My Spare Tire Solution - Mounted on Roof Rack

[FlipSixThreeHole]

On my off road adventure trips, I generally carry a lot of camping equipment in the vault leaving little if any room in the vault for a spare tire, and the last thing I want is to be stranded miles from civilization with an unpatchable tire. My solution is to install this CybertruckCo roof rack on my CT and take along my full size TSportline A/T spare tire strapped to the top.

The roof rack from CybertruckCo is made of strong extruded aluminum billets coated black. I attached them to two of the four pairs of CT's mount points. The quality of the materials is very good. Everything is cut to size and fit the truck perfectly. Unfortunately, the kit came with no installation instructions and none are supplied on line. I struggled with the installation as a result. It looks straight forward at first glance but first impressions can be deceiving. The two long billets are different lengths, duh!, and the way the billets are connected together requires careful planning because if you make a mistake locating one thing, it often means disassembly the whole thing to correct it. Each bolt screws into a flat threaded nut that has to be slid into the billet from its end. It's a lot harder than it sounds.

I learned that the best way to assemble the structure is to mount the cross beam over the glass roof first with all the connection pieces and hook plates in place. The same for the other (rear) cross beam. Then attach the short beams to the rear beam with the other end resting on cardboard placed on the roof, like this:

Once the short beams are fastened to the front cross beam, the rear cross beam can be inserted into CT's mount points and bolted down.

Getting the tire up on the rack was a challenge for me, as well. The tire weighs 96 lbs. It took two people to lift it up on top. Tesla's wheels weigh 87 lbs each. I bought this tie-down to secure the tire. The total cost came to $1745, but my vault is fully available.

I will only carry the spare when I go off road adventuring. I'm sure that even the rack will reduce my range some. The tire much more.

What does this increase your vertical clearance to?

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[ldiebel]

I've used this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BY9RG2MN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8
Pretty straight forward, no glue.
It lasted until I replaced the tire, probably 15 to 20k.

I recently bought this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075NBRN2R/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Similar but quicker to get on Amazon.
I haven't used this one yet, it's in my CT.

 

[fishtek]

I've used this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BY9RG2MN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8
Pretty straight forward, no glue.
It lasted until I replaced the tire, probably 15 to 20k.

I recently bought this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075NBRN2R/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Similar but quicker to get on Amazon.
I haven't used this one yet, it's in my CT.

Having never had to use one of these, I do like the design of the mushroom plug. That makes a ton of sense to seal things up for a puncture.

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with the patches to fix a sidewall being damaged, at least long enough to get to a tire shop? Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/GlueTread-Full-Size-Sidewall-Puncture-Accelerator/dp/B0CVC2RZFY/

 

[DJAlan2000]

looks good - I'd go that route but I have to have 2 dirt bikes in the back so cant block the front of the bed, cant do tailgate mount, no place underneath - maybe a vertical stand between the bikes....we'll see, for now have plug kit and compressor..

I REALLY like the idea of a VERTICAL mount/stand you can put in the back end when you have things like bikes/cycles and such in the back... Then, if you need it, you can just 'roll it out' instead of having to try and pick it up or 'drag' it... I know the tires are too tall to put in back AND close the cover, but if you are usually putting things back there anyway...

 

[HaulingAss]

On my off road adventure trips, I generally carry a lot of camping equipment in the vault leaving little if any room in the vault for a spare tire, and the last thing I want is to be stranded miles from civilization with an unpatchable tire.

What are you going to do if the same road hazard destroys both a front and a rear tire?

The idea that carrying a spare tire prevents you from being stranded miles from nowhere is a fallacy. It barely moves the needle because there are a lot of mechanical or electrical failures that can leave you immobile, including two destroyed tires that you are not equipped to patch. I've just accepted the fact that no amount of spare tires, spare parts, etc. will be effective at guaranteeing I will always be mobile, and don't do the "march of 9's" trying to eliminate every conceivable point of failure. I have backup plans if the vehicle becomes immobilized for any reason.

 

[HaulingAss]

Having never had to use one of these, I do like the design of the mushroom plug. That makes a ton of sense to seal things up for a puncture.

It's an illusion that mushroom plugs are better than gummy worms. I don't why people are fooled so easily but mushroom plugs are about the least effective way to plug a tire, they require the hole be enlarged to a surprisingly large size (in order to fit the tool in the hole). That big hole lets all your air out really quickly. You had better have a good compressor. And if the plug doesn't seal, you are out of luck. If the hole is too big, (bigger than the stem of the mushroom), you are out of luck.

With a gummy worm, you just poke another one in there. But for some reason the mushroom style plugs have strong appeal to people who have never plugged a tire in their lives.

Mushroom plugs are made of silicone (which is impervious to any glue I know of). And they are coated iwith a silicone lubricant so they can be inserted through the tool without getting stuck. Someone must have dreamed up the concept of mushroom plugs while they were on a mushroom trip!

 

[Crissa]

Dude;

This tire repair kit is very good. I have one in all of my vehicles.

https://a.co/d/dV0hdLt

Cheers!

