Spare wheel fiasco in the Highlands, again!

I don't understand this problem with weight and space. My fully-specced moho is only 5 metres but came with a spare wheel.
 
Mines on me bum.
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Not a tyre situation but stranded for sure. Top of Bealach Na Ba, pop goes power steering high pressure pipe! Came straight out the top of the pump! Hmm don't carry a spare funnily enough but do carry water, food and gas. Called recovery, after they eventually found on a map where we were the said that they will arrange recovery. My reply was" not tonight thank you, send someone in the morning" then I needed to explain why I didn't fancy being on the back of a truck or a spec in the dark from up there.
Loch Carron garage recovered us the following morning and the guy thanked me for telling them to leave it until the following morning. Been sat here 2 days next to the loch waiting for parts to arrive and for them to find time to fit it. Not a bad spot to be. Quite happy....
Our View...
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We spent four days at loch Carron garage , we had the left steering shaft snap clean off going up the Bealach na ba this was only fitted 3 months previous ( new ) , we had the pleasure of being recovered and accommodated at the garage whilst we awaited delivery of the part, when it arrived it took the guys about 40mins to fit best service ever ! I might add our recovery company sent a recovery wagon from fort Augustus nearly 5hr wait , when unknowingly we could have been recovered by loch carron garage . But yes we had an amazing four days and on return home got all our costs back via my local garage who claimed everything from the steering rack manufacturer as faulty manufacture .
And yes it’s got beautiful views
 
This subject has been raised, several times before. I do NOT carry a spare, and haven't done so for the last 17 yrs. I carefully thought through all the implications, before removing my spare wheel and carrier, and do not worry about it, anymore.
Many blow outs, are caused by under inflating, not checking tyres regularly, and, particularly on motorhomes, travelling with excessive weight, IMHO.
 
We spent four days at loch Carron garage , we had the left steering shaft snap clean off going up the Bealach na ba this was only fitted 3 months previous ( new ) , we had the pleasure of being recovered and accommodated at the garage whilst we awaited delivery of the part, when it arrived it took the guys about 40mins to fit best service ever ! I might add our recovery company sent a recovery wagon from fort Augustus nearly 5hr wait , when unknowingly we could have been recovered by loch carron garage . But yes we had an amazing four days and on return home got all our costs back via my local garage who claimed everything from the steering rack manufacturer as faulty manufacture .
And yes it’s got beautiful views

I've never had to use them but I've heard a lot of good reports about Loch Carron garage.

I believe they get a lot of business from vehicles going over the pass!
 
This subject has been raised, several times before. I do NOT carry a spare, and haven't done so for the last 17 yrs. I carefully thought through all the implications, before removing my spare wheel and carrier, and do not worry about it, anymore.
Many blow outs, are caused by under inflating, not checking tyres regularly, and, particularly on motorhomes, travelling with excessive weight, IMHO.
Nop, had two new tyres fitted at the front when I got my van, one week later it started to wobble the s wheel and within seconds, BANG, everything was correct, and no refund from a dublin co, the match is now my spare on vans bum.
 
Nop, had two new tyres fitted at the front when I got my van, one week later it started to wobble the s wheel and within seconds, BANG, everything was correct, and no refund from a dublin co, the match is now my spare on vans bum.
There are fake tyres about. I'd never believe it, until we purchased some.
 
Just read about a chap that hired a car for the day for £75, same model as his own, all his tyres were worn so he hired it simply to steal and replace his 4 tyres (presume wheels as well) with the better condition hire car ones.
 
Just read about a chap that hired a car for the day for £75, same model as his own, all his tyres were worn so he hired it simply to steal and replace his 4 tyres (presume wheels as well) with the better condition hire car ones.
They look at things like this before sending out.
 
I can change a spare wheel but I pay for an assistance service. Why should I get wet and exhausted? No contest. Meg
I agree. I know how to change a wheel - but I'm not strong enough to lift the one out of my car (I know 'cos I tried yesterday) so I wouldn't stand a chance with one for the van.
Anyway, hanging around waiting for an AA or RAC man has been an enjoyable pastime for the past 47 years, why change the habits of a lifetime.
I do wonder about the weights of these motorhomes with spare wheels, trolley jacks, axle stands and all the other gubbins mentioned. I'd have to ditch some shoes, handbags & make up, to fit all that in. 😦
 
I can relate to the original post.

I once had a puncture resulting in a complete flat on the B869 north-west of Lochinver in the Highlands. The rain was lashing down sideways on this single track lane and when I jacked up the car it was was swaying from side to side in the gales. I began to inflate the tyre but then my compressor died having been drenched by the rain. Lacking a foot pump, I had to wait an hour until the next car passed and borrow a compressor.

Tyre inflated, I continued to Scourie where I had been advised there was a garage, but it was closed so I limped on to Durness on the assumption there would be a garage of some sort there. Alas, the chap I was referred to couldn't help. I spent the night there parked with a now-deflated tyre.

