Car makers are dropping the spare tire.

[wmenorr67]

Both front tires were bald, anyway, and I'd been putting off new tires since last fall. I figured it was time, so I replaced both tires that night. I like to dream about what it would be like to have a spare with some tread left on it. 

You must know the dad from "A Christmas Story."

[wmenorr67]

A plug kit and portable compressor isn't a bad idea either, and they are mandatory on a bike.

Unless your tire separates the tread like mine did a week or so ago.  No plug kit was going to fix that problem.

[zxcvbob]

Daughter's 2009 Pontiac came without a spare tire; just a nice little compressor.  I went to a junkyard and bought a donut with the right bolt pattern; I think it was from a Saturn.  It was the wrong size wheel (14 vs. 15") but it fits.  And she got to keep the compressor.  It all fits (barely) in the spare tire well.

When I bought a Honda CR-V last year, I made sure it had a spare tire; made the salesman show me where it was.  It's kind of odd -- a full-diameter donut.  He said he's not supposed to tell me this, but they just have one spare tire and it's just for show.  After he shows it to me, they sneak it out and put it in another vehicle.  (just a joke, but after I bought it I checked before I drove off the lot)

[K Frame]

"It was the wrong size wheel (14 vs. 15") but it fits."

Isn't that dangerous to have a wheel that much smaller than the rest of the group?

[zxcvbob]

"It was the wrong size wheel (14 vs. 15") but it fits."

Isn't that dangerous to have a wheel that much smaller than the rest of the group?

It's not a good thing.  I don't think it's dangerous. 

[K Frame]

And speaking of donut spares, just found this about Subarus... apparently you can't put the donut on the front wheels -- only the rear -- and on automatics you have to disable the allwheel drive feature....


http://community.cartalk.com/discussion/2177795/using-a-temporary-spare-tire-on-an-awd-vehicle

[K Frame]

It's not a good thing.  I don't think it's dangerous. 

Yeah, I was thinking interference with the brake calipers from the smaller wheel.

But if it fits without any interference when moving, then it would be OK.


Carrying plugs and a compressor is always a good idea, in my opinion. I bought a plug kit some years ago, and used it twice on my old Outback when I picked up nails in my community (reshingling houses, I think), and once when Castle Key picked up a screw in his one tire.

Which reminds me, I need to go by the auto parts store and pick up more plugs.

[41magsnub]

And speaking of donut spares, just found this about Subarus... apparently you can't put the donut on the front wheels -- only the rear -- and on automatics you have to disable the allwheel drive feature....


http://community.cartalk.com/discussion/2177795/using-a-temporary-spare-tire-on-an-awd-vehicle

Ugh..  I need to get out my owners manual and check on this..   I don't imagine a 2013 outback is any different in this regard.

The commenter saying a full size spare won't work either because of uneven wear is an idiot.  Yes you need to keep them even, that's why there is such and thing as a 5 tire rotation to keep them that way.  That's why I bought 5 tires for the land cruiser and they each get a turn as the spare.

Edit:  And..  I'm kind of a dumbass.  I was just mