AMVIV - Tuesday departure 7:30am North Bend

Sorry, Martin, I forgot to answer the last question...

I don't know if it "has to be a MINI spare."  I just figured I'd have something on my car, at least temporarily, that's OEM

I heard that some have bought the doughnut spare of a chevy cobalt and it apparently fits the MINI with the same lug pattern.

Edited by 4LFCLVR - February/10/09 at 8:08am

GoKart wrote: Is there a special storage bag for the MINI spare, or do you mean a plastic garbage bag?

MINI sells tire bags, two to a pack. I think they are $20 for the pair. It is a nylon bag that holds a full size tire; and drawstrings or zippers shut- something like that. I will be getting a pair but I only need one as I am taking an unmounted tire with me on the AMVIV drive. I run the stock 165-75 R15 size and that is a real hard tire to find- Discount Tire had to special order them and it took a week to get two of the Continental Conti ProContact. I found two of the Continental OEM tires on Craigslist after getting those, and I am bringing one of them with me. I have the donut spare but I figure any old place can mount a tire if I have it with me. For a tenner you are welcome to the other bag. I might be getting them this weekend at NWMINI if I get time on Saturday.

Bruce




Edited by valvashon - February/10/09 at 11:49am

Can I assume that the spare underneath Andy's Cooper will work fine for Scoop? If so I might unleash it and carry it along to LV.

BTW - count us in for the Tuesday 7:30am departure.  I see we haven't officially been added to the list.

Bruce and Stacie

scoop wrote: Wildfamily wrote: Mark, as long as as the outside diameter is the same you should be ok. You don't want to run a 15 inch spare if you are running 17 in rims   Ah, gotchya. Maybe I'll just borrow one of her actual wheels, then. She might not notice.

As you said, it's all about outside diameter of the tire. 

The ABS sensors look at rotational speed which, if the outside diameters of all tires are the same, will be the same.  The 15" spare with a higher profile (sidewall height) than the 17" tire could be the same outside diameter and therefore work just fine.  You definitely wouldn't use the same tires on the spare and the 17.

Another important point is to run the spare ONLY until the first place you can repair or replace the original tire. 

Clear as mud, right?

Note also:  donut spare usually have a higer inflation pressure than standard tires - and it is important to check them fairly frequently. 

That was the McD's meeting spot last year, and there's no mention that I read anywhere about meeting elsewhere.  Not sure about sleeping quarters in North Bend - really never looked, and can't remember seeing one.  You might have to check closer to Issaquah.

Is there someone who wants to take responsibility to call my cell phone when you guys roll into Ely?  Let me know and I'll PM it to you.  Also, we'll have a walkie-talkie with us that we can listen in to on Wednesday to see if we can pick you up when you're getting to Ely if you could tell me what band to listen to.

Leanne - I would be glad to call you as the caravan is approaching Ely.  Since it is pretty far away from anything else you might want to check to make sure there is cell phone service available.

if this weather keeps up we will have to go the California way

Two weeks from now we will be on the road AMVIV bound.

Scoop,

Hi folks -

It looks like I'll be meeting quite a few of you in Jackpot, NV for the drive down to Sin City. I'll be coming from Washington DC, by way of Idaho, so I'll probably be a basket case by the 24th.

Tom Steele
DC Metro Minis


Edited by Claymore - March/11/09 at 1:33am

The itin, as of 12:41PM EDT on 11 March:

3/20 - DC to St Louis (13 hours)
3/21 - St. Louis to Denver (13 Hours)
3/22 - rest day in Denver
3/23 - Denver to Iona, ID (family thing) (10 hours)
3/24 - Iona to Jackpot, NV (about 3.5 hours)
3/25 - Jackpot to LV
3/26 - PARTY!!
3/27 - leave for DC, try to make it back by the night of the 29th.

Most of the run west will be via interstate 64/70, at least until Denver. From there it's up through Wyoming to Iona, ID.

Oh, and this is all solo driving.


Edited by Claymore - March/11/09 at 1:46am