Lil Snoozy spare tire

[Carol H]

Never had a complete blow out but have had two trailer tire failures in 5 years - one could have lead to a complete blow out had I not noticed it was starting to come apart and continued to have driven with it. Both failures happened in locations that were a *long* ways from the nearest town. Cant imagine anyone advising someone not to bother with carrying a spare.

[David B.]

How about having a bracket made up to mount to the frame and come up the side of the trailer just behind the axle/tire. It shouldn't stick out much further than the tire does now, depending on how think of stock you use.

[deryk]

All this talk about spares, when I get my ParkLiner home next weekend I wanna see if I have room to hang a 2nd spare on the underside. This way got forbid ya get a flat, going home you still have a spare lol

deryk

[honda03842]

We've never had a trailer or tow vehicle blow out in 180,000 tow vehicle miles. However we have had flats.

Like others we regularly check our tires and wheels at each stop. As well we have continuous tire pressure monitors on our trailer tires. I don't know if they'll warn us of a pending blowout, but certainly we should be able to detect a flattening tire.

To me a real spare on the tow vehicle as well as the trailer is mandatory. To suggest otherwise is almost suggesting you have not traveled very far or to 'out places'. There are many places where one of our road services will not get there in any realistic time, we've had it happen in the states. There are places where another RVer will not come along. In our trip across Labrador I don't remember ever seeing another RVer on the road.

As to storage of tire and other outside hardware, in general I like all the outdide stuff in outside storage in relatively fixed positions where it can't move around in an emergency stop. If outside stuff is to be inside, I like it accessible from the outside, just my preference.

Like many we carry a tire repair kits and a compressor.

[Jared J]

I thought of something else to add. In winter time, watch to see if your spare location accumulates ice, dirt, etc. It's not a problem here in kansas, but in North Dakota, my pickup spare went in the bed every winter. It only took one time of spending several hours to chip out the ice and rocks and get the winch working, and the wheel clean enough to mount, for me to learn my lesson. That's one hell if a miserable job at -30.

[Francesca Knowles]

Once upon a time, most folks knew how to repair a lot of things, including a flat tire. And that was back in the day, when tires had to be demounted in order to get at a tube!

The funny thing is, the advent of tubeless tires made it a LOT easier to repair a flat in the field...but nobody really knows how to fix things anymore, I guess. Still, the tools are out there for those who care to learn!

Francesca

[Jared J]

I have spoons, a grinder, glue, and plug-patches in the garage. I do most of my own flats, and trailer tire changes. I break beads using a high-lift jack in the receiver hitch of the pickup.

[rabbit]

I have been known to ply the spoons. Back in the day in last August I put a couple of F78s on my utility trailer rims. Perhaps not the pinnacle of mechanical competence and these days you have to pay to get the dead ones into the landfill. Self-sufficiency ain't what it usta was. I break stubborn beads with a deep throat sliding bar clamp.

jack

[carlkeigley]

When I was at the Snoozy factory Alan talked about using a donut tire.
Don't know if I like that for a trailer, but it would probably work. When
I asked him what the wheel was, he told me it was a standard chevy wheel.
If that's the case, if I were to use my 2002 Astro Van for a tv, the spare would
suffice for the van and the trailer.

When I was poorer than dirt poor, I had a 1968 Fairlane that was always having
flats. And I hated every one. The tires looked like racing slicks with cord showing.

Once I got better off financially, I keep extra good tires and quit having flats. I give
my take offs to my brother. He's 12 years younger, so he can man handle them.

I've had one flat with a new tire, defect. But I carry the fix-a-flat in all my cars.
I did have one flat on vacation some years back. I didn't change it where I was.
The fix-a-flat was good enough for a temporary fix. But I drove it for two years. lol.

Place for a spare is one of my questions as well.
My Taco has six hole wheels so won't match the five hole of the Snoozy.

