Spare tire?

Yeah, not many places you can stuff a 40"...lol

 

I think it falls into one of those can you ever be over prepared for an emergency or recovery. The short answer is probably no more than a yes. Do you absolutely need a winch no but boy if you are in one of those situations which could save the day you’d be kicking yourself for not having it. Basic necessaries like a spare and hi lift jack though is probably bare bone minimum.

 

How was DV? I would like to go on the trails and camping there one day.

Out of all the places she couldn't hit your front bumper or sliders. How much was the damage?

I have all 3 and I'm still scared to go wheeling alone, mainly lack of experience.


How is everyone getting these sidewall flats, sharp rocks?

 

Last time I've gone by myself it nearly ended up as a disaster.... unfamiliar area and I ended up stuck hanging on a drive shaft and fuel tank on a side of a cliff with no one for miles near by in the middle of a night. This photo is before I it got much worse... loose soil and rock A huge no no, after that i'm too freaked out to go somewhere that's more than easy/mild off road.

 

Do you think it wouldn't of been so bad if it was still daylight out?

 

i probably wouldn't have been as nervous or tired but no it was bad no matter what. One thing that may have helped is having a winch in this situation... instead it was digging, jacking and stacking rocks for 4-5 hrs lets just say I'm lucky to have gotten out from it with some scratches on wheels bedside and torn up blisters on my hands

 

Sounds like a real shitty situation. 4-5hrs seems like a lot of work. Glad you're here to tell about it and it's one experience for the books.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/death-valley-off-road-adventures.60777/

It's a great place. Worth it to go even if you stuck to paved roads but most of what it has to offer is off road. Been multiple times and I certainly will be back for more. In the past 3 years or so I've probably spent 15 - 20 days in the Park and surrounding areas. I like to go for 3 to 5 day jaunts. Would like to go for longer periods but haven't had the opportunity. Trails vary from very easy to go lifted & armored in a group. A stock 4x4 can do most of the park. Plan your trip and go prepared for the desert.

My flat occurred while I hadn't aired down my tires. I was on the main well graded roads and didn't think I needed to. I took a short, about 1/2 mile rocky road to explore an old mine. On the way back to the main road I got the flat. Maybe I ran over a piece of metal or maybe just a sharp rock as there is a lot of crushed and broken rock out there that can be sharp enough to puncture a tire if you run over it just right.

 

I’ve had three flat tires with this truck now, all off road. Once I tore a huge hole in the sidewall. Shoved like 6 plugs into it and filled it with air so I could get to a safer spot to change it.

The other two times I was aired down and grit got in the bead, causing a slow leak. So I put on the spare, and took the problem child to the tire shop for them to fix for me.

I’ll never wheel without a spare and plug kit.

 

Good point. I hadn’t thought about dirt getting into the bead while being aired down. What psi were you running?

Thanks. Might hit you up in the future for recommendations in the area.

 

15psi at the time but now I do 12, so grit in the bead is a real concern. No issues since though.

 

I had literally just replace my steering rack a week prior too, talk about a double punch in the gut. With the insurance covering most of the repairs I decided to swap in long travel on the font end. So new fiberglass fenders, upper and lower control arms, new axles, new coil-overs, 2nd new steering rack, gussets, heim steering, new door, new tires, sliders actually saved the cab...

 

Sounds like you got a decent deal. It was opportunity knocking.

 

I'm surprised they din't bend the frame! tacoma frames are too thin and fragile

 

It did get slightly tweaked, but got her strengthened out. Then the frame got completely boxed and plated. Trucks a tank at this point.

 

Twice I've needed my spare.

Blew a DS sidewall while making a 180 on a steep downhill forestry rd at 4AM during a torrential downpour. Due to heavy rains, some small boulders had loosened and rolled on to the roadway. Visibility was limited and my sidewall hit before I could correct. While getting ready to change out the tire, a logger pulled up and offered his hi lift. It was alot quicker than the OEM bottle jack.

The other one happened in the Modoc lava beds in NE CA, a place well known for being hard on tires. A sharp rock, somewhat worn punctured right thru my RR BF Goodrich A/T tearing thru several cords. Tire was unrepairable. Still scratching my head on that one.

This is a shot of the more milder part of Modoc:


If I were going on a long overland journey I would seriously consider taking 2 spares.

 

Some luck. What psi were you running when you got those two flats? With limited space, carry two spare would be challenging. Especially if you run larger tires. I don’t remember seeing an “overland” rig ever carrying two spares. The only time I’ve seen two spares are on desert race trucks.

 

About 35 psi. I had not aired down on either flats, both were on the first part of each trip. The guy at the tire shop in Alturas on the second flat said I must have ran over the rock just right, it was not pluggable. He had a used Goodyear so we threw that on.

As for carrying 2 spares, it would depend on the terrain and distance. One on the roof rack and the other in the usual spot? Most folks don't travel that far and remote so might not be practical or ideal. I don't plan on carrying 2 but did upgrade/upsized to an E rated spare tire.

 

That’s another perk of airing down is puncture resistance (you may already know this). Think poking a fully inflated balloon vs a half inflated balloon. Fully inflated will be easier to pop.

 

I always have a spare, plug kit, green slim, compressor and spare parts/tools when playing. Have not had a flat with this truck but have in the past that was with C rated tires. Now nothing but 10plys don’t care if they are heavy and ride rougher but man they are tough.