Would you have liked a spare tire as standard equipment or as a optional buy?

[Maxisp2000]

I have been happy with truck, but:

I got a flat at 3,000 miles. It is a very heavy tire (80lbs) and confusing instructions for the first time. I had to call service to change it. The instructions show a perfectly flat space with concrete to change the tire. There is a low possibility of a flat surface happening when you get a flat. The placement in the bed ruins the bed for many uses.
Dragging the tire to the back to lift it is a stupid design.
I am disappointed with the engineering failure to consider a spare in the design.

Adding $5,000 to add a simple Jeep type spare in the back to correct the poor engineering design is insane.

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[That Beast Mode]

I get the hard to do the lug nuts for sure. But in our case AAA just started up the air compressor and we were off and running. I totally get some responses, especially you who do off-road on having a compressor on the trip and a tire.

I also understand putting it in the truck bed if you buy one but that defeats the purpose of the nice bed space. Just seems like they could have fit a spare somewhere in that large of truck if they really wanted to.

Like others I have not had a flat tire for years prior (7 or 8 years at least) but I then got 2 within a 5 month span about a year ago. So for me it is piece of mind.

Was just a general question and I am not a fan of the can air and sealant. Just a way for them manufactures to make a few extra dollars.

You can always go roof rack bars and mount it up there.

 

[RichieBNYC]

I took my spare tire out of the bed to load some stuff about two weeks before a 1200 mile road trip. I was too lazy to throw it back in and was confident it would make it down and back. No regrets because never had any issues.

 

[Lasttoy]

I got 2 with my credit. 2500 bought 2 kits

 

[HaulingAss]

But do you off-road to relatively remote places in your off-road capable truck?
Absolutely agree we don’t need one in our model x

I off-road all the time in remote areas with no cellular service. The last time I got a flat off-roading was due to cactus spines back in the 1990's on a bias-ply tire, never a radial. This was in the Sonoran Desert in Mexico, before I carried tire repair plugs so I was forced to use my spare.

Now I never carry a spare, always a tire plug repair kit and small inflator. I know how to minimize flats to the point where it makes zero sense to carry spare tire/wheel assemblies. I still recommend certain types of people pack a spare, a jack and a lug wrench. Specifically, coyotes and drug smugglers. These people should double up and also carry an inflator and plug kit.

 

[Jager]

Tire compounds today are far more puncture resistant than they were in years past. But they still happen.

I had a flat on my Cybertruck a year ago; and a flat on my Model 3 the year before that (and I promise I'm not a drug smuggler!

Carrying a plug kit and compressor; or schlepping around a full-size spare and breaker bar and socket and vehicle jack - I do both of those - are like wearing seat belts or keeping a fire extinguisher handy.... not needed for long stretches of time. Until the day when they suddenly become the only thing that matters.

A flat tire can either be a minor aggravation or a major saga. Everyone gets to choose.

 

[Jet55]

I have two sets of wheels and always have one on the roof. It is heavy as hell and hurts my range but I would rather have it if needed. I also carry a plug kit, bottle jack, jack stands, compressor, torque wrench and tire lifter.

 

[RidnDirty]

Bought a spare wheel/tire from ebay which i keep in my bed with a gate separator. I bought a jack from harbor freight, which i keep in my bucket. Also a tire sealant & compressor and a longer lug nut bar. I can change the tire myself and I use the gate as a ramp to roll the tire into my bed. For slow leaks, I can use the sealant.

 

[hemiarch]

I have two sets of wheels and always have one on the roof. It is heavy as hell and hurts my range but I would rather have it if needed. I also carry a plug kit, bottle jack, jack stands, compressor, torque wrench and tire lifter.

Very cool. Would you mind sharing the specifics of what rack carrier and container you use which fit side by side and how they are attached to the cross bars?

 

[Jet55]

Very cool. Would you mind sharing the specifics of what rack carrier and container you use which fit side by side and how they are attached to the cross bars?

I have been running this setup for awhile. The rack mounted easily. I added the three point strap to secure the tire and I also have a cable lock on it. The box is a rocketbox and I need to modify the mounts and used exhaust clamps to attach it. It opens on both sides with no interference from the rack. I just drove Chicago to Florida and removed the rocketbox to help my range. I live on a boat during summer and have a box on all my cars for extra space.

 

[HaulingAss]

Tire compounds today are far more puncture resistant than they were in years past. But they still happen.

I had a flat on my Cybertruck a year ago; and a flat on my Model 3 the year before that (and I promise I'm not a drug smuggler!

It's not the rubber compound of modern tires that's more puncture resistant, it's the reinforced structure of the tire that resists punctures. But they can still happen, which is why I carry a plug kit. I don't want to be dependent upon Roadside Assistance.

Did you plug your tire when you got a flat? That's the quickest and least effort way to get back on the road. I've been a motorist for over 40 years and I've never had a flat tire that couldn't be easily plugged, even back in the day when I carried a spare wheel assembly and jack instead of a simple plug kit.

The reason I recommended drug smugglers and coyotes to carry both a spare tire/wheel assembly and a plug kit is because the legal implications of being immobile can be quite severe. So, even if the chances of getting a flat tire is very remote (and even more remote to get a flat tire that is impossible to plug), it's worth it to carry backup, in addition to the plug kit and inflator.

 

[HaulingAss]

Bought a spare wheel/tire from ebay which i keep in my bed with a gate separator. I bought a jack from harbor freight, which i keep in my bucket. Also a tire sealant & compressor and a longer lug nut bar. I can change the tire myself and I use the gate as a ramp to roll the tire into my bed. For slow leaks, I can use the sealant.

Tire sealant is weak medicine (and makes a mess), I recommend getting a plug kit.

 

[RidnDirty]

Tire sealant is weak medicine (and makes a mess), I recommend getting a plug kit.

I have both.... depending on the situation..

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

HaulingAss I got AAA to come and since we were near a town they came right away and changed it out with the spare we have which is full size. Total time was about 30-45 minutes which I think was really fast.

We also got the upgraded AAA coverage (RV I think it is called) so towing is for at least 100 miles at no expense. If I remember right we can do two of these per year if needed.

We then continued on to Houston (about 100 more miles) as this was the quarterly Grand Kids visit and once there we had the tire patched at Discount Tire as it was in the middle of the tire and not the edge. It was a 1 1/2 inch long screw BTW. Cost was $20 to do the patch and re-balance and mount back on.

Take care and I know you will keep sentry mode on to help catch any jerks (M or F) that want to just be stupid.

 

[Jager]

Did you plug your tire when you got a flat? That's the quickest and least effort way to get back on the road. I've been a motorist for over 40 years and I've never had a flat tire that couldn't be easily plugged, even back in the day when I carried a spare wheel assembly and jack instead of a simple plug kit.

Yes, like you I carry a high quality plug kit in all my vehicles and that's always my first go-to. And with the Cybertruck and its ability to both raise the suspension and rotate the rear wheels outward... it's hard for me to imagine many scenarios where one couldn't repair a puncture with the wheel on the vehicle. A 15-minute fix.

I carry the spare simply because I'm a hunter and fisherman and spend a fair bit of time in remote areas where, despite it being a low probability, there are still some uncommon edge cases where a plug might not do the trick.

On the flat on my Model 3 a couple years back I was unable to plug the tire with the wheel still on the car... the puncture was towards the inside of the tire and there wasn't enough clearance. I had to remove the wheel before I could successfully plug the tire.

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