 | Home > Wheels & Tyres > Would you run your defender without a spare tyre |
 
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| Pam W Member Since: 25 Oct 2011 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 1169   
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Chaps - I already have a breaker bar - had one for years for just this reason and I used to be able to crack it enough to do the job.... I know how to do the job....
BUT with my recent problems with my hands it can be very painful (both at the time and for days afterwards) to do anything that requires gripped and twisting, which is what you need to do a lot of when changing a wheel! On top of this there is still the problem of the weight of the wheel/tyres... As for the shoes, I was being a bit facetious with that. I always carry a pair of sturdy boots and thick socks in my car, as well as a tow strap, jump leads and, at this time of year, spade and sleeping bag and a selection of big coats, gloves and coats.... Including Hi-Viz (used to be an archaeologist so have loads of spare PPE and resulting work related hand issues - hence no longer an archaeologist!) Plus Safety triangle and first aid kit. So I have everything required but not the ability to do the job SAFELY within my own physical limits. I've also been a Safety Leader at work and take great exception to people telling other people what they 'expect' them to be able to do and that if they can't do it then they are made to feel like they are letting the side down (just because YOU can do it, doesn't mean you everyone else CAN or SHOULD! So there! ) Cheers !  Our blog - http://landytravels.com/
Yorkshire Off Road Club - http://www.yorkshireoffroadclub.net |
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11th Jan 2013 11:27am |
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| lambert.the.farmer Member Since: 11 Apr 2012 Location: harrogate Posts: 2006 
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Having a truck cab the spare ought to live in the tub bolted to the bulkhead but it takes up way too much room. I do chuck it in loose if important off any distance or with a trailer on but then i will also have the spare in for loose the trailer too. Otherwise i don't bother. Rhubarb and custard let fly with their secret weapon.
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11th Jan 2013 6:54pm |
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| 22900013A Member Since: 23 Dec 2010 Location: Oxfordshire Posts: 3149  
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I wouldn't be without one. My first time greenlaning on salisbury plan I had a puncture in my supposedly puncture-proof MTRs. I still think someone put a spike in a puddle. You never know when you will get a flat.
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13th Jan 2013 10:31am |
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| RED-DOT Member Since: 29 Jun 2009 Location: stirling Posts: 2363 
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Speaking as a road haulage contractor with modern 44tonne vehicles having up to 20 wheels and tyres and travelling over twenty times the average miles of a Defender i have seen since the early 1970's a trend not to carry a spare as new trucks then used to come new with a spare wheel and carrier the the carrier was a cost option then only a spare wheel came banded to the new truck but no carrier was available and since 2000 nothing is supplied at all therefore with a truck travelling 20X the mileage and having probably 20X the rubber footprint touching tarmac why don't we all just open an account with a national tyre company and delete the weight of the wheel and carrier and the jack and wheel key? 2008 RS4 gone, 123d M Sport, and a Puma 90 XS..
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13th Jan 2013 10:58am |
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| AndyS Member Since: 18 Aug 2012 Location: London Posts: 595 
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In twenty (counts on fingers...) seven years of motoring I've had three flats. First was on a brand new motorbike (GSX-R750 Slingshot) that punctured before I reached the end of the road from the dealer, a splinter of wood went through the tyre, I'm guessing from the delivery pallet it was packed in. Second was after my Mini was serviced, they returned it to me with two flats (I'm counting this as one) and refused to accept it was their crappy equipment that'd caused them but they did fix it after the necessary shouting and ranting. Third and the only 'real' puncture was when I clouted the kerb in another Mini, blew the tyre out. So in almost thirty years of motoring and probably the thick end of half a million miles I've had one genuine puncture that caused me to stop. There have been other not-quite-a-puncture such as those nails you see poking out but you figure if you leave it everything will work out. But I'm glad the Defender has a spare, the Smart didn't and carrying a tin of foam isn't that reassuring. |
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13th Jan 2013 5:53pm |
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| Supacat Member Since: 16 Oct 2012 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 11018 
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Interesting range of views.
For those that think you should not drive if you can't change a wheel, does your view stop at wheels or include fanbelts, wiper blades, batteries, bulbs, alternators, etc? I run two vehicles that did not come equipped with spares - had one over 12 years and the other over 10 years. Neither have suffered a puncture. One has been on many trans-European trips. We have never been worried as there was never a choice to carry one. However, I've always carried a spare (or two) in the Land Rovers. and would never think of travelling without one. Had two punctures in 25 years - once offroad where I suspect an over-enthusiastic friend did the damage helping to dig it out of a hole; and once when an inner tube was nicked by a tyre fitter when changing a tyre. I'm struggling with the double cab at present as the standard mounting point in the rear tub has no provision for securing the spare from theft & so considering taking it out altogether or fitting a rear crossmember mounted wheel carrier. |
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13th Jan 2013 8:02pm |
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| RED-DOT Member Since: 29 Jun 2009 Location: stirling Posts: 2363
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Whilst being an advocate of travelling light i once had 3 punctures in one evening whilst shooting foxes all due to the farmer trimming hawthorn hedges down the estate roads and we were fortunate to make it back to the gamekeepers house and he had the 7.50's lying spare but that was a rare event. 2008 RS4 gone, 123d M Sport, and a Puma 90 XS..