(tho who rates plug kits? Well...)




I've seen that slime kit and unbranded kits for half that price. Just make sure the worms aren't dried out!

-Crissa

 

[TwiztOG43]

What are you going to do if the same road hazard destroys both a front and a rear tire?

The idea that carrying a spare tire prevents you from being stranded miles from nowhere is a fallacy. It barely moves the needle because there are a lot of mechanical or electrical failures that can leave you immobile, including two destroyed tires that you are not equipped to patch. I've just accepted the fact that no amount of spare tires, spare parts, etc. will be effective at guaranteeing I will always be mobile, and don't do the "march of 9's" trying to eliminate every conceivable point of failure. I have backup plans if the vehicle becomes immobilized for any reason.

Not to mention just the ergonomics of trying to get that spare down, seems like a pain in the ass. Then there’s getting the damaged tire/rim up there once it is swapped.

 

[Crissa]

Not to mention just the ergonomics of trying to get that spare down, seems like a pain in the ass. Then there’s getting the damaged tire/rim up there once it is swapped.

Well, it's not like it's easy getting it out from under a truck stranded on a rutted road, either.

You're always trading something, whereever you choose to put it.

-Crissa

 

[Cybergirl]

What are you going to do if the same road hazard destroys both a front and a rear tire?

The idea that carrying a spare tire prevents you from being stranded miles from nowhere is a fallacy. It barely moves the needle because there are a lot of mechanical or electrical failures that can leave you immobile, including two destroyed tires that you are not equipped to patch. I've just accepted the fact that no amount of spare tires, spare parts, etc. will be effective at guaranteeing I will always be mobile, and don't do the "march of 9's" trying to eliminate every conceivable point of failure. I have backup plans if the vehicle becomes immobilized for any reason.

Nearly every off road vehicle carries a spare when going off road. True, they're rarely needed, but a blessing when you're miles from an accessible road with a side wall tear or damaged wheel rim. The probability of needing two spares (unless you're on a trip to the arctic circle) is too small to worry about, imo. If it should happen, or you have another serious vehicle failure, you call for help and cough up the cost of a rescue. The most important carry along is a Starlink antenna with a Mobile subscription.

https://arizona4x4offroadrecovery.com/

https://www.youtube.com/c/MattsOffRoadRecovery

https://www.youtube.com/@Colorado4x4RescueandRecovery

 

[HaulingAss]

Nearly every off road vehicle carries a spare when going off road. True, they're rarely needed, but a blessing when you're miles from an accessible road with a side wall tear or damaged wheel rim. The probability of needing two spares (unless you're on a trip to the arctic circle) is too small to worry about, imo. If it should happen, or you have another serious vehicle failure, you call for help and cough up the cost of a rescue. The most important carry along is a Starlink antenna with a Mobile subscription.

https://arizona4x4offroadrecovery.com/

https://www.youtube.com/c/MattsOffRoadRecovery

https://www.youtube.com/@Colorado4x4RescueandRecovery

So the probability of getting one flat tire that is impossible to plug requires you to carry a 100 lb. spare tire/wheel assembly, a hydraulic jack, a lug wrench, and assorted gizmos for ensuring you can jack the truck in any environment. But the probability of two flats is too little to worry about? I would encourage you to Google "two flat tires" since it's not uncommon for the rear tire to roll over the same hazard that took out the front tire. A good plug kit can repair more than 20 or 30 tires, without refills.

If you know how to plug tires, the chances of getting a flat you can't use emergency plugs on are too little to worry about (assuming you know not to air down to silly pressures that virtually guarantee sidewall damage). The best flat is no flat. Learn how to avoid tire damage in the first place. An occasional puncture can be quickly plugged without taking the wheel off the car. Way better than jacking and changing out a spare.

Why so many off-roaders air down to silly low pressures, when they don't need to, is beyond me. Maybe it makes them feel like they know what they're doing, even when it demonstrates the exact opposite and results in them destroying their tires.

Take care of your tires, and they will take car of you.

 

[Cybergirl]

So the probability of getting one flat tire that is impossible to plug requires you to carry a 100 lb. spare tire/wheel assembly, a hydraulic jack, a lug wrench, and assorted gizmos for ensuring you can jack the truck in any environment. But the probability of two flats is too little to worry about? I would encourage you to Google "two flat tires" since it's not uncommon for the rear tire to roll over the same hazard that took out the front tire. A good plug kit can repair more than 20 or 30 tires, without refills.

If you know how to plug tires, the chances of getting a flat you can't use emergency plugs on are too little to worry about (assuming you know not to air down to silly pressures that virtually guarantee sidewall damage). The best flat is no flat. Learn how to avoid tire damage in the first place. An occasional puncture can be quickly plugged without taking the wheel off the car. Way better than jacking and changing out a spare.

Why so many off-roaders air down to silly low pressures, when they don't need to, is beyond me. Maybe it makes them feel like they know what they're doing, even when it demonstrates the exact opposite and results in them destroying their tires.