[ruscal]

My Scamp has a spare hung on the back of the trailer, but my Chevy SSR tug doesn't have spare nor provision for one! They just give you a compressor and plug kit. A spare can be added to the underside behind the rear axle, but requires relocating the battery and mounting a spare lowering winch from GM. The factory hitch is only rated for 2500 # and attached to the rearmost cross member only. I plan to add another cross member and install a 2" receiver mounted to both members. Problem is that now a full diameter spare won't fit in front of the second cross member. Maybe I could mount the SSR spare on the back of the Scamp and put the much smaller scamp wheel under the SSR? I don't like the idea of traveling without a spare. I was driving a BMW on the freeway a couple of years ago going about 75MPH when I felt a little shudder from the tail end of the car. I quickly realized there was tire trouble, and was out in the number 2 lane. By the time I dodged a few other cars to my right and got to the paved shoulder the tire and wheel were destroyed. The tire just lost air, no explosion. It was in shreds just from a 200 yard trip to the side of the road! The wheel had several flat spots at the bead seat. I don't know how many tires can survive an airless trip from highway speed to a stop. A tire monitor could avert the damage if you reacted when it first lit up. You need to kill the speed before the tire gets too low. I have only had 2 blowouts in my lifetime. Both were road hazard related.
Russ

[floyd]

Like a belt and suspenders, I carry a plug kit and a spare.Hate to bring it up, but trailer spares are required by law in ILLannoy and likely in other states as well.
A tongue mount might be ok, especially if no propane or battery tank is present.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by ruscal

My Scamp has a spare hung on the back of the trailer, but my Chevy SSR tug doesn't have spare nor provision for one! ...
Maybe I could mount the SSR spare on the back of the Scamp and put the much smaller scamp wheel under the SSR? I don't like the idea of traveling without a spare.

A full-sized SSR spare wheel and tire will be much heavier than the Scamp spare - this may be a concern for both trailer balance and bracket strength.

The obvious solution is to carry a full-sized SSR spare in the truck's box - only on trips - but I realize space there may be in short supply.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by carlkeigley

...When I asked him what the wheel was, he told me it was a standard chevy wheel.
If that's the case, if I were to use my 2002 Astro Van for a tv, the spare would suffice for the van and the trailer.

Perhaps, and I personally like the the idea of interchangeable tug and trailer wheels, but the trailer and Astro likely have different wheel offset, so the fit would need to be checked for compatibility.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by David B.

How about having a bracket made up to mount to the frame and come up the side of the trailer just behind the axle/tire. It shouldn't stick out much further than the tire does now, depending on how thick of stock you use.

I think this idea has potential, but how about just ahead of the axle - closer to the centre of mass - for better balance and stability? It should be as low as possible without causing ground clearance issues, to minimize air drag, help stability, and reduce mounting bracket flex. The manufacturer may be able to help with recommendations regarding possible bracing on the inside, through the trailer wall. The truly paranoid could even do one on each side.

[carlkeigley]

Anyone else old enough to remember when you just threw the spare on the top of the cab of the pickup? lol. Was a pretty common sight decades ago around here. When the bed was needed to haul full capacity you simply tossed the spare on the cab and off you went.

Back on topic, I'm wondering if perhaps there would be room for a spare mount under the Snoozy since there is no black water tank?

[Jon Vermilye]

You mean like this? Actually, it is a spare for the RAV4. Don't even think about buying a RAV4 Sport with run flat tires. No "Bump" on the back for a spare.

[floyd]

here's a picture of the spare mount on a 1973 Hunter. It is a bit less of an angle but it only requires two "through the hull bolts"....

[David B.]

I think it would look cool to fab up some finders like cars from the 30's/40's which had the spare tires mounted partially inside the fender, and the spares had a hard form fitting cover over them.

[ruscal]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

A full-sized SSR spare wheel and tire will be much heavier than the Scamp spare - this may be a concern for both trailer balance and bracket strength.

The obvious solution is to carry a full-sized SSR spare in the truck's box - only on trips - but I realize space there may be in short supply.

Good point Brian,
The ssr spare would most likely be a trailblazer steel wheel with narrow tire, but would weigh more than the Scamp alloy 14" spare. I hate to give up the truck bed since it is lockable and a good spot for the 2000 Honda gens and maybe a cooler or two.
Russ

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by David B.

I think it would look cool to fab up some finders like cars from the 30's/40's which had the spare tires mounted partially inside the fender, and the spares had a hard form fitting cover over them.

If you mean mount a spare atop the Snoozy wheelfender, that thought had occurred to me, too. Not many camptrailers have the wheels outside the body like the Snoozy does...

I wonder if the body curve would allow for that.

Francesca