Mounting Spare tire

[kirkndopp]

Has anyone ever mounted a spare tire under the bus. And, has anyone ever changed a tire on the road with one of these? We're going to places known for shredding tires and we'll need to keep it real. Thanks for your impending advice.

[BUSBOZO]

Bus tires are not like car tires. You can't just pull out the trusty spare, get out the piece of crap scissor jack and go to town. These tires cannot be picked up by the average person, not to mention trying to get the spare in and out of whatever type of spare tire holder you make.

Usually a tire company that does 24hour road service is what handles flat tires on buses and trucks. Unless you have a good bottle jack, tire dolly (long prybar would work too),air impact gun, an air compressor to run the impact gun, and a few helping hands I would not recommend it.

Do some homework and get some numbers of tire company's that do road service in the different areas that you will be traveling so just in case something happens you won't be scrambling for phone numbers.

Good luck.

[paul iossi]

first thing is to get a demonstration/lesson in truck tire repair/replacement from a professional, go to the local truck tire place or truck repair shop and get educated in the proper sequence of events, tires are dirty,big,heavy,dangerous and hard work. If you decide to do your own tire work after a lesson or two you will need to get some specialized tools, first off is a quality hydraulic jack, not a made in china throw away, and some hardwood blocking. I would recommend a 12 ton jack and enough blocking to stack up a support crib for safety next to the jack. next you need the appropriate wrenches/sockets to remove and install the lugnuts, their are several options, sockets and the proper handle, or a HD 4 way X wrench and a 6' spud bar to use in the center hole on the 4 way for extra leverage, or a selection of impact sockets and a HD 3/4 or 1 inch air wrench and enough air to run it. You will also need a sledge hammer and 4' tire iron commonly known as a tubeless bar for helping to lift the tire/rim onto the hub.

Look at semi trucks and trailers for ideas on spare tire mounts, you will also need to decide if you waant to carry a mounted tire and rim or just a tire and change the rim yourself after you remove the flat tire

[bikeforthelight]

just buy fix-a-flat by the case. haha.

[zman18]

I've got a 19 passenger Ford short bus. It has dual tires in the rear. The tires dont seem to be much larger than the tires on a large pickup truck. How easy do you think it would be to change a tire on a short bus??

[kamoo]

I dont think it is worth the potential headache and risk to change your own tire on the side of the road. However, I would definately recommend trying to find a spot to keep an unmounted spare if you have 10R 22.5 tires so if you do have to have it changed, you only are paying for the labor. I had a blowout about a month ago a little after 5pm on a friday and the only size I could get was an 11R22.5. So now I have mismatched duals. It was only $150 total for a new recap, road call and labor, so really not that bad.

[Jarlaxle]

I carry a mounted spare (11R22.5 on a steel wheel) and HAVE had to use it. Last year, I got a nail in my left outer dual...change the tire (no air tools, popped the lugs with a breaker bar), back on the road in about half an hour. My wife and I are both capable of changing a tire solo. (Yes, she CAN--and has--pick up that 200lb tire herself!)

I would not even consider not carrying a spare...well, unless you LIKE paying the dude from Ben Dover's Tire Service $800 (cash only) for a bald Chinese trailer tire with a couple of deep gashes in the sidewall because it's the only tire of the right size in the county, and he KNOWS you're stuck.

[kirkndopp]

We're going to Mexico where they change the tires with 80 people standing inside the bus. They're amazing. So, we want to at least bring our spare tire, since we have one. Thanks for the advice.