Take care of your tires, and they will take car of you.

Yes, carrying a spare gives me peace of mind when off-roading. I also carry a patch kit, and, yes, I know how to use it. I don't carry for day-to-day driving.

I will air down to improve traction in sand. Doing so also softens the ride on Arizona's rocky trails. Airing down will reduce the chances of tire damage on rocky trails at low speeds.

 

[HaulingAss]

Yes, carrying a spare gives me peace of mind when off-roading. I also carry a patch kit, and, yes, I know how to use it. I don't carry for day-to-day driving.

You don't carry emergency plugs? Much quicker and easier to use than patches.

I will air down to improve traction in sand. Doing so also softens the ride on Arizona's rocky trails. Airing down will reduce the chances of tire damage on rocky trails at low speeds.

No, that's a common misconception. Airing down to low pressures increases the chances of damaging your tires with rock cuts and getting a flat that could be difficult to repair. The internal structure of the tire depends upon the air pressure for support. Airing down more than a moderate amount reduces that support and the sidewall bulges become more susceptible to cuts and tears. And over time excessive airing down causes the fibers inside the tire to exceed their fatigue limits, which will ruin their future performance at higher speeds, even when properly aired up. Fatiguing the tire carcass repeatedly, will also make the tire more susceptible to puncture flats and sidewall tears in the future.

Tires come in many different constructions. High speed tires, like the ones that come with the Cybertruck, are not designed to handle low pressures very well, in other words, they are not off-road tires, they are road tires. That doesn't mean you can't drive them off-road, it means they are not designed to be aired down very much. Tesla recommends 36 psi minimum for trail driving. I've aired mine down to as low as 30 psi (but only because the snow demanded it). As soon as the snow was cleared, I raised the pressure to reduce the chances of sidewall damage and over-fatiguing the sidewalls. You can buy tires of a more agricultural/off-road nature that are not designed for good performance on highways or at high speeds that handle airing down better than high speed tires.

Essentially, you need to understand the design of whatever tires you are running and respect their limits. But that video you embedded was notable to me for one reason. He did a good job of stressing that you needed to know your tires and wheels. But the premise of the video was that he was going to provide guidance on how much to air down. He then proceeded to say that 22 psi was a good general conservative pressure for airing down, while ignoring what tires, what rims, how heavy the rig, etc. Almost comical in the way he ignored his earlier advice to know your tires and rims and what they are capable of. In other words, he didn't talk about various types and constructions of tires, other than to mention that, for off-road duty, you wanted a high aspect ratio to provide a tall sidewall for airing down, something the 20" Cybertruck rims don't really have. He failed to discuss different kinds of tire construction and reinforcement.

From what I could tell, the guy in the video did not possess any tire technical expertise beyond hearsay and personal experience, yet he pretended to be able to guide you as to how much you should air down without even knowing what tires you were running. Just comical.

Remember, anyone can make a Youtube video and dispense advice like an expert. It doesn't mean they know what they are talking about. Yes, airing down will increase the off-road performance and comfort of even the Cybertruck's OEM tires, right up to the point that the tire comes off the rim, gets a sidewall cut or tear, or is permanently damaged due to over-fatigue of the carcass. The trick is to get where you want to go without having tire problems. And the secret to that, with the OEM AT tires, is to only air down as much as necessary to get the performance you really need. You might be surprised where the OEM tires can take you without ever airing down below Tesla's minimum recommendation of 36 psi.

Also, more driver skill means less need to air down to pressures that cause your risk of tire damage to sky-rocket. Learn how to pick better lines that don't require silly low air pressures. Or get tires designed to be aired down. They won't have good road performance but then you can air down much lower without damaging them.

 

[rlhamil]

It's my fault for reading too fast, I though you have 70 yrs experience of driving:

70 yrs + 16 yrs (minimum age to have a driver's license) = 86 years ===> you shouldn't operate any vehicle ...

Way back when, some people could drive if they could reach the pedals and see over the dashboard, a few years earlier than 16; so a tall 12 y/o even. And if they had experience as a chauffeur or something like that that's supposed to be safe and gentle and traffic aware with every move planned, and their eyes and reflexes aren't shot, they can drive well past 86. I've seen an elderly person whose driving reflexes were as basic to them as walking reflexes. They were starting to lose the ability to talk coherently but they could still drive smoother than I could, and read signs, anticipate traffic, etc; although an unfamiliar larger vehicle might not have been a good idea for them at that point. The brain is a very strange and flexible thing, one may have unusual strengths in certain areas, even when weaknesses are becoming apparent in others.

OTOH, some people should never have had a license, and probably only have two or three decades in which they're not scary bad.

 

[ScouterJohn]

There is a designated spot for the Tesla Spare.

I'm not sure if any Tesla has ever had a spare. I know the Model 3 and Model Y don't.
For most driving, there just isn't a need for a spare like there was 70 years ago.

My 2015 Model S did NOT have a spare. 180,000 miles and no flats...and I ran them down to red before replacing.

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