Horsebox Spare Wheel FYI

[Cragrat]

Just in case anyone finds this useful.

I have been trying to find a definitive answer as whether I should carry a spare wheel in my 7.5t horsebox, before I made a bracket to hold it in place. I found lots of conflicting advice. Obviously I wouldn't be changing a wheel myself on the side of a road, but some said it made a tyre change quicker and easier, and others said it was a waste of time/space. I am fortunate to have the payload , and the space to carry the wheel inside (so avoiding rusted on /filthy wheels under the lorry).

I emailed my breakdown privider, ERS, who sent this reply:

Thank you for your email and yes as our T & C’s say -

We strongly recommend that you carry a legal, serviceable, and easily accessible spare wheel on board, or at least a spare rubber (just the actual tyre). If carrying just the rubber you will need to make us aware that this is the case.


(Clearly I hadn't read their T's and C's }

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I've never not carried a serviceable accessible spare wheel in any horsebox (whatever size of box) it's never crossed my mind not to.

 

[dorsetladette]

I would never have thought not too, but our lorry came with no spare and on googling it seems to be quite common. I'd prefer to have a spare on board, it's on the list of things to buy for the horsebox.

 

[Keith_Beef]

Obviously I wouldn't be changing a wheel myself on the side of a road,

Why not? If you have the spare wheel, the jack and wheelbrace why would you not change the wheel in fifteen minutes, rather than wait six hours for your breakdown service to come out to you?

 

[Cragrat]

Neither of my horseboxes (I basically bought 2 to make one decent one) came with a apare or even a place or bracket to put one. It seemed such an ommision, but when I researched it, it did seem quite common.

I will now be putting that bracket in before I use it again!

 

[Cragrat]

Why not? If you have the spare wheel, the jack and wheelbrace why would you not change the wheel in fifteen minutes, rather than wait six hours for your breakdown service to come out to you?

Seriously - is it possible/safe? - because I thought the jack required would be too huge, with 3 horses on? I have a trolley jack, just not sure of its capacity. Do you need a torque wrench?

 

[Keith_Beef]

Seriously - is it possible/safe? - because I thought the jack required would be too huge, with 3 horses on? I have a trolley jack, just not sure of its capacity. Do you need a torque wrench?

On a busy A road... No. I would think that changing an offside wheel is a bit risky. Even with a load of cones and a triangle.

But having your vehicle immobilised by the side of that road for hours is also dangerous.

The jack you carry in your vehicle should be appropriate for its weight, whether it's a bottle, scissor or farm type. If you've got space, take along axle stands and well as a jack.

You don't need a torque wrench for a wheel change.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Just in case anyone finds this useful.

I have been trying to find a definitive answer as whether I should carry a spare wheel in my 7.5t horsebox, before I made a bracket to hold it in place. I found lots of conflicting advice. Obviously I wouldn't be changing a wheel myself on the side of a road, but some said it made a tyre change quicker and easier, and others said it was a waste of time/space. I am fortunate to have the payload , and the space to carry the wheel inside (so avoiding rusted on /filthy wheels under the lorry).

I emailed my breakdown privider, ERS, who sent this reply:

Thank you for your email and yes as our T & C’s say -

We strongly recommend that you carry a legal, serviceable, and easily accessible spare wheel on board, or at least a spare rubber (just the actual tyre). If carrying just the rubber you will need to make us aware that this is the case.


(Clearly I hadn't read their T's and C's }

Having had a blow out coming back from Shrewsbury on the M 1 and it was the driver s front one, I would never not have a spare wheel, would never do it myself as my truck is 7.5 tons. My breakdown recovery came pretty prompt, I think it was 45 mins

 

[humblepie]

We carry one. OH changed a tyre en route to a show a few years back. We had a blow out fortunately close to services and as it was one of the back double tyres we could get to services. Changed it with horse en board. Got filmed by a lorry driver so somewhere on some lorry driver’s YouTube channel it appeared. Horse didn’t have a bother on him and just ate hay. We bought a holder at a scrap yard and fixed that on the underside to carry the wheel as there wasn’t any bracket.

 

[Green Bean]

I don't carry a spare but I do carry 2 bottles of tyre weld which you pump into the tyre, it solidifies then you can get home. Wouldn't think it is suitable for more than 10 miles but for me it makes sense rather than trying to find space or weight capacity in my 3.5t box