Simpson trip - Should I take a spare Spare?

[Chris_M Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chris_M]

We are heading over the Simpson early August 2013 (West to East) and I have just about everything I need I think.

There will be 2 Prado's and a Colorado on the trip.

What I am concerned about is taking a spare on the roof rack. Will this be overloading things a bit on the roof. More concerned about weight.

There will be double swag, gas bottle, MaxTracks, general storage for clothes etc on top and if I put a spare on as well things will get a bit squeezy!

[outdoorgaz Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close outdoorgaz]

I'm heading across the Simpson in a few weeks and have been trying to reduce weight and the second spare is one of the things I'm leaving behind.

"Crazy" some may say but instead of a spare I will be taking full tyre repair kit (R&R Beadbreaker) and have a very strong set of tyres (Goodyear MTR Kevlar) - have thought long and hard about. Net weight loss is about 30kg.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

I went across the Simpson last year, but not the way most people go but via Madigans line instead. trip report here http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...ine-with-AJ120 if you are interested.

despite us not having a track for much of the trip and plowing through burnt out scrub for much of the trip I didn't use either of my spares, rather just a couple of repairs on the track. In order to need a second spare you have to destroy 2 tyres to the point you cant repair them, which is highly unlikely. The only person in our party too use a spare was running cheap nasty chinese tyres that were total crap. On a normal Simpson crossing even getting one flat is unlikely given the traffic that runs over the track.

Added to that you have a second Prado so a bit of a back up there as well.

So 2 spares is great if you have space but I wouldn't get too worried about going with only one spare, more weight especially up high adds to the likely hood of things going wrong.

Cheers Andrew

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

If you really want to take it, just take the tyre and leave the alloy at home. Is the other Prado running the same size tyres?

[JoshF Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close JoshF]

From memory the most likely place to ruin a tyre is Mt Dare to Purnie Bore as the 'road' is rough as. In the desert staking would be less likely.

Having multiple cars with similar sized tyres might give you options if really necessary.

We had BFG ATs, Geolanders and some KM1's on three vehicles and none had issues when we went east to west in 2011.

[Heath74 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Heath74]

Leave it behind, weight in the truck will kill suspension components long before spare tyres will be an issue.

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

There will be 2 Prado's and a Colorado on the trip.

Good move having the Colorado with you in case your Tojo spits the dummy. When my engine blew my mate rescued me with a Hyundai and then a Colorado.

[Chris_M Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chris_M]

Thanks all for the feedback.

I will have a good repair kit as will the other vehicles, all tyres are in good condition or near new.

[JoshF Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close JoshF]

I saw OutdoorGaz's tyres on Friday, they will fit my car nicely, might need to do a swap on Monday

[Flashover Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Flashover]

Hey guys, I actually have the same delima.
I am crossing the Simpson in July east to west, but, I will be on my own.
Do you guys think I can still get away with one spare?
I also will have a good repair kit.
I would love to not have to take a second spare as this would free up lots of room on the roof rack.
On all my other big trips....cape, kimberly, pilbra etc. I took 2 spares and never needed it, actually only ever got one flat on all those trips.
Appreciate your opinions, cheers.
G.

[Heath74 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Heath74]

Going east to west will give you less traffics flow, since most people go west to east.

Worst case scenario? You have a second flat that is un repairable. Call mt Dare and see if you can get some one to bring you out a wheel and tyre?

Not sure that second flat is any more or less likely than a whole host of other issues that might stop you. Are you carrying a second spare radiator hose? If you get my meaning.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

In order to need a second spare you have to destroy 2 tyres to the point you cant repair them, which is highly unlikely.

Cheers Andrew

Assuming you have good tyres at the start you would be highly unlikely to destroy 2 tyres.

Cheers Andrew

[Palmer Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Palmer]

We'll be taking a 2nd spare when we go. I'll be quite happy to not need it but as we've got it, I figure may as well have it with us.

[Flashover Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Flashover]

We'll be taking a 2nd spare when we go. I'll be quite happy to not need it but as we've got it, I figure may as well have it with us.

Ah..there is the thing. You have a 2nd spare. If I had one I would take it but I will have to purchase a tyre for the 2nd spare.
New or used? New is quite exxe for something I probably won't even use. Finding a decent used one is quite hard actually in 17 inch.
decisions decisions.

As AJ120 says, I have never destroyed 1 tyre on any trip, let alone 2 tyres on 1 trip.
Tho a friend did destroy a tyre on our Kakadu trip, but it was a bridgestone so I kind of expected that anyway.

[Chris_M Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chris_M]

On a previous trip many years ago I took a spare spare and it caused major issues with the roof rack. The extra weight made the roof rack move around on the roof of the BJ45, which it had not done before, when the tyre wasn't on the roof.
It took a few hose clamps to fix the problem but the extra weight did damage the roof rack over the trip. And I didn't get even one puncture over 5000 k's.