Finally Pulled the Trigger: Pleasure Way Ascent

[BBQ]

.

I don't think I want to, or need to, go off the edge of civilization.

[NorthPotomac]

Yes, I'm with BBQ and Davydd. Worst case scenario, we stay in the Ascent and wait for repairs. But if we're careful and don't go crazy, and watch the TPMS, odds are in our favor.

[MobileCabin]

I spend time in places with no cell phone coverage. So until I get a sat phone or learn some New Age channeling, the spare tire gives me some comfort.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by Davydd

Its all in the odds. I'm retired, make no reservations to keep, and time is no problem. I've played it well for 170,000 miles. I know it is going to happen sooner or later. Just take it in stride. Alaska on the paved roads is no more remote than anywhere else. Like BBQ I also know I am not going to change a tire on a Sprinter van.

IMO, you haven't played it well as much as you've been lucky and that's fine that you have been so fortunate. Also if you do have a dual rear tire Sprinter and lose a front tire, at least you can temporarily move (or have someone else move) a rear tire to the front. However, our coach has four tires and we carry a spare because we fully appreciate the consequences of Murphy's law and resist the possibility of becoming candidates for a Darwin Award. We carry a 3 ton light weight aluminum jack that makes tire changes fairly easy.

[Bruceper]

I would challenge your statement about being a Darwin candidate as some people could enter candidacy by trying to change their tire.

Know your limits, if you're close to civilization then you may not need a spare. If you're going to remote areas then a spare might be a necessity.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by NorthPotomac

Yes, the 2017 chassis now has swiveling seats. The passenger seat swivels 180 degrees and the driver's seat swivels 90 degrees. Nope, no spare tire. Not sure if anyone retrofits them under the van or if there is space to do so.

The Ascent brochure indicates: "Exterior mount spare tire carrier" but doesn't illustrate it.

[mkguitar]

I carry a spare and a jack- I have seen "them fools" standing at the side of the road at 110º on I-10 between PHX and Palm springs there are a couple of stretches where you will be waiting a couple of hours if you pop a tire- and it'll cost hundreds.
That's my choice.

me real comment is on the comfort level of TPMS when you hit road debris--- it will let you see if there is a puncture of if you can just keep going without a nagging doubt.
i have this on one of the cars, and will look at an aftermarket add on for the van next tire cycle

Mike

[Davydd]

Darwin and Murphy's law aside at least I don't have this mentality and a year's supply of Spam stored aside.

[Bud]

Originally Posted by Davydd

Darwin and Murphy's law aside at least I don't have this mentality and a year's supply of Spam stored aside.

Good points, those would sell like hot cakes in Hawaii Davydd.

Bud

[SiennaGuy]

Originally Posted by BBQ

.

If I am within 1 hour of civilization, I think I should be ok without a spare.

If I am in the jungle, even if I have a spare, I will have a hard time lifting a 10,000 lb RV.

So what should I do? IDK.

Everywhere that there's a road, it's likely that some vehicle has broken down on it before. Twice, my old car's defective battery died in hilly or mountainous National Forest camping areas out in the middle of nowhere with absolutely no cell service. I was *well* beyond an hour of civilization. Twice, I flagged down a ranger who used a radio to call their headquarters. Twice, a tow truck came out to where I was, even though my locations were remote. Twice, I was covered by the emergency road service plan attached to my car insurance. Given the muddy dirt roads and unleveled campsites, if there'd been a flat tire, I would have been be crazy to think that I could safely jack up the car.

I know that I'll ruffle some feathers, but I sometimes think that male egos (including mine) determine a lot of actions. If men won't ask for directions, they won't ask for help. Jacking up a vehicle requires dry solid ground or pavement underneath. If you don't have that, no matter how much you might want to handle the situation yourself, it's just not safe. You have to figure out how to get help, even if it means asking somebody else and bruising your ego. In a situation like that, you shouldn't do what's heroic. You should do what's safe.

[Roxy4x4]

Personally, even if I didn’t want to, or couldn’t change a tire on our Ascent, I want the spare wheel and tire so it can be put on by road service etc. To assume someone in Armpit Saskatchewan is going to source a wheel and tire easily, is hopeful thinking. But whatever makes the world go round

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by Bruceper

I would challenge your statement about being a Darwin candidate as some people could enter candidacy by trying to change their tire.

What categorically exempts you from becoming a Darwin candidate is having a spare tire available for a road service repair guy who is trained and paid to do this.

