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1 or 2 spare tyres?? 1 or 2 spare tyres??
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  #1  
Old 8 Jan 2008
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Question 1 or 2 spare tyres??
On my trip around Africa in 2005/2006 (60.000km) I carried around one spare wheel and one tyre. From the Netherlands to Cape Town (west) we had zero punctures. On our way back (east) we had 5 punctures. Never really needed the 2nd tyre though. Used it only for rotating purposes to keep even thread on all tyres. During our trip we never met anybody who ever needed the 2nd spare tyre! Now I am changing the set-up of the car and the 2nd tyre is a real menace to store in or on the car!

I would like to get some feedback from the field if your experiences are the same. Maybe this “take 2 spare tyres” dogma is a bit overdone!

Would be grateful to get your opinions!

Cheers,
Noel
exploreafrica.web-log.nl
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  #2  
Old 8 Jan 2008
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Same experience(but no punctures) and now same dilemaNo room inside or on roof so will have to fabricate 2nd carrier on rear. I have seen mounts on the side, which is fine in the dunes etc but on overgrown tracks a disaster.
Probably going to ditch the 2nd spare along with the fridge, too many spares and about 1/2 ton of gadgets:confused1:
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  #3  
Old 8 Jan 2008
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On my last trip I backed over a huge spike in a field and killed a tyre. I had two spares so was now down to 1 spare.

When returning through Spain from Africa I got a flat tyre on the side of the motorway in a howling gale with lashing rain at 1am. Down to no spares and no humour for a while.

After sleeping for the night in the next motorway services I woke to see the back tyre on the same side as the previous nights flat was also flat - I had driven over a bunch of nails it seems. Stuck in the middle of Spain at a motorway services area on a Sunday. Ho hum...

Take two. It gives you much more piece of mind and ability to travel when one tyre is killed. Rubber is soft and easy to puncture no matter how careful you are you aren't in control of everything you drive over.

You need 4 wheels that go round at all times.
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  #4  
Old 8 Jan 2008
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Take 1 mounted and 1 unmounted spare. Any less is asking for trouble. I've "been there, done that".
Better yet, 2 unmounted spares (plus 1 mounted) if you have an oddball size like a Unimog.

Charlie
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  #5  
Old 8 Jan 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by m37charlie View Post
Take 1 mounted and 1 unmounted spare. Any less is asking for trouble. I've "been there, done that".
Better yet, 2 unmounted spares (plus 1 mounted) if you have an oddball size like a Unimog.

Charlie

And if you're the least bit creative you'll stuff the bare carcass full of stuff, being used as storage space.
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  #6  
Old 9 Jan 2008
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Repair ?
Don't you people take repair equipment? Patches, glue .. tubes ..

Reading Len Beadells books (an Australia surveyor/explorer Australian Explorer Len Beadell ) he fixed his flats daily .. think he only had the one spare.

Take patches, glue and tubes .. case patches too (for tyre case repairs) and you'll be able to fix the flat tyre.. oh and you'll want tyre leavers, bead breakers (unless you have some clever rims) and an air pump. And one spare tyre for a fast change (in cities/motorways).
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  #7  
Old 9 Jan 2008
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Take 2
2 tyres off rims and knackered on Ekok-Mamfe. Thank the all powerfull for the fact that we had 2 spares. Take 2 + repair equipment. But remember that a buggered side wall is not a simple repair.

If you're planning on any serious off roading or even just off-the-beaten-tracking I would say 2 spares make it all the more comfortable. It's not pleasant babying a car over rocks when you know the next flat is a trouble maker.

No one (OK, no one sensible) heads for the desert here in Egypt with less than 2 spares.

JT
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  #8  
Old 10 Jan 2008
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Its All About Terrain
Until four years ago I used to do extensive driving on sand and rock tracks in the Middle East over a period of many years.I found this extremely unforgiving on tyres and never wore a set(or even one)out.They all used to be destroyed by side wall damage from rocks and vegetation.My worse case was North of a place called Shisr in Southern Oman where I destroyed 3 tyres in one day in VERY REMOTE circumstances.Fortunately I always used steel rims and 150km and one roughed up but,not buggered rim later limped into Thumrait exhausted from the stress of it all.

For me,if you are doing any offroading rather than just overlanding,it would be 2 steel rims and spares every time.Chuck away the Gizmos,spare saucepans and evening suit instead!
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  #9  
Old 11 Jan 2008
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tyre pressure
Quote:
Originally Posted by tony johnston View Post
Until four years ago I used to do extensive driving on sand and rock tracks in the Middle East over a period of many years.I found this extremely unforgiving on tyres and never wore a set(or even one)out.They all used to be destroyed by side wall damage from rocks and vegetation.My worse case was North of a place called Shisr in Southern Oman where I destroyed 3 tyres in one day in VERY REMOTE circumstances.Fortunately I always used steel rims and 150km and one roughed up but,not buggered rim later limped into Thumrait exhausted from the stress of it all.

For me,if you are doing any offroading rather than just overlanding,it would be 2 steel rims and spares every time.Chuck away the Gizmos,spare saucepans and evening suit instead!
Tony,

When you go from sand to stones did you put air back into the tyres? Thats what i do. I do NOT drive stoney deserts on low pressures, even if it means deflating and inflating several times a day!


Cheers,
Noel
exploreafrica.web-log.nl
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