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13th Jan 2013 8:12pm |
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| Birdy Member Since: 07 Oct 2011 Location: CĂ´te d'Azur Posts: 866  
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I had a succession of punctures with a brand new TD5, eventually traced to an incompatibility between tyres, tubes and wheels. Changing to tubeless completely cured the phenomenon.
But a year or two ago I was taking my daughter to Heathrow to catch a ’plane to Nairobi when I suffered my only other puncture in a Landie. If I’d had to wait for assistance she’d have missed the ’plane. For me, no question of not carrying a spare… Peter |
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14th Jan 2013 12:00pm |
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| NT5224 Member Since: 10 Jul 2012 Location: Robin Falls Posts: 50  
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Hi folks
Interesting thread. Living remote in an outback area of far northern Autralia I always carry two spares. Over in north Africa I once copped four punctures in a day, and heard of a guy who got seven in the same area. I run 130 style heavy duty rims on my 110 Hicap .Over here in Australia there was some concern recently about how diffiicult it is to swap tyres off the new style aluminium rims (boosts?) when out bush. I heard this was precipitated by an incident when some fella drivng his Land Rover across the Simpson on boost rims got two blow outs and had to swap to a new tyre. He apparently had major problems getting tyres off/on the boost rim with just a standard tyre iron. There may have been additional complicating factors. Luckily he was apart of a party of several vehicles, all of whom rallied to help but this caused considerable delay to the group. Cheers Alan |
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15th Jan 2013 6:35am |
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| Naks Member Since: 27 Jan 2009 Location: Stellenbosch, ZA Posts: 2641  
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In Africa? No, no way.
Also, no one steals Defenders in Africa, locals are way too smart  --
2010 Defender Puma 90 + BAS remap + Alive IC + Slickshift + Ashcroft ATB rear 2015 Range Rover Sport V8 Supercharged 
Defender Puma Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zZ1en9 Discovery 4 Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zXrtKO Range Rover/Sport L320/L322/L494 Workshop Manual: https://bit.ly/2zc58JQ |
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15th Jan 2013 7:19am |
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| pannawonica Member Since: 21 Nov 2010 Location: Clackline Western Australia Posts: 568
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One spare atleast, remote two or more plus extra tyres. Often heard my tyre changer saying that Landrover alloys where the most difficult to change.
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16th Jan 2013 1:22am |
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| roamingman Member Since: 15 Mar 2012 Location: nearly thier Posts: 152
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Good idea, back in the 70's had a few puncher's we always had two spares on the trailer, for for tractor and one for the trailer, changed a few, only ever had one on tractor, was a hard job, most times some one would stop to help. But what really got me (f****g annoyed) was sub contractors after getting a puncture, putting flat back on trailer and not reporting it when bringing it back, even some own drivers doing the same, so you end up stuck on a motorway and find spare flat, I know you will say you are superposed to check before you leave, but when you collect the trailer at 2am and booked on a ferry at 5am, and workshop closed, so unable to replace anyway. But should always carry a spare, national tyre will charge for the expensive tyre also for doing the job, but a good idea for trucks. Live Life Ti'l You Die Teddys are out thier http://teddybearspicnic.webs.com http://130sasha.co.uk/ |
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16th Jan 2013 10:44am |
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| Supacat Member Since: 16 Oct 2012 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 11018
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After all the discussion about this, I took my spare out of the DCPU rear tub to check it out - and check I could actually remove it!
I was surprised to find these marks in the tyre wall on the inside edge: Click image to enlarge caused by the single wheel nut being over tightened and causing the tyre to be forced against the lower edge of the tub capping piece - quite a sharp edge. I've fitted a couple of pieces of edging strip to ensure the same cannot happen again: Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge So if your wheel nut is this tight then I would suggest checking out the condition of the inner tyre wall: Click image to enlarge When fitting for the 2nd time, I was surprised how easily it was to spin the nut on to the same position again - there's surprisingly very little resistance to feel when the tyre is tight against the tub. |
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27th Jan 2013 5:54pm |
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| Peter Member Since: 04 Mar 2012 Location: Kent Posts: 153 
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In a car yes, in a heavy Defender no.,
Compressed air in a can and RAC recovery if it goes all wrong in a car - lets face it, well dangerous changing a tyre full stop. Beside a road. In a Defender is it worth not carrying one, that chassis is way to heavy to compensate any fuel gain. I have had on more than one occasion to lend my spare to another whilst off roading. Peter |
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28th Jan 2013 10:55pm |
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