Personally, I'd go the extra mile to help folks deal with replacing a bad tire with a spare, but if they don't even have the spare, I'll just drive on, cause Darwin doesn't support assisting those who are the sole architects of their own misery.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by Roxy4x4

Personally, even if I didn’t want to, or couldn’t change a tire on our Ascent, I want the spare wheel and tire so it can be put on by road service etc. To assume someone in Armpit Saskatchewan is going to source a wheel and tire easily, is hopeful thinking. But whatever makes the world go round

The problem with this class of argument is that with modern tires, the probability of getting an unrepairable flat is very likely no greater than that of many other potentially disabling failures (say, for example, an alternator or a universal joint.) You are not going to easily source THEM in the boonies either. Why should you choose to carry the tire instead of any of 100 other plausible choices?

In my entire driving career, I have had to replace exactly ONE tire while on the road, and that was not on an RV.

[Big-Lou]

Congrats, we also have an Ascent. Easy to drive and great fuel economy, great looking interior too. Ordered the spare tire carrier from P.W. installed it myself. Looks good , love the fold down feature to access the rear doors.

[Bruceper]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

What categorically exempts you from becoming a Darwin candidate is having a spare tire available for a road service repair guy who is trained and paid to do this.

Personally, I'd go the extra mile to help folks deal with replacing a bad tire with a spare, but if they don't even have the spare, I'll just drive on, cause Darwin doesn't support assisting those who are the sole architects of their own misery.

I'll agree to disagree. I can have a tow truck or a tire repair truck come to any location where _I_ go if I need them to. And most road side service programs will cover the cost.

On another note regarding communications, anyone who goes into an area where phones don't work should have alternate methods of communications, such as CB or short wave radio. And if I was out in the bush or on the water I'd have a Marine Radio or even an EPIRB.

[AlexJ]

Congrats on your decision. Does the Ascent have both a generator and an inverter? Our Promaster has a spare tire where many converters put the generator. Our 2000w pure sine inverter does a great job running the microwave, Vitamix, toaster, and hair dryer.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by Bruceper

I'll agree to disagree. I can have a tow truck or a tire repair truck come to any location where _I_ go if I need them to. And most road side service programs will cover the cost.

On another note regarding communications, anyone who goes into an area where phones don't work should have alternate methods of communications, such as CB or short wave radio. And if I was out in the bush or on the water I'd have a Marine Radio or even an EPIRB.

Don't some of these road side service contracts include some language that requires the vehicle to be on a paved road or driveway?

You're spot on regarding having some backup communications if you're out in the boondocks. CB is better than nothing and some highway patrol units used to monitor a channel although I don't know if this is presently the practice. The best choice would be to get an amateur technician no-code license which gives you access to mountain top repeaters nationwide that could be valuable in getting you out of a jam.

[MobileCabin]

I like the tech license option. My code speed is now close to a word every 10 minutes so the tech is the way to go for me. Will order the manual and get ready to buy a new toy.

[Bud]

This spare tire stuff is becoming a little silly (being nice).

Why? Someone already said it, what matters: The Odds and what you are going to do about the odds with Everything, like stepping into your bath tub too.

There are obviously advantages and disadvantages to carrying a spare, fact. This is true of all we do, odds. Examples:

Do hang glider pilots carry a reserve parachute? The answer is Yes and No. The answer is the same with spare tires. You weigh the advantages, (The Reward) considering Two Things: The Odds of the downside (various flat tire scenarios) happening and the Consequences of the downside happening. That is risk management 101. Some hang glider and paraglider pilots carry two reserves. I met a paraglider test pilot that carried two reserves and a drag chute, and that was over water! And sometimes a boat was there.

Concerning being at the edge or even over the edge of civilization, the hang gilder pilot and YOU can carry a SPOT. You can send a message that a spare tire is needed with your exact location to whomever you like or just make it 911 message that goes to the 'authorities' when the bad guys have your B surrounded with shotguns. Hey anyone that does not do exactly that is up for a potential Darwin award, right?

Then there are our emotions, feelings about whatever. If someone has the seemingly exact same set of circumstances as someone else, their feelings will not be identical. Feelings are Important but they don't make someone else's feelings wrong or Darwin like.

Bud

[BBQ]

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It is an emotional thing, like chicken soup.


ps. I have changed 2 tires in my life, the last one was in 1972.