Gunbarrel Highway and CSR Spares

**Eevo** · 5th February 2019, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by dirvine

Again I wonder why people carry two spares. I have never carried two and I have never had trouble in remote areas, and I mean far more remote than the CSR. If going remote, I buy brand new tyres (LT construction is a MUST) before I go. I have a TPMS and a good repair kit along with tyre levers and a spare tube . They have all gone for the ride, but are considerable less weight than a 2nd tyre. You MUST drive to the conditions, and be aware of tyre placement and pressures. Most of the tyre problems I see are because they are old tyres ie +40k on them, high pressures, driving too fast and not looking at the road surface to avoid the stakes etc. Maybe I have been lucky.....

do you even need to take a spare then?

**dirvine** · 5th February 2019, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by Eevo

do you even need to take a spare then?

Probably not. But because of Murphy's law I do. But wto is an overkill in my opinion.

**dirvine** · 5th February 2019, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

I once had two simultaneous flat tyres on the rear of the D1 while on a rocky track up the Cape. Without a second spare I'd have been stranded. So that's why I want two spares for remote travel.

But were they new tyres? Did you have a spotter helping you? I have been 4wding for over 40years and I have never had two punctures at the same time! Even with old bar treads.

**rocket rod** · 5th February 2019, 02:23 PM

I also think you might be carrying too many spares, and therefore weight, but that's up to you. The one thing I suggest you do though is try and change all of those items while you sit in your comfortable garage. If you can't do it there you'll have no chance on the tracks. If you decide you are not confident changing them in the garage, don't take them.

As an example for a trip similar to yours, I was thinking of just taking tyres as spares and swapping them on/off the rims as required. Have you tried this in the garage? I couldn't do it with tyre pliers, jack under the tow bar, driving on the wheel etc. the bead just didn't break. No chance on sand. I took two full spares.

Have a good trip.

DiscoMick · 5th February 2019, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by dirvine

But were they new tyres? Did you have a spotter helping you? I have been 4wding for over 40years and I have never had two punctures at the same time! Even with old bar treads.

They weren't new, and I was towing a camper, but it was a section of road with sharp rocks embedded in the surface that took them out, so I took it as a warning. I'd rather carry an extra spare and not need it than not have it and be stranded.
BTW I saw a bloke in a Toyota 79 rip the sidewalls out of both driver's side tyres (BFG MTs) west of Boulia one time, so it can happen.

**Redback** · 5th February 2019, 03:43 PM

We had brand new tyres for the trip, all 6, still had flats, 2 runs of 2 flats so without that 2nd spare we would have been knackered, at the second lot of 2 flats we had no spare until we got to a major town because we couldn't get a replacement a very nervous drive let me tell ya.

Roads like the Mitchell falls road(the worst for corrugations I've ever encountered) from Drysdale to the falls, the Gibb, Great Central, Binns Track, Oodnadatta can be tough on tyres and add to the fact how remote you are and the wheel size, you'd be mad not to have 2 spares.

On the Gunbarrel we saw 2 cars in 4 days, just Drysdale to the falls we saw 4 cars and I can tell you no 17" tyres at either end let alone 18s, from memory only 2 places on the Gibb had 17s in our size and not cheap either, thankfully we had the tyre repair kit, because changing Land Rover alloys is near impossible by hand.

Anyway your choice.

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