is there any point in carrying a spare wheel? | FerrariChat

is there any point in carrying a spare wheel?

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by pourquoi_ne, Aug 12, 2017.

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  1. pourquoi_ne

    pourquoi_ne Karting

    Mar 16, 2006
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    England
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    John
    #1 pourquoi_ne, Aug 12, 2017
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 13, 2017
    i have a 360 with a spare wheel. It's heavy and it fills the luggage space. I religiously carry it around everywhere I go. I ask myself what possible use it would ever be to me. I am rarely out in the car without my wife. I haven't tried but I doubt if either a front or back wheel would fit in the front of the car. So if I have puncture What would do with the wheel? Put it on my wife's lap - er no. Leave her and get the puncture repaired or source a new tyre and return some hours/days later - definitely no. Hide the dodgy wheel somewhere, take the wife home and return in another vehicle to collect the wheel - probably no. Balance on the glass bit over the engine and drive home slowly - no. So why the **** am I carrying it around? Perhaps you can come up with an answer?
     
  2. unreelviper

    unreelviper Karting

    Jan 9, 2014
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    DMV
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    Mike
    John, I feel the same way. I keep a tire plug kit with me as well as the tire inflater and I should be good if I happen to catch a screw in the tire. I also have roadside assistance if it gets to be to bad. Good luck with your decision.
     
  3. Caeruleus11

    Caeruleus11 F1 World Champ
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    Jun 11, 2013
    10,860
    I come to a similar line of thought but I would add the following:

    I ask- where am I going? If we are going on a road trip, especially somewhere I don't know the local area/ might not have friends in the area/ I would give greater consideration to taking the spare with me. Make sure to get a tire carrier so you can make it as neat as possible. Like the one I will post below. If you have to change a flat, I would locate the nearest open tire shop and bring it there. At least then its not on your wife's lap for too long and the damaged wheel/tire is somewhere relatively safe. You can arrange pickup later.

    If I am going somewhere I know well/ just driving for fun on local roads/ then I would rely more on roadside. By the way, as good as any manufacturers roadside program can be, I have found over the years that in the US, AAA is still the gold standard, I have had several experiences where various manufacturers' Roadside programs where they tell me I am in a "restricted area" and they can't help. That was on highways and off ramps! So after a discussion with one of the drivers, whom it took an hour on hold for a manager to convince them they should come help me, I signed up for AAA. And I'm glad I did. That was over 10 years ago and I've never had a problem when I've had to call them for help. Granted, I've never called on a Ferrari! I would call Ferrari Roadside first. But its a nice backup.

    Maybe you can find it sold as one item rather than a pack.
    https://tires.tirerack.com/tires/Tire%20Tote
     
  4. I'm 360 Canuck

    I'm 360 Canuck Formula 3

    Nov 21, 2015
    1,911
    Ontario, The Real One in Canada
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    Lars!
    Seems like we need some storable roof racks for carrying home the bum tire. :)

    Don't give up on the spare. It may be the best solution for you *in some circumstances * even if it means abandoning your bum wheel. Bu I'd also carry slime etc for a first line of defence. Now, if you primarily drive short trips in urban areas, it may not be work worrying about.
     
  5. pourquoi_ne

    pourquoi_ne Karting

    Mar 16, 2006
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    John
    I only carry it on short journeys with no luggage. I do vacations in Europe so there is no room for the spare anyway.
     
  6. Caeruleus11

    Caeruleus11 F1 World Champ
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    Jun 11, 2013
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    Ahh- somehow I missed your location. I think you've been carrying the spare around because you sound like a gentleman. In your position, I think if I were driving around with my wife, if I didn't need the stowage space, then for short trips, I would keep the spare in the car because changing the tire and getting going is better than having my wife and I standing around waiting for help. If it means you have to hide the damaged wheel+tire somewhere, then so be it. Its a risk I would be willing to take.

    For long trips, I commend you and your wife for fitting everything into the car!
     
  7. The Red Baron

    The Red Baron Formula 3

    Jan 3, 2005
    1,110
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    Warren
    I guess it is all realative.
    I carry a can of tire flat and hope for the best. So far so good.
    If you get a puncture due to a nail or small diameter object going through the rubber, a can of tire flat will probably work. However if the tire is cut, or damage to the tire wall, your going to need a new tire.
    It is painful carrying that big hunk of rubber around and in many cases it means little or no luggage. If your only travelling close to your home base (< 100 miles) forget the tire.
    Personally I never have it in any car I own.
     
  8. TTR

    TTR F1 Veteran
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    Mar 29, 2007
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    #8 TTR, Aug 13, 2017
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Although not in a Ferrari, on our recently accomplished nearly 3000 mile road trip (with full luggage for two) in a car I was certain not to find proper spares for along the route, I carried two required sizes (without wheels) on a mount I made just couple of days before our departure. Also carried spare tubes, manual pump and tools to change them, had the need arose. ;-)
    Other alternative would've been shipping some of the luggage ahead to various predetermined(?) destinations along the route before the trip.
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  9. The Nutsack

    The Nutsack Formula Junior

    Oct 7, 2014
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    I was just thinking today how I wish I had a spare in my 360. I drive far from home sometimes and it's a big comfort to now that i could change the tire if I needed too and get to safety. I almost always drive alone, so tire on wife's lap isn't an issue, but I don't think it would change my desire for one. Trunk space is the only negative I think...I do use the space sometimes...

    Also I haven't had good experience with AAA. I haven't been stranded many times, but two times I called for them and by the time they arrived I had found another solution both times and was gone. It took them like 2 hours both times if I recall.
     
  10. MalcQV

    MalcQV F1 Rookie

    Oct 11, 2004
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    What does the spare wheel look like? Does it need a spacer to fit the rear or maybe the front too?

