldn't even imagine trying to get the spare off while laying on the side of the road with a flat.

Yup, what the bass player said......

vito

If I have a flat, I'll let the AAA guy crawl under. I haven't scraped the tire, at least not yet. My spare was in the T@b when I picked it up but storage space is too precious to use for a spare tire. 

Rad

vito said:

If I have a flat, I'll let the AAA guy crawl under. I haven't scraped the tire, at least not yet. My spare was in the T@b when I picked it up but storage space is too precious to use for a spare tire. 

What happens if you don't have cell service?.................................

Nomad

Rad - Yep, lots of no-cell areas.
My brother broke down in his VW Bus 120 miles southwest of Rapid City with no cell coverage. Luckily, there was a rest area a quarter mile away with a pay phone. Still had to sit there for an hour in 100+ temps waiting. The nearest AAA tow truck was fifty miles away.

Cyclonic

Always good to have a back-up plan.

I have taken my tire off the bottom of the T@B as well, it was also scraping on my driveway.  It lives in different places, sometimes in the T@B, sometimes in the TV, a few times on top of the TV.  I will eventually mount it on the tongue, just haven't gotten around to that yet.

jdargis

I find it amazing, how everyone is concerned with spare tire location.  If it scrapes move it, otherwise leave it and carry a 13/16 deepwell socket, 6" extension, socket wrench and a ground cloth to lay on.  There are only two nuts and the removal is fast, the difficulty is to remount the fixed or replaced spare back on the T@b and just let the tire shop do it, as you are already there.

Someone should take a poll of just how many tire flats have occurred, with their T@B.  Yes, it can happen, but with proper tire maintence, the odds are I'm your favor

Want a real challenge, change a flat on motorcycle tire with a tube tire on a trip.
Remove wheel off bike, break bead on tire, remove old tube and replace with new, reset tire back on bead and reinflate and install back on motorcycle in the middle of nowhere.

Just be prepared and don't rely on others.

Rad

Yup, I've fixed motorcycle tires tubed and tubeless on the road and out in the middle of nowhere off road in the desert.  I've changed car tires on the road.

  My simple philosophy, expect the best and plan for the worst and take the steps to make it as painless as possible.  

Nomad

Rad - Good philosophy - That's why I moved mine.
jdargis - Not everyone is manly enough to lay on the ground (tools/tarp or no) on the side of the road getting the spare off like you :-)

Ratkity

....

vito

My driveway is flat and so obviously I had no problem there. I find it hard to believe that Little Guys would design it to go under the T@b if it truly was a common problem, but maybe I'm wrong. I take my first camping trip later this week and if I don't scrape the tire or otherwise have a problem with it, I'l likely do nothing. If its any problem at all, I guess I will ask the RV dealer if he can attach a mount for the tire on the tongue as many have done. But my druthers would be to use the tongue area to mount some storage where I could keep the sewer hose, electrical line and extension, water hose, dolly wheel, etc. and use all of the interior T@b storage space for clothing, kitchen items, linens, etc. I guess I could also buy the outside rack that come on the Outback model and have the dealer install it for me, then attach the spare tire there. 

Dalehelman

After a couple of thousand miles the only place I have drug is my drive way and I can avoid that by entering and exiting at a slight angle. I have no plans to relocate. I truly can not remember the last time I changed a flat on the road. 

jdargis

63 and still manly, I'll take it.
Also, no lucky wrenches here, just prepared with the right tools.
Like I said, move it if you consider it a problem, but's it's not the end of the world if you don't.

Nomad

Like I've mentioned before - Every time I've had a flat it's been in some kind of miserable weather - never happens to me on nice clear cool days. And, with my luck, I'd be in a no cell zone so on my own - Life's too short :-)