"Easy Check & Fill" Donut Spare Mod

phattyduck · Oct 5, 2021

Juggawut said:
Would you believe I destroyed a scissor jack doing this? Luckily it was on the way up so when the scissor jack bound up and twisted, the van dropped right back onto the still-attached tire.

Very much so. Definitely don't use a scissor jack with an impact.

Also, if you use it regularly for non-emergency use, make sure to keep the threads clean and greased. I keep a few around for prying suspension components around, holding motors in place, lifting lowered cars enough to get a real jack under them, etc.

-Charlie

DerbyDad03 · Oct 6, 2021

phattyduck said:
I keep a few around for prying suspension components around, holding motors in place, lifting lowered cars enough to get a real jack under them, etc.

-Charlie

I use a old scissor jack to raise and lower the oversized table that I made for my benchtop drill press.

scottmacho · Oct 8, 2021

DerbyDad03 said:
My question is this: How many people even check their spare? I'd wager that there's a much higher probability that most spares will be underinflated due to lack of maintenance than both of the valves on my mod not reseating.

I check my spare when I use it when rotating the tires at home. Spare goes on front drivers side then start the forward cross rotation pattern.

Most people probably dont even know where the spare is…. Seems like a good place to hide/smuggle things…

kernel · Oct 8, 2021

You must have a full size spare- most of us just have the small temporary donut! I was able to replace the donut with full size spare in my Mazda, but not in my 1st or 2nd gen Odys. Although I did carry a full size spare behind my driver seat in the 2nd row of my '02.

codejp3 · Oct 8, 2021

scottmacho said:
Most people probably dont even know where the spare is…. Seems like a good place to hide/smuggle things…

That's where the deep cycle SLA AGM batteries are going for my Mobile Home conversion. Building a slight riser cover panel for them, which should make the floor essentially level instead of dipping down slightly in that area like it does now.

kernel said:
You must have a full size spare- most of us just have the small temporary donut! ... Although I did carry a full size spare behind my driver seat in the 2nd row of my '02.

Yeah, full-size spares are ESSENTIAL. I hate donuts, and I really hate the newer cars that don't even come with donuts and just give you a basic roadside repair kit (if anything at all).

For the conversion, 2 full-size spares are getting mounted to the exterior rear hatch.

This place makes some custom trailer wheel mounts that I'm inquiring to see of they'll make a slightly longer version to clear the rear bumper for the upcoming conversion:

Home - R and P Carriages | Trailer Sales & Service in Seneca, IL

Browse Home for Sale Near You. We Sell Equipment, Dump and Utility Trailers. Find high-quality trailers for sale near Chicago!

www.randpcarriages.com

Here's the mount I'm asking them to alter slightly for me:

Pardon Our Interruption...

If they can't/won't make custom ones for me, I'd still rather purchase theirs and support a small family-owned business over the mass-produced generic trailer wheel mounts available elsewhere. I'll just get a little creative with how I mount it to the hatch.

For those who don't want to make any permanent modifications like I am, simply strapping one or two to the roof like typical off-road vehicles may be an option

tritan · Oct 8, 2021

scottmacho said:
I check my spare when I use it when rotating the tires at home. Spare goes on front drivers side then start the forward cross rotation pattern.

kernel said:
You must have a full size spare- most of us just have the small temporary donut!

I think he uses the spare so he won’t leave the van on jacks without two wheels as he swaps them to do the rotation. It doesn’t have to be a full size spare for this purpose. And you can do it with just one jack.

ryukin2000 · Oct 8, 2021

I only check my spare once a year too and I agree it's a pain to get too especially with the weathertech mats on top. This past summer i drove to Vancouver for my vacation. It's about a 10 hour drive from where I live. First time but i decided to just throw in the cargo area one of the winter tires. Figured at least it's a full size Tire. So far I have not had a flat on the highway. Is this a bad idea? Sure I'd wear out the winter rubber but at least I can go full speed. I guess if it gets used I'd have to buy 2 new ones since it has to be replaced in pairs.

kernel · Oct 8, 2021

ryukin2000 said:
Is this a bad idea?

