How far have you driven on a flat tire?

[Reacher120]

Planning another archery hunt to East Eagle Creek area, South side of the Wallowa's (Eagle Cap Wilderness).
Right before last season, had to replace my fuel pump on my Chevy (in tank). Had to drop spare down in order to access tank. Spare tire holder was frozen, don't think it had been loosened in 15 years. Cut the end off the end of cable assy. to remove spare.
Anyway, fast forward a week to load up 5x9 enclosed trailer with gear, made sure Chevy spare was near back of trailer in case it was needed. Always have lot's of backup gear and supplies, the area I go is about 25 miles of gravel road off of highway between Baker City and Halfway..
In talking with a neighboring camp, they tell me I could get to Halfway on the back roads in about 45 minutes. I had been in camp about 10 days, no arrows shot, sounded like a nice afternoon diversion.
Missed a key turn off, 45 minutes turned into 2 1/2 hours. Left Halfway with locals giving me new directions, headed back. Pretty rough gravel roads in spots. So i get a flat about 9-10 miles from camp. Get my jack, go to get the spare, and..... still in the trailer back in camp.
An hour of daylight left, I have backpack, supplies, water sleeping bag etc,. That's still a long round trip, rolling a spare all the way back in the morning.
So I decide if I can limp along about as fast as I can walk, every mile I go saves me two of walking. After about 5 miles, tire is shredded but still around rim, did not think it would stay on much longer.
Neighboring camper drives by scouting for an evening hunt, gives me a ride both ways, saves me a long walk.

Have a new map, fixing spare mounting, looking at some type of GPS communication method for this year.

What brand tires (old 8-10 ply rating equiv?) do y'all recommend for extended gravel road travel?
How far have you driven on a flat/ destroyed tire? Driven on a rim only for any distance?

Read More

 

[dcfranzen]

The best budget tires for gravel roads is the Falken Wildpeak AT3W All Terrain which is rated for 70,000 miles, but you'd be wise to do some internet research to find the tires best suited for your needs.

 

[Camelfilter]

I'd imagine any tow rated AT tires should do you all-rite.

I've had the same set of Nitto Terra Grapplers on my truck since new (2013), & *believe* they have the same tread pattern as Toyo Open Country AT's. If my memory serves, completely different rubber compounds tho, making the Nitto's markedly heavier. Mind, it's been a while, so could be wrong there. Also, mind, that heavier is not necessarily better.

Anyways, have had remarkably decent luck running them. Would buy again. Have done a bunch of off highway running them, including dirt roads across Maine over a long weekend (500ish miles of dirt/gravel/forest service roads), a while back.











Mind that I do run winter studded tires, and just have Schwab swap them back and forth (both sets are mounted on rims). That trip was a shoulder season, so just ran the AT's. Did very well. Swapping simply reduces wear, and ads ice traction for my all hours commute (can't call out due to weather, more risk of glare ice graveyards).

The Nitto's also did pretty well towing a 3/4 ton military surplus trailer acrossed the country, as well as multiple trips back and forth between Salem & Medford.

 

[KKG]

How far you drive on a flat, might depend on several things. Like the road surface and how easy/hard it is to get out the spare and if there's a proper place for your Jack etc.

I won't drive any further than I have to. That's the short answer.

 

[scrandall01215]

When I was 18 I drove from the old Jone Creek campaign ground to Washougal a good 15-20 miles Lol no tire left and the rim was as flat as a Fred Flintstone tire I was doing 35 mph down the Washougal river road. Didn't want to leave my truck up there because it surely would have gotten trashed by vandals!! True story LOL

Stacy

 

[KKG]

When I was 18 I drove from the old Jone Creek campaign ground to Washougal a good 15-20 miles Lol no tire left and the rim was as flat as a Fred Flintstone tire I was doing 35 mph down the Washougal river road. Didn't want to leave my truck up there because it surely would have gotten trashed by vandals!! True story LOL

Stacy

So, no spare. I'll bet the tire and wheel cost a lot more than a spare would have!

 

[bbbass]

Welcome to God's country. I consider Eagle Creek and especially East Eagle to be my private backyard playground!!

There are many ways to get there, but coming from Portland, yuck, the Richland route works ok.

Gonna tease you: Never have driven with a flat tire on a gravel road, I'm usually a lot better prepared. You live out here, you get used to that. We laugh at the westsiders that come unprepared! Buncha Greenhorns! I've met lost drivers, young folks, that couldn't find Main Eagle because they were using the maps on their phone instead of having a real forest service district paper map. I've also met a young fellow in a Toyota Tundra that had spent the day driving all over the Eagle Creek area before noticing his gas gauge was on empty. He needed to get back to Richland on a Sunday. Haha!

