Spare tire question

Pacco · #1 (**permalink**) 03-28-2008, 02:28 PM

With all of the trunk space we have in these cars, I was wondering what you guys use in case of a flat. A can of fix a flat or spare tire/donut?

scootter · #2 (**permalink**) 03-28-2008, 02:37 PM

I carry a can of fix-a-flat, a tire plug kit, air compressor ( small electric one of coarse) and a small sissor jack. I put strips of velcro on them and stick them down to the carpet. They don't slide anywhere. OH, don't forget the lead hammer.
Scott

pmfranke · #3 (**permalink**) 03-28-2008, 02:49 PM

be careful with fix a flat cans,as a burn survivor i have seen some very very bad burns caused by exploded cans of fix a flat.read the can for warnings on how and where to store.A heated can in a trunk roling around can be ,well, a real bomb!

Pacco · #4 (**permalink**) 03-28-2008, 02:56 PM

Thanks, I plan on going on a few long trips this summer. I didn't know if anyone used a spare tire donut like all cars have now.

terry251 · #5 (**permalink**) 03-28-2008, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pacco

With all of the trunk space we have in these cars, I was wondering what you guys use in case of a flat. A can of fix a flat or spare tire/donut?

Visa, cell phone and tow truck

scootter · #6 (**permalink**) 03-28-2008, 05:08 PM

Never thought about the fix-a-flat can exploding. Good point. Mine doesn't roll around, but the trunk gets hot. Hell, I had a home made beer bottle explode in my pickup sitting on the passenger floor board the other day. I thought somebody shot my truck since it was so load and I had glass hit me in the face. It broke my windshield, cut the head liner, and looks like somebody shot the glove box with a mini shot gun. I was lucky on this one.
Cell phone and tow truck is good, except when you are in a place with no service. I have been on roads here in California for an hour or so with no phone service. Besides, half the time the send the wrong type of tow truck.

Scott

bobcowan · #7 (**permalink**) 03-28-2008, 05:19 PM

Think opf a Cobra like a 4 wheeled motorcycle. That helps.

I carry a tire plug kit that I bought from JP Cycles. I bought a small air compressor at Wal Mart. I took off everything that didn't look like an air compressor; that makes it really small.

I also carry a cell phone and a AAA card.

Excaliber · #8 (**permalink**) 03-28-2008, 05:25 PM

Fix a flat, tire plug, AAA card, cell phone (sevice pretty much anywhere on the island). I DID get a flat once, used the Fix a flat bottle, which got me home nicely.

Got the Bug · #9 (**permalink**) 03-28-2008, 06:04 PM

I've also heard that the fix a flat stuff can damage aluminum wheels and that you need to remove it ASAP. A tire plug, air compressor, AAA 100 mile service, and a cell phone are probably your best bet.

wtm442 · #10 (**permalink**) 03-28-2008, 06:50 PM

Fix-a-flat, cell phone, AAA and Master Card whenever its not locked in the garage.

DonC · #11 (**permalink**) 03-28-2008, 07:43 PM

Tire plug, cell phone and fix a flat. So far haven't had to use any of them and hoping my luck holds. Not so much worried about getting a flat, worried about finding a shop with a jack low enough to make a permanent repair while on the road if it ever happens.
DonC

csx wnab · #12 (**permalink**) 03-28-2008, 09:09 PM

when in doubt..............cell phone/fix a flat/plug kit..........................and some luck.

Bill Wells · #13 (**permalink**) 03-29-2008, 05:46 AM

yep, as others said : AAA Card ( PLUS RV , upgrade charge- includes 100 mi of FLATBED towing , worth the extra cost - this AAA upgrade is called something else in different parts of the USA) , cell phone , Fix-A-FLat can(s) , 12 v portable air compressor and tire pressure gauge .

Be careful of your portable 12v compressor to ensure

(1) the wires /air hose will reach EVERY wheel from your electric source .I had one that reached 3 of 4 unknowingly and my flat was the one that it would not get to .

(2) if you use a 12v port make sure it does not blow your circuit breakers . Mine did , so I now have long wires with alligator clips that allow me to power source from the trunk located battery .

IF you carry tire plugs and fix/plug a hole , be sure to replace the tire asap .I would not trust a 'plugged' tire in these cars as they are typically driven in a more spirited fashion and I would want the safety of a unrepaired tire . Bill

Steve Cassani · #14 (**permalink**) 03-29-2008, 11:40 AM

My solution was to purchase a modified aluminum Cobra-style wheel, 15" diameter but only 6" wide. 2 or 4 inches of the center section had been cut out, depending on the original width, and the halves welded. The wheel came with a 205-15 Goodyear street tire, same make and model as the others.

Towns in Montana are commonly 30 or more miles apart and I was not comfortable with the fix-a-flat option. Not any roadside tire shop can work successfully with aluminum wheels and I would likely have a hundred miles to travel before I found a shop with the necessary equipment and skill.

Dynamic Motorsports included the mounted spare in my Superformance. I did not need to use it.

aurora cobra · #15 (**permalink**) 03-29-2008, 06:18 PM

Pontiac firebird made an inflatable spare that fits real nice in my 289 Aurora. Try mid 70's thru 80's . good luck, jim

bobcowan · #16 (**permalink**) 03-29-2008, 09:27 PM

There's no problem with carrying a spare tire. A Mustang compact spare will fit most Cobras. Probably not those with extra large aftermarket brake kits.

The problem comes with changing the tire. Carrying a small jack and a lug wrench is not a big deal. But what do you do with the flat tire? It's huge! Where do you put it? If there's nothing in the trunk, you can let it hang out the back and bungee the lid down. If you've got the trunk full of other stuff, you're in trouble.

Badger · #17 (**permalink**) 03-29-2008, 09:54 PM

Steve Cassini has the right idea. Even if you have "fix a flat" you're still dead in the water if you have a cut sidewall or lose enough air to lose bead contact. Even if your cell phone works you'll probably be out of range if you're "on tour" in the boonies and if you do finally reach a flatbed hauler how many hours do you wait? And when you finally get hauled to civilization you STILL don't have a spare. BRE has the answer for the Superformance Coupes with a narrow spare that fits easily in the back and works both on the front and the rear with a Limited Slip Differential! check it out at www.bre2.net. Badger

Bill Kesner · #18 (**permalink**) 03-30-2008, 04:52 AM

What spare tire problem?

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- Bill -

Dwight · #19 (**permalink**) 03-30-2008, 07:15 AM

Coach Mike, Doc and I were cruising down the Interstate and he ran over a small board with a nail in it. He felt the rear tire going flat, quickly pulled over and we filled the tire with flat fix. Ten minutes and we were on our way. Drove 10 miles to the next exit and found a tire dealer to plug the tire. Then drove to Wal Mart and bought 3 more cans of flat fix. I have two in my travel bag in the trunk. I have 21,000 miles on my Cobra and no flats. Stay out of the loose gravel and off the edge of the road. Nuts, bolts, screws, nails, small pieces of metal and other tire puncturing objects get pushed into these areas.
I think there are two types of flat fix and one is not as corrosive to the rim.
Some times it better to use the flat fix and get out of there quickly. You can always get the tire dealer to remove the tire and clean the mess out for $10 or $20 later.
Dwight

Speedysnake · #20 (**permalink**) 03-30-2008, 09:35 AM

Please offer some thoughts on this idea.

The spare tire / rim from my trailer physically fits on my Cobra. If I put a decent tire on the rim I could use it as a spare, either in the car, or in the back of my truck for someone to deliver to me in an emergency, just to get the car to a good tire shop.

Why not