    I bought a Volvo spare wheel for my F355 but I know I would have need to carry a spacer as I'm sure it would have interfered with the brake callipers?

    I still have that spare and will shortly see how it would work on the front but I'm interested to see if they are anything unique.
     
  11. vrsurgeon

    vrsurgeon F1 World Champ
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    I use a Volvo aluminum spare with a spacer. I do most of my driving locally so if I have a flat it's going to be flatbed tow home or call the sweetie to bring me the black spare and a jack. If I were doing distance driving I'd carry it. When I worked a few days with a 2 hour commute in the mini I had, I carried a spare with me just in case.
     
  12. pourquoi_ne

    pourquoi_ne Karting

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    It's a proper factory spare. It's narrow but bolts straight on as is.
     
  13. JimEakin

    JimEakin Formula Junior

    Jun 13, 2015
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    I used to have runflats on my Corvette. Got rid of those a long time ago.
    I have the inflation kit for my 550. It sits in my garage.

    Auto Club is the way to go.
     
  14. Kevin Rev'n

    Kevin Rev'n Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Nov 29, 2009
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    So between the spare and the toolkit and owners manual pouch fully laden what are we talking ~80lbs? Fix a flat and AAA for me but I can't get too far since I am on an island. Not sure how I might change that tune if I had some open area to get lost in.
     
  15. JayEff

    JayEff Karting

    Aug 8, 2017
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    You know, having been stuck out a time or two, it can really be un-fun.! Maybe if you had to change the tire you could put the flat one in the spare's spot and just tie the hood closed even if it's not all the way there. At least until you can get to somewhere safer.. just saying.
     
  16. AceMaster

    AceMaster Three Time F1 World Champ

    Feb 6, 2009
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    Why would you put the punctured tire on your wife's lap instead of the spot where the spare was?
     
  17. I'm 360 Canuck

    I'm 360 Canuck Formula 3

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    #17 I'm 360 Canuck, Aug 14, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 14, 2017
    I suppose the concern is that a full size rim and tire won't fit in the bonnet.

    The idea of jamming it in and tying the trunk lid down is a scary one, I had a hood pop open on me while driving a former GF's car...I wasn't going very fast yet, city speeds, but in seconds the sheet metal hood opened, folded back and smashed the windscreen.
    If given the choice I'd rather carry a skateboard and long rope and tow the flat wheel home lol just keep the centercap...probably the most expensive part of a 360 starfish wheel lol
     
  18. clm412

    clm412 Formula Junior
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    Would the full size wheel/tire fit in the frunk if the air was let out of the tire?

    I have a donut spare in my Porsche and have used it on the rear when I got a flat. The wider rear wheel/tire wouldn't normally have fit in the frunk when properly inflated, but fit when flat.


     
  19. clm412

    clm412 Formula Junior
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    That's awesome! Congrats on the successful trip!
    What are the details on the car if you don't mind?

     
  20. I'm 360 Canuck

    I'm 360 Canuck Formula 3

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    I wonder that myself. I fortunately have not been in that position yet.
     
  21. daytona355

    daytona355 F1 World Champ
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    Mar 25, 2009
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    I never considered it important to carry a spare wheel, then Saturday, went to have a seatbelt replaced in the Range Rover. Pulled away from the place, drove up the road and an almighty bang, puncture. Get out and inspect it, looks like a shotgun blast to the sidewall, gawd knows how it happened, no obvious culprit, especially in the sidewall whilst travelling at 50mph.

    No way that was getting me home with a can of inflating glue. Wheel off, spare on, thank god, and went directly to the garage to order a replacement (fitted yesterday and spare put back in its SUPER IMPORTANT hiding place on the car!)

    The day you leave that wheel at home, that's the day the blowout occurs and AAA are too busy to help
     
  22. Jdubbya

    Jdubbya The $10 Trillion Man
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    Dec 28, 2003
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    I had the same thought when I had my 308 except mine came without a spare tire. It was missing a lot of things so I gradually started replacing some of items. Spare tires for 308's are not easy to come by or cheap. Then I started thinking the same thoughts as you. Next time I had one of the wheels off I tried to see if it would even fit in the spare tire well. Nope. Since the car had originally come with 14" wheels and tires the current 16" ones wouldn't fit. So I quit looking for a spare tire and made sure I had a couple cans of fix-a-flat and an up to date AAA membership!

    On a non-Ferrari related note my Cayenne has no spare tire from the factory. It was ordered with optional Bose stereo and they put a sub-woofer where the spare would normally go. But it also comes with a Porsche factory approved can of fix-a-flat and a hose you can hook into the air suspension compressor and pump up a low tire. Go figure!! :)
     
  23. thorn

    thorn F1 Rookie
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    Aug 7, 2012
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    Tallahassee, FL
    My 308 came with a fullsized spare, which quite pleased me. No jack or tools, but I picked up a wrench and jack at the auto store, put them under the hood, and felt satisfied I was ready to fix a flat tire should it occur... just as I have on several occasions in other cars. Then the day came that I needed to access the battery. No problem, just pull the spare out.

    Just.... lift.... the ..... spare.... f*********** ..... liffffffft the spare.... DONT LET IT REST ON THE FENDER .... (gatorade break) .... oh my GOD THIS IS HEAVY.... lift lift lift pivot GAH ..... ok cleared the car now drop it.

    Spare tire now lives on the floor of the garage.
     
  24. daytona355

    daytona355 F1 World Champ
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    Mar 25, 2009
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    Hahahaha, they are heavy, try lifting a spare 22 on a Range Rover...... crikey, it's a two man job! No wonder ranges are 3 tonnes
     

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