Hunting trips are fun, yah!!! LOL

You know that Paint Your Wagon was filmed up there, yes? Most of the cast stayed at the Union Hotel. Lee Marvin was always too drunk to drive himself, so he had an actual limosine drive the 2 hrs it takes from Union, thru Medical Springs, past Balm Creek Reservoir, turning right at Lilly, proceeding out Cow Creek, and down the switchback to the bridge and so on. Nice drive!

 

[scrandall01215]

So, no spare. I'll bet the tire and wheel cost a lot more than a spare would have!

Actually I had gotten 2 flats that day it was in a 1980 Toyota 2 wheel drive truck, so it was just a stock rim, but still cheaper than getting it trashed there used to be kegers up there all the time!!
Edit - this was in 1988
Stacy

 

[Reacher120]

Welcome to God's country. I consider Eagle Creek and especially East Eagle to be my private backyard playground!!

There are many ways to get there, but coming from Portland, yuck, the Richland route works ok.

Gonna tease you: Never have driven with a flat tire on a gravel road, I'm usually a lot better prepared. You live out here, you get used to that. We laugh at the westsiders that come unprepared! Buncha Greenhorns! I've met lost drivers, young folks, that couldn't find Main Eagle because they were using the maps on their phone instead of having a real forest service district paper map. I've also met a young fellow in a Toyota Tundra that had spent the day driving all over the Eagle Creek area before noticing his gas gauge was on empty. He needed to get back to Ric

Hunting trips are fun, yah!!! LOL

You know that Paint Your Wagon was filmed up there, yes? Most of the cast stayed at the Union Hotel. Lee Marvin was always too drunk to drive himself, so he had an actual limosine drive the 2 hrs it takes from Union, thru Medical Springs, past Balm Creek Reservoir, turning right at Lilly, proceeding out Cow Creek, and down the switchback to the bridge and so on. Nice drive!

For 35 years I thought the wagon going over the cliff was at "Granite" about a mile up East Eagle from the Trailhead (1910)? I was told the Hollywood crowd flew in and out of Boulder Park Resort, before the FS burned it down. There was a road closure for years during hunting season to Boulder Park, so I've never been there.
Last year I was told that was not where the wagon went over.

Yeah I here you about us "Westsiders", I've been eating a lot of crow from friends and family since last year.
Always preaching 3 methods of fire starters any time you leave camp, be ready to spend 2-3 days walking back to Baker, Richland or Hallfway, be ready for any weather, etc.,etc.
And there I was, leaving the spare in camp!

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

i popped 4 tires at once thinkin i was ivan stewart on an old gravel road. drove 6 miles to my house to grab my studded tires. then i went and bought new tires LOL

 

[KKG]

Back in the early days of Steel Belted Tires Firestone made some and I got a deal on them through my employer. So, my '65 Keep Wagoner wore Five of them until one day when they ALL - 4 of the 5 anyway - failed when the tread actually slid out from under the Rig. Yep, all at once. The Rig started to handle Funny and so we pulled off the Highway. We got out to take a look and watched as the Rig simply slid off to the side! Talk about Crazy!

 

[Unka-Boo]

I had a flat about 10 miles off 395 while out bunny hunting this year...stupid me forgot to air down, 65 psi and sharp rocks dont mix. I was able to get the spare on thank goodness, Schwab in Hines patched me up.

 

[bbbass]

For 35 years I thought the wagon going over the cliff was at "Granite" about a mile up East Eagle from the Trailhead (1910)? I was told the Hollywood crowd flew in and out of Boulder Park Resort, before the FS burned it down. There was a road closure for years during hunting season to Boulder Park, so I've never been there.
Last year I was told that was not where the wagon went over.

Yeah I here you about us "Westsiders", I've been eating a lot of crow from friends and family since last year.
Always preaching 3 methods of fire starters any time you leave camp, be ready to spend 2-3 days walking back to Baker, Richland or Hallfway, be ready for any weather, etc.,etc.
And there I was, leaving the spare in camp!

Yes, the wagon roll scene was not filmed where most people think. Not the obvious cliff visible at you drive from the switchback to go over the bridge. (I think that bridge is closed now? We used to come in there but last year the camping spots were all taken so we went up road 70 from Sheep Creek instead which drops in not far from main Eagle. I'd have to look at my map, my memory sucks too!) I've forgotten where they actually did that scene, I do know that it was up one of the trails, so you're probably right about the location.

They would have needed helicopters to fly into Boulder Park, (info on Boulder Park Resort is hard to find. Apparently there was a lodge and a few cabins. None have been there since I moved here in 1980. Shortly after, there was a huge boulder slide up there and the road and park were closed for many years. We stayed closeby last year and Boulder Park looked fine. There are almost always road closures in various parts of the Eagle Creek drainage due to spring breakup.) Some folks maybe could have helicoptered in? Not Lee Marvin for sure. The wiki says they were all transported daily at a cost of $80,000 per day, since the only place to room was 60 miles away. Maybe the Resort had already gone bye bye by then.

