Why must a spare tire be "installed" at a Service Center

[deek]

I purchased a spare that I intend for occasional use (off road and road-trips). During the purchase process I was required to schedule a service appointment (in next year) to "install" the spare. I received notification today that the spare had shipped to the service center, so I reached out to ask if I could come by and pick it up. I have a road-trip coming up before Christmas and would like to be able to take the spare. The Service Center is saying that it must be installed by the Service Center.

What does "installed" mean here? In the images, it looks like the spare has a single strap over the tire. I feel pretty good about being able to put a strap on a tire in the bed of my truck. I also need the use of my full bed prior to the road-trip for hauling loads, so whatever "install" is done is just something I would need to undo.

It occured to me that the tire/wheel are separate and would need to be mounted. If so, I have a guy. Maybe the tools need to be put in the kit? Again...

Can anyone that has purchased a spare please share with me what "installed" means? Thanks!

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[Brandon708]

To install it they mean to strap it down in the bed of the truck with the cover. Did they say they had the Tire Kit too?

 

[deek]

I purchased a spare that I intend for occasional use (off road and road-trips). During the purchase process I was required to schedule a service appointment (in next year) to "install" the spare. I received notification today that the spare had shipped to the service center, so I reached out to ask if I could come by and pick it up. I have a road-trip coming up before Christmas and would like to be able to take the spare. The Service Center is saying that it must be installed by the Service Center.

What does "installed" mean here? In the images, it looks like the spare has a single strap over the tire. I feel pretty good about being able to put a strap on a tire in the bed of my truck. I also need the use of my full bed prior to the road-trip for hauling loads, so whatever "install" is done is just something I would need to undo.

It occured to me that the tire/wheel are separate and would need to be mounted. If so, I have a guy. Maybe the tools need to be put in the kit? Again...

Can anyone that has purchased a spare please share with me what "installed" means? Thanks!

Then I found this: https://www.cybertruckownersclub.co...allation-tire-change-aerocover-install.21493/ I am even more confused. Maybe I can get the girl from the video to install the spare for me.

 

[Makeodds101]

I purchased a spare that I intend for occasional use (off road and road-trips). During the purchase process I was required to schedule a service appointment (in next year) to "install" the spare. I received notification today that the spare had shipped to the service center, so I reached out to ask if I could come by and pick it up. I have a road-trip coming up before Christmas and would like to be able to take the spare. The Service Center is saying that it must be installed by the Service Center.

What does "installed" mean here? In the images, it looks like the spare has a single strap over the tire. I feel pretty good about being able to put a strap on a tire in the bed of my truck. I also need the use of my full bed prior to the road-trip for hauling loads, so whatever "install" is done is just something I would need to undo.

It occured to me that the tire/wheel are separate and would need to be mounted. If so, I have a guy. Maybe the tools need to be put in the kit? Again...

Can anyone that has purchased a spare please share with me what "installed" means? Thanks!

The install is them just balancing it and tying it down in your truck bed with the straps. When I went they got busy with other stuff so I just took my tire and came back another time to get it balanced. If you’re in a rush you can try to get your tire from them and balance it somewhere else.
But like everything, it depends on your service center.

 

[deek]

The install is them just balancing it and tying it down in your truck bed with the straps. When I went they got busy with other stuff so I just took my tire and came back another time to get it balanced. If you’re in a rush you can try to get your tire from them and balance it somewhere else.
But like everything, it depends on your service center.

Now it is "the spare will not be here until a couple of days before the service appointment." I believe them, with JIT and all. I would not want a stack of parts waiting weeks for installation. Does put me in mind of the old SNL "Land Shark" skit tho: Just keep trying a different story until one works.

All that said, I would have much preferred the option of having the spare shipped direct to me, or if you must ship to the service center and give me the option of just picking it up rather than "having it installed".

 

[Jager]

I had much the same reaction as the OP when I heard the spare tire had to be "installed." I had mine done two days ago.

As observed above, the "install" involves simply attaching the strap clasps on the tire cover to the two D-rings in the bed. Takes all of a few seconds.

In my case, before I drove away I opened up the tonneau cover to see what it all looked like... and found the tech had "installed" the tire to the two D-rings in the middle of the bed (rather than the two up near the cabin), which would make access to the underbed storage difficult. Shaking my head, I unstrapped the tire and pushed it deeper into the bed, up against the cabin, where it belongs.

Based on that, I wouldn't bet an awful lot that the tire actually got balanced. But if it did, that's great.

