Is a spare tire still needed?

[Habitat.pat]

I’m getting ready for a 5000 mile road trip & am trying to decide whether I should take a spare or not. Tires have gotten so much better since 67 & mine are new. I can’t remember when I had a flat on any car, probably 15 years. I have road service on the car & am leaning against taking a spare but am planning on bringing a frame jack & chocks

Suggestions/opinions?

Peace, Pat

[DAC21]

I’m getting ready for a 5000 mile road trip & am trying to decide whether I should take a spare or not. Tires have gotten so much better since 67 & mine are new. I can’t remember when I had a flat on any car, probably 15 years. I have road service on the car & am leaning against taking a spare but am planning on bringing a frame jack & chocks

Suggestions/opinions?

Peace, Pat

Safe trip to Cali. Pat.

I think a mini compressor via cig. lighter or battery unit (love my Rigid) and a tire plug kit would be adequate. If you have bought into any hand tool battery ecosystem, I'm sure they have inflators available.

This is what I have, but I only bought it after I had bought in the Ridgid ecosystem with a Drill, Impact and Driver kit. I know Ryobi has the same and plenty of others. It is great for topping off the everyday drivers without dragging out the compressor / air tank.

https://www.amazon.com/Ridgid-18-Volt-D ... B091MCVWT7

[Habitat.pat]

Thanks, I’ll do some research. Murphys law shows that DeWalt doesn’t have one in their line!

Peace, Pat

[DAC21]

delete

[DAC21]

Thanks, I’ll do some research. Murphys law shows that DeWalt doesn’t have one in their line!

Peace, Pat

If you are DeWalt 20v I think they do as a knock off.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/385713912457?c ... 870ce9fd24

And OEM, but might be hard to get in time for your trip.

https://www.dewalt.com/product/dcc020ib ... r-inflator

[Bwk2000]

Air pump - Check
Tire repair kit - Check
Bent rim from the pothole you didn’t see when you’re 2000 miles from home - Checkmate

[theunz]

While today’s tires are much more impervious to flats, they are still not infallible. It seems that at least half the flats I’ve had in the last 20 years have been non repairable, blowouts or puncture in or close to the sidewall. In those cases all an air pump, plug kit, or can of fix-a-flat is doing is taking up space that could hold a spare that would keep you rolling. Are you a big gambler?
As a side note, my Lotus doesn’t even have room for a spare and I can’t keep that out of my mind!

[redroadster68]

Check past thread regarding Michael, from Spriso spare tire solution. Temp spare that fits . It’s on here somewhere. Can’t remember much more but I know I saw it

[DAC21]

Air pump - Check
Tire repair kit - Check
Bent rim from the pothole you didn’t see when you’re 2000 miles from home - Checkmate

If running anything near a stock tire with that huge sidewall a bent rim isn't impossible, just near impossible IMO.

[ADR]

Wasn't it the Infinity G20 spare tire (possibly with a spacer to get around calipers)?

[theunz]

I keep a 195/60/14 in the factory location, it just barely fits.

[redroadster]

Stay north of KC is my recommendation
The South ( of us ) isn't where you want to be ,
esp with no A/C but then driver round here will squash anything not going 10 mph over the speed limit

[Alvin]

I’m getting ready for a 5000 mile road trip & am trying to decide whether I should take a spare or not.
Suggestions/opinions?

Peace, Pat

So much has changed in the last 3 decades with roadside service and connectivity...I'd skip the spare if the trunk space is needed.

I'm reminded of Scott Fisher's 37,000-mile road trip in his '67 roadster...zero flat tires!

[FergO2k]

I am in full agreement with modern connectivity changing the risk factor.
That being said (and I don't mean to be an alarmist), but on one of my recent backroads driving events, we were on one of those "rim of the world" mountain peak roads above Santa Barbara, with lots of cyclists so slowing down to be polite / giving them room. Going uphill at about 20-25 or so.
Recent weather (wind, storms) made for a lot of debris on the road.
In moving over to make room I didn't notice a sizeable rock on the roadway, and BANG-SHHHHH, immediate flat.
I luckily found a gated entrance that I could pull in to get the car somewhat level. One of the motorcyclists on the run stopped to offer help, and when I declined he graciously said, "Great, well then I will just sit here and watch you work!" (in case something was missing, he was my communication resource)
My first flat in 20+ years.

Pranged rim.jpg

[Gregs672000]

Knock on wood, never had a flat in the Datsun, 300k miles estimate, never carried a spare. I do now carry a pump (Harbor Freight, tested on Project Farm and did well, I've used it for other things and it works great) and a can of fix-a-flat just in case. Hopefully good enough to get me to a shop.