Motorhomes are huge vehicles that come with big tires. Many people do not know if their motorhomes have spare tires or not.
Do Motorhomes Have Spare Tires? In general, the majority of motorhomes do not come with a spare tire from the manufacturer. However, you can carry a spare tire at your motorhome unmounted in the storage area or mounted on the back or underneath the vehicle.
I prefer to have a spare tire in good condition mounted with the help of a steel rack on the back of my class A motorhome.
It gives a sense of security when road service or any other assistance is not available.
Do Motorhomes Have Spare Tires?
Carrying a spare tire with motorhomes is difficult, especially for diesel pushers or class A-type.
Their tires are bulkier and have high weights requiring special arrangements to have them along on the journey.
The latest models have more storage options enabling them to carry the tire in mounted form or unmounted in a storage compartment.
Location of spare tires in Class A, B, and C Motorhomes
Class A motorhomes have many storage compartments under the cabin floor large enough to cater to a tire.
Class B motorhomes have relatively smaller sizes and have limited space.
Therefore the optimal location for the tire can be under the bed or mounted with the help of a carrier on its backside. You can also place it on the rooftop if a rack is available.
Class C motorhomes have tires mounted on their backside or under the belly of the cabin with the help of a carrier.
Spare tire carriers
Most vehicles don’t come with accessories as a part of the deal. Therefore, later on, adding them requires installing a carrier to ease their mounting and unmounting.
They come in different designs and weight capacities. You can install them with the receiver hitch, backside, under the tongue, or the frame.
Their operating mechanism is to mount and unmount them by a single person easily.
Some operate by a hinge mechanism, while others require rotating a latching key to lowering the tire. Finally, a nut and bolt mechanism secures the tire in its place with the carrier assembly.
Carry spare tire with no rim to save space and less weight
To save the loading capacity of your RV, remove the heavier part of the tire that is the rim and carry the upper rubber portion with you.
If you replace the tire, get the rubber tire installed on the existing wheel by yourself or call the roadside assistance services to do the job.
Benefits
There are many benefits of having an extra tire on a motorhome during camping at unusual places like national forests, snowy areas, and remote locations.
Saves time
Keeping a tire will save several hours even if you call road assistance service for its replacement.
However, if they have to arrange for the tire, it will require extra time to go to the spares shop and find the matched tire suitable for your vehicle. In the worst conditions, it can even take days.
Saves money
The main reason I keep a spare tire on my motorhome is to save money. If you purchase the tire by yourself, you will find the most economical one.
However, if you leave it to the road service personnel, then they will bring the one available irrespective of the price and charge you for the same price.
Insurance in Worst conditions
Investment in keeping accessories during traveling is your insurance in conditions where no mobile signals are available to call for assistance.
Therefore, it will be worthwhile to spend money for this purpose, enabling you to return home safely.
Roadside assistance may not be able to find the right size tire
They have special tires to bear extra weights than other vehicles. Therefore, finding a tire with the right size and specifications will be difficult and time-consuming for road service guys.
Often they come with tires having different sizes, and you have to compromise on them to get out of the situation.
Why motorhome owners do not like to have spare tires?
Motorhome manufacturers don’t provide extra tires to the owner because it is challenging to carry heavier and bigger tires in the presence of efficient road assistance services.
Limited space
Small RVs have limited storage space inside the cabin or in storage compartments.
Therefore, it is difficult for owners to make an additional space of 3′ X 3′ to store them during camping.
They have to compromise any amenity to make room for them.
Class A has larger storage space, but their tire sizes are also relatively larger and bulkier to handle.
Extra weight
A single tire with an alloy rim weighs about 100-200 lbs according to the type of vehicle and chassis design.
Therefore, you add the extra weight of that much value in the shape of a tire. It results in overall reduced loading and a towing capacity.
Moreover, there can be an additional weight of 70-100 lbs of the tire carrier.
Difficult to change the tire for a single person
Due to their larger size and heavier weight, a single person can’t load or unload the tire from the storage compartment.
Despite the availability of a replacement tire, they need to call the road service companies to replace them.
Therefore, they tend to rely on their services for purchasing and replacing a tire entirely.
Expensive
The total cost of carrying a tire can be up to $1000. It is an investment that you require once in a blue moon in 5-10 years when you get a blown-out tire.
Availability of emergency services
Various RV or automobile companies have efficient roadside assistance services available 24/7 in most highway areas of the US.
They respond to every phone call and provide services from the purchase of spares to their replacement.
Cost comparison of having spare tire VS using roadside assistance services
Calling roadside assistance services to bring and replace the tire will cost more than purchasing the tire by yourself and hiring their services only.
They have to travel extra miles to find a tire shop that has the right size tire. Moreover, they will also charge for delivery, additional mileage, and their time.
They won’t look for an economical solution as they would demand that money from you.
Therefore, it is economical to keep the extra tire and hire road services if you cannot replace it.
Make it a practice to inspect the tire before the start of the journey.
Therefore, check the air pressure and refill it if it is below the recommended level.
Moreover, please inspect for any cracks or worn-out surfaces to apply remedial measures to make them usable.
What are the alternate options if your motorhome doesn’t have a spare tire?
If somehow you are not convinced or due to some other reasons you don’t carry a tire, then you should be aware of alternate options. Few of the quickest solutions are present here.
Tire repair kit
Keep a tire repair kit with you to apply remedial measures for any cracks or minor punctures.
It will enable you to reach any service area where workshop services are available for a complete repair. It will also protect them from further damage.
Air compressor
Keeping an air compressor is a temporary solution to refill the punctured tire to enable you to reach the workshop.
For example, sometimes you are on some link roads, and it is difficult for the roadside assistance services to locate you.
By inflating the tire, you will be able to reach the nearest highway or prominent place that is easy to find.
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