The spare tire/wheel/toolkit combo is heavy as sh!t. Would definitely vote to have that pretty girl in the video around to do any changing that needs doing!

 

[Fausto]

Yeah. It sucks. I took mine in at 11am yesterday, waited an hour, then they had to put me in a loaner. Got a message this morning that it's done. Took more than 10 hours.

As a side note. FSD on the M3 is wayyyy better than on the CT. Can't believe how much better. Zero interventions whereas the CT requires severe micromanagement

 

[spearmanp]

I was also confused, because I just wanted the spare tire to have on hand and not keep it in the bed. However, they did need to mount and balance the wheel and tire combo, which it sounded like wasn't done prior to my arrival. Anyway, they just put the whole thing (with jack kit) in the back of the truck without strapping it down, and then I took it out when I got home to keep it in my garage for maybe long trips.

 

[TyPope]

Do they have to add the spare to the TPMS? That could be why you have to have it "installed".

 

[TJCJr9999]

I purchased a spare that I intend for occasional use (off road and road-trips). During the purchase process I was required to schedule a service appointment (in next year) to "install" the spare. I received notification today that the spare had shipped to the service center, so I reached out to ask if I could come by and pick it up. I have a road-trip coming up before Christmas and would like to be able to take the spare. The Service Center is saying that it must be installed by the Service Center.

What does "installed" mean here? In the images, it looks like the spare has a single strap over the tire. I feel pretty good about being able to put a strap on a tire in the bed of my truck. I also need the use of my full bed prior to the road-trip for hauling loads, so whatever "install" is done is just something I would need to undo.

It occured to me that the tire/wheel are separate and would need to be mounted. If so, I have a guy. Maybe the tools need to be put in the kit? Again...

Can anyone that has purchased a spare please share with me what "installed" means? Thanks!

No doubt, they want their certified techs to do whatever is necessary when buying accessories, so that a person off the street doesn't do something stupid that ends up being a disaster, just like the genius, who went four wheeling and bounced the back of the truck off of a concreted step destroying the back end of the truck....... As a more simple example, since their is no under frame spare carrier, if they just gave the spare to someone, and that person just threw it in the bed or back seat and left the tail gate open (by accident, which I have done), and took off the spare would fly out and do damage, or if in the back seat and had to slam on the breaks the tire would definitely do damage.................

 

[ABILISK]

Do they have to add the spare to the TPMS? That could be why you have to have it "installed".

New TPMSs automatically pair themselves. Nothing for them to do on the screen or anything.

 

[ABILISK]

No doubt, they want their certified techs to do whatever is necessary when buying accessories, so that a person off the street doesn't do something stupid that ends up being a disaster, just like the genius, who went four wheeling and bounced the back of the truck off of a concreted step destroying the back end of the truck....... As a more simple example, since their is no under frame spare carrier, if they just gave the spare to someone, and that person just threw it in the bed or back seat and left the tail gate open (by accident, which I have done), and took off the spare would fly out and do damage, or if in the back seat and had to slam on the breaks the tire would definitely do damage.................

Just kind of strange sometimes what they’ll send you so you can DIY and what they decide is above us lol

 

[deek]

No doubt, they want their certified techs to do whatever is necessary when buying accessories, so that a person off the street doesn't do something stupid that ends up being a disaster, just like the genius, who went four wheeling and bounced the back of the truck off of a concreted step destroying the back end of the truck....... As a more simple example, since their is no under frame spare carrier, if they just gave the spare to someone, and that person just threw it in the bed or back seat and left the tail gate open (by accident, which I have done), and took off the spare would fly out and do damage, or if in the back seat and had to slam on the breaks the tire would definitely do damage.................

The irony is that if used as intended, after it is "installed", I will be the one "uninstalling" and "reinstalling". I can't fathom the any argument where it is important that the SC install it only the first time, then the owner can do as many installs as the owner chooses.

 

[eswimm]

If you have a Foundation Series, then the "install" is exactly what you think it is, plopping it in the bed and strapping it down. For a non-Foundation, they'd actually have to install the included set of D-Rings. Who knows, maybe there's some liability associated with not making sure it is at least properly installed at delivery. Obviously, whatever you do after delivery is your problem. Mine was balanced (there's weight at least) and the process was quick, but obviously not as convenient as just having UPS deliver it. It is delivered to the service center as separate components, maybe shipping the extra 50 lbs of air (/s) would be prohibitively expensive.

 

[Fausto]

Update. App said the 'service' was complete this morning. Dropped off the loaner, went to my truck. No wheel in the bed . Truck is still with service, back in the loaner. Sigh.

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