The following morning my compressor had dried out so I re-inflated and set off on my way to Tongue where I was told there was a garage with tyre fitting facility. Bad timing alas: I arrived just as the owner was locking up to head to a dental appointment in Wick. Rather than wait for the garage to re-open the following day, I re-inflated (again) and spent the day limping to Wick, re-inflating every hour having failed to loosen the tyre bolts to swap the wheels over. By this point the tyre was already written off anyway so there was nothing to lose.

Eventually I arrived at Thurso, hoping a garage could help but.... they'd closed early so, off to Wick arriving at closing time.

The following morning I went to McConechy's tyre depot where I was met by the most unhelpful characters. There was a painted line at the depot entrance which I wasn't allowed to cross or even step near. They removed the tyre, wouldn't show me the large screw causing the puncture then, because they didn't have a suitable replacement tyre in stock, insisted on selling me a car tyre, saying it would be fine for my van. It wouldn't.

Having removed the tyre from the wheel, they did agree to fit the spare but their courtesy didn't extend to inflating it so I did this on the courtyard outside. I then spotted the Caithness Tyre Company almost opposite on the main road. The owner was so helpful, ordered the correct spare *van* tyre to be sent from Inverness on the next working day, ie Monday, so I had an unplanned weekend in Wick, hardly daring to drive incase of another puncture, then had my new budget, bottom of the range £50 tyre fitted when it arrived on Monday afternoon. I sold the van last year, 5 years later, with this budget £49 Prestivo tyre still in good condition.

In all, it took 5 days in the Highlands to have a tyre replaced following a puncture.

Needless to say, I always carry a spare.
 
I can relate to the original post.

I once had a puncture resulting in a complete flat on the B869 north-west of Lochinver in the Highlands. The rain was lashing down sideways on this single track lane and when I jacked up the car it was was swaying from side to side in the gales. I began to inflate the tyre but then my compressor died having been drenched by the rain. Lacking a foot pump, I had to wait an hour until the next car passed and borrow a compressor.

Tyre inflated, I continued to Scourie where I had been advised there was a garage, but it was closed so I limped on to Durness on the assumption there would be a garage of some sort there. Alas, the chap I was referred to couldn't help. I spent the night there parked with a now-deflated tyre.

The following morning my compressor had dried out so I re-inflated and set off on my way to Tongue where I was told there was a garage with tyre fitting facility. Bad timing alas: I arrived just as the owner was locking up to head to a dental appointment in Wick. Rather than wait for the garage to re-open the following day, I re-inflated (again) and spent the day limping to Wick, re-inflating every hour having failed to loosen the tyre bolts to swap the wheels over. By this point the tyre was already written off anyway so there was nothing to lose.

Eventually I arrived at Thurso, hoping a garage could help but.... they'd closed early so, off to Wick arriving at closing time.

The following morning I went to McConechy's tyre depot where I was met by the most unhelpful characters. There was a painted line at the depot entrance which I wasn't allowed to cross or even step near. They removed the tyre, wouldn't show me the large screw causing the puncture then, because they didn't have a suitable replacement tyre in stock, insisted on selling me a car tyre, saying it would be fine for my van. It wouldn't.

Having removed the tyre from the wheel, they did agree to fit the spare but their courtesy didn't extend to inflating it so I did this on the courtyard outside. I then spotted the Caithness Tyre Company almost opposite on the main road. The owner was so helpful, ordered the correct spare *van* tyre to be sent from Inverness on the next working day, ie Monday, so I had an unplanned weekend in Wick, hardly daring to drive incase of another puncture, then had my new budget, bottom of the range £50 tyre fitted when it arrived on Monday afternoon. I sold the van last year, 5 years later, with this budget £49 Prestivo tyre still in good condition.

In all, it took 5 days in the Highlands to have a tyre replaced following a puncture.

Needless to say, I always carry a spare.
Confused .... you said "...they did agree to fit the spare...". So you had a spare but were unable to fit it as the wheel bolts were fixed too tightly?
 
I carry a long torque bar for nuts, flat lever to lift the wheel up a inch or so to line up with the studs, next thing I'm buying is a couple of tyre inflating gunk.
I do believe when you cannot change a wheel its time to give up and hand the licence in, do remember its an offense to drive on an underinflated or damaged wheel.
 
@wildebus To clarify... I was unable to remove the spare because the bolts were too tight, hence I limped from Durness to Wick re-inflating every hour or so until reaching McConechy's tyre depot in Wick. They had the kit to remove the wheel and succeeded where I failed. They removed the tyre leaving me with just the bare wheel rim, so fitted the spare when I refused to use a car tyre on the van.

(In hindsight, I could potentially have called a breakdown service but pride got in the way and I would only use such a service for a 'real' breakdown.)
 
Most of you have toy size tyres ;) These present more of a storage problem.
Have two wheels on each side of the back it is possible to run with just one, so in a way I have two spares fitted.


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