What type of jack do you guys carry in the trunk?

[BearDodge67]

Nowadays new cars come with no spare, just 3yrs of "roadside assistance" or a can of fix a flat.

 

[BSB67]

what’s AAA going to do other than have to haul the car?

Yep, exactly. First 100 miles free. Usually $6/mile after that.

 

[Ron H]

Yep, exactly. First 100 miles free. Usually $6/mile after that.

Yeah, I've had to use them a few times. In the case of a trashed tire that can't be repaired, a spare sounds nice to have to keep going with out a car carrier ride..

 

[Armyvet25]

Scissors

 

[zyzzyx]

The nicest thing that I've found is a scissors jack kit for a Ford F150. Around 2014. It's in a nice heavy plastic
case so you can mount it so it doesn't bash the quarters out! Another option is the Husky scissors jack that
the RV guys use. It's about $49.00.

 

[WileE]

Many good suggestions here, all very appropriate. In the "cheap-***" category, I like: go to an auto salvage yard to pick up a scissors jack for maybe $10-20.

 

[toolmanmike]

I never needed one but I do have the factory bumper jacks in the trunk. I wouldn't mung up a $500 chrome bumper for a flat tire though. Check your collector car insurance, You may have towing coverage.

I always wanted an aluminum racing jack but I can see the scissor jacks would work well. They start jacking down low and operate easily. You could fashion a driver for a cordless drill and make quick work of jacking up a corner to change out a tire. Make sure your spare is aired up and worthy of the task and that you have the proper wrench and lug nuts for the stock wheel.
Spare tires should be very close to the same diameter as your rear tires. Most of our cars have Sure Grips and different diameter tires don't play well with the SG units.

 

[qkcuda]

I never needed one but I do have the factory bumper jacks in the trunk. I wouldn't mung up a $500 chrome bumper for a flat tire though. Check your collector car insurance, You may have towing coverage.

I always wanted an aluminum racing jack but I can see the scissor jacks would work well. They start jacking down low and operate easily. You could fashion a driver for a cordless drill and make quick work of jacking up a corner to change out a tire. Make sure your spare is aired up and worthy of the task and that you have the proper wrench and lug nuts for the stock wheel.
Spare tires should be very close to the same diameter as your rear tires. Most of our cars have Sure Grips and different diameter tires don't play well with the SG units.

I found a late model temporary spare which is the same diameter (27 inches) as my normal tires. It even fits in the factory trunk well.

 

[Fran Blacker]

The floor jack I keep in my Satellite is smaller than I thought, 14" box the jack is a little smaller. Need to have a few blocks of wood.
@khryslerkid took a photo of battery powered transfer pump.

 

[matthon]

I have several of those transfer pumps, non-battery powered.
Any place that sells kerosene stuff has them.

 

[BSB67]

In the case of a trashed tire that can't be repaired, a spare sounds nice to have to keep going with out a car carrier ride..

Certainly.

Was this an actual personal event, or a hypothetical?

In a million miles of driving cars on steel belted tires on public roadways I think I’ve experienced one flat tire (actually my wife) and zero tire failures.

Anything can happen. Weighing “anything” against preparation for “anything”, verses the likely hood of “anything” has put me in the place of doing less.

When I started in this hobby over 50 years ago, I carried half of every tool and spare part I had with me at all times. Broke down once and didn’t have what I needed. That day I swore I’d never pack that stuff again, and generally haven’t.

I have a small bag of about 30 hand tools I take to the track or long multi-day out-of-town trips.
I know I just jinxed myself.

 

[69 Charger]

I have the original bumper jack secured in its bracket in the trunk for show purposes. Over the years, I had ample opportunities to use it at home and on the road, but it quit working long ago when an internal spring broke. The thing is not made to repair. For lifting purposes, I have a scissors jack from a Chrysler K-car and a piece of 2 x 4 to cushion it. At the front, I put the jack under the inboard pivot of the lower control arm and at the rear I use the spring front mount bracket. For working under the car, I put it on jack stands.

 

[BearDodge67]

Hagerty has a good article on tires.. I know mine were on car for 19yrs, and while not dry rotted, they were hard as a rock.

Tire Condition

And one thing you hope to never see on your new tires..

 

[Fran Blacker]

Carried basic tools for trips. Alternator regulator and a Starter no ballast resistor go figure. Only time my Satellite stopped was the push on wire connector to my SW electric pump. Heard it stop so pulled over, had a wide shoulder. A couple of guys from NeHOA stopped to help if needed. Went under car and spotted the wire hanging. Ask one of the guys for electrical in tool box drawer. Plugged the wire in and taped both wires in place. Replace tape a couple of years ago when replacing all the rubber fuel lines. Between 1978 and 2005 I put on 20k miles that was the only time I need a road repair.

 

[Dennis H]

Scissors.

 

[WileE]

I found a late model temporary spare which is the same diameter (27 inches) as my normal tires. It even fits in the factory trunk well.

View attachment 1912963

Bolt pattern ?

 

[khryslerkid]

No spare tire so a jack would be worthless. It's why I pay extra for roadside assistance. I do carry a box of tools and backup points, condenser, plugs and ballast resistor.

 

[SportFuryman84]

I keep a small bottle jack and a piece of three quarter plywood to give it a wider base in a duffel bag

Same here!

 

[qkcuda]

Bolt pattern ?

4 1/2 inch. Out of a Ford Edge. I had to open up the center hole just a bit.

 

[OneWheelPeel]

Certainly.

Was this an actual personal event, or a hypothetical?

In a million miles of driving cars on steel belted tires on public roadways I think I’ve experienced one flat tire (actually my wife) and zero tire failures.

Anything can happen. Weighing “anything” against preparation for “anything”, verses the likely hood of “anything” has put me in the place of doing less.

When I started in this hobby over 50 years ago, I carried half of every tool and spare part I had with me at all times. Broke down once and didn’t have what I needed. That day I swore I’d never pack that stuff again, and generally haven’t.

I have a small bag of about 30 hand tools I take to the track or long multi-day out-of-town trips.
I know I just jinxed myself.

For about 20 years I commuted 220 to 150 miles a day, most of that was the larger commute, I think I had a tire go out on the road once in that time and needed my spare.
So while I'm not super happy that many cars don't come with a spare I can kind of see the logic and no longer worry that most of my cars do not have a spare. And AAA is fairly cheap for the peace of mind.
I carry my bag with the tools I use the most in the Coronet because it came to me as sort of a basket case, I've only used it locally and haven't needed those tools so far, any issues that came up allowed me to limp home.