I'd have to ask the wife, but she's got dementia and might not remember. She was married to a logger at the time they made that film, summer of 1968. She was camped in Eagle Creek with her husband and two little kids in a wall tent the entire summer. Still talks about the hippies soaping up nude in the river, and running around in fresh deerskins, talking about pet rocks, seeing God in a campfire or cloud, conversations with a squirrel, and such. They freaked her out and disgusted her. What a sideshow! (She remembers that but can't remember Boulder Park Resort.)

 

[Certaindeaf]

Three. An owl told me three.

 

[SUPER X]

Planning another archery hunt to East Eagle Creek area, South side of the Wallowa's (Eagle Cap Wilderness).
Right before last season, had to replace my fuel pump on my Chevy (in tank). Had to drop spare down in order to access tank. Spare tire holder was frozen, don't think it had been loosened in 15 years. Cut the end off the end of cable assy. to remove spare.
Anyway, fast forward a week to load up 5x9 enclosed trailer with gear, made sure Chevy spare was near back of trailer in case it was needed. Always have lot's of backup gear and supplies, the area I go is about 25 miles of gravel road off of highway between Baker City and Halfway..
In talking with a neighboring camp, they tell me I could get to Halfway on the back roads in about 45 minutes. I had been in camp about 10 days, no arrows shot, sounded like a nice afternoon diversion.
Missed a key turn off, 45 minutes turned into 2 1/2 hours. Left Halfway with locals giving me new directions, headed back. Pretty rough gravel roads in spots. So i get a flat about 9-10 miles from camp. Get my jack, go to get the spare, and..... still in the trailer back in camp.
An hour of daylight left, I have backpack, supplies, water sleeping bag etc,. That's still a long round trip, rolling a spare all the way back in the morning.
So I decide if I can limp along about as fast as I can walk, every mile I go saves me two of walking. After about 5 miles, tire is shredded but still around rim, did not think it would stay on much longer.
Neighboring camper drives by scouting for an evening hunt, gives me a ride both ways, saves me a long walk.

Have a new map, fixing spare mounting, looking at some type of GPS communication method for this year.

What brand tires (old 8-10 ply rating equiv?) do y'all recommend for extended gravel road travel?
How far have you driven on a flat/ destroyed tire? Driven on a

I had a blow out with a cord of wood on . That was interesting , it took 3 jacks to get the truck lifted.unloading the wood was the last option.

 

[cigars]

Welcome to God's country. I consider Eagle Creek and especially East Eagle to be my private backyard playground!!

There are many ways to get there, but coming from Portland, yuck, the Richland route works ok.

Gonna tease you: Never have driven with a flat tire on a gravel road, I'm usually a lot better prepared. You live out here, you get used to that. We laugh at the westsiders that come unprepared! Buncha Greenhorns! I've met lost drivers, young folks, that couldn't find Main Eagle because they were using the maps on their phone instead of having a real forest service district paper map. I've also met a young fellow in a Toyota Tundra that had spent the day driving all over the Eagle Creek area before noticing his gas gauge was on empty. He needed to get back to Richland on a Sunday. Haha!

Hunting trips are fun, yah!!! LOL

You know that Paint Your Wagon was filmed up there, yes? Most of the cast stayed at the Union Hotel. Lee Marvin was always too drunk to drive himself, so he had an actual limosine drive the 2 hrs it takes from Union, thru Medical Springs, past Balm Creek Reservoir, turning right at Lilly, proceeding out Cow Creek, and down the switchback to the bridge and so on. Nice drive!

"Paint Your Wagon"...where Clint Eastwood made his singing debut. It's best for everyone if I don't comment about the Bridges of Madison County. YMMV.

 

[Rickenbacher39]

If I have flat tire I pull over to a safe spot on the side of the road.
Probably 100 to 300 feet at the most depending on speed.
I then get out my spare tire, jack and lug wrench and change the tire.
I then put the flat in the trunk, put the jack and lug wrench back and
continue on and repair the flat as soon as possible.
I am not sure I understand. This isn't rocket science folks.

 

[Reacher120]

That's the way i've done it for 50 years myself.
After driving 300 miles with the spare in my trailer, i did a stupid thing and disconnected the trailer and drove off without a spare.
My point in asking, was to try and determine how far a person could limp along before the rim was so misshapen to halt forward progress.
No cell coverage, no AAA.
Was not in any danger, plenty of supplies and water, just a long dusty walk ahead and back with the spare. Helped by another bow hunter.

 

[parallax]

been there done that. Had a flat changed it, then had another flat, no more spares left .i just decided to keep driving, but slow. just made the decision I would have to buy a new tire and rim, but better than walking. Many years later and much older, i carry small air compressor, patch plugs, under my back seat, as well as factory spare.

 

[bbbass]

Many years later and much older, i carry small air compressor, patch plugs, under my back seat,

#metoo