A year or so after putting a full size spare in my Mazda, drove up to Chicago for Christmas. Picked up a nail on the Dan Ryan. Next morning, saw the flat and put on the spare. Didn't have to worry about fixing it until I returned to Atlanta. Figured what are the odds of getting a 2nd flat on my return trip!

ryukin2000 said:
Sure I'd wear out the winter rubber but at least I can go full speed. I guess if it gets used I'd have to buy 2 new ones since it has to be replaced in pairs.

But now you'd have spare spare!

0dyfamily · Oct 8, 2021

Because I used to tow a lot, I had a full-sized spare in each of our Gen 2 Odysseys. Mounted them in back using the hardware that came with the van.

Whenever I checked the full-sized spares, I made it a point to check the little OEM spares. Such a pain in the arse, I should have just used DerbyDad's method of designed-in-accessibility.

OF

phattyduck · Oct 8, 2021

codejp3 said:
For the conversion, 2 full-size spares are getting mounted to the exterior rear hatch.

Two seems like a huge overkill - even hard core offroaders only carry one most of the time. A patch kit and pump will work as a second 'spare' for real emergencies (speaking of which, I need to get one for my off road tool kit...).

Use a swinging hitch tire carrier, don't load the hatch down with wheels/tires - the hatch struts won't handle the weight.

Wilco Offroad makes most well known option, but I'm sure you can find cheaper options. You could also put a swing down table on the 'inside' of it for a better outdoor cooking experience out the tailgate.

-Charlie

codejp3 · Oct 8, 2021

phattyduck said:
Two seems like a huge overkill - even hard core offroaders only carry one most of the time. A patch kit and pump will work as a second 'spare' for real emergencies (speaking of which, I need to get one for my off road tool kit...).

I'm planning for a situation where I run over something that takes out 2 tires at once (debris in the road with nails and stuff like that, or those tire popper things intentionally put at entrences/exits to keep people from driving the wrong way or leaving without paying).

phattyduck said:
Use a swinging hitch tire carrier, don't load the hatch down with wheels/tires - the hatch struts won't handle the weight.

Wilco Offroad makes most well known option, but I'm sure you can find cheaper options. You could also put a swing down table on the 'inside' of it for a better outdoor cooking experience out the tailgate.

Linear actuators to the rescue! They'll easily handle the weight, and do it with style at the push of a button, on a modest budget. It'll be a rare day the hatch is ever used anyways.

No plans for a hitch or hitch attachments YET (maybe one day), but I do like your suggestions!

Greginfla · Oct 10, 2021

scottmacho said:
I check my spare when I use it when rotating the tires at home. Spare goes on front drivers side then start the forward cross rotation pattern.

Most people probably dont even know where the spare is…. Seems like a good place to hide/smuggle things…

I did this when I had chrome wheels on an Intrigue. It was a good opportunity to clean the wheels completely which cannot be done when mounted on the car. Plus I made sure I could change a tire using the equipment in the car. I was also younger then.

Greginfla · Oct 10, 2021

The Amazon link does not seem to work anymore. What is the length of the extension? Most seem to be 8.25".

hoosiervan · Oct 11, 2021

Kind of embarrassed to admit I've never even seen the spare on our 12 EX with 167K on it. Better check it soon.

DerbyDad03 · Oct 11, 2021

Greginfla said:
The Amazon link does not seem to work anymore. What is the length of the extension? Most seem to be 8.25".

I edited my OP so that the link is for a generic "valve extension" search on Amazon. The results will change based on availability, but the link itself should never "expire".

The set I bought had 2 braided extensions that measure 7.5". With the 90° adaptor, that length was fine. Longer wouldn't hurt. I'm going to put the other one in SWMBO's CR-V.

"Easy Check & Fill" Donut Spare Mod

phattyduck

DerbyDad03

scottmacho

kernel

codejp3

Home - R and P Carriages | Trailer Sales & Service in Seneca, IL

tritan

ryukin2000

kernel

0dyfamily

phattyduck

codejp3

Greginfla

Greginfla

hoosiervan

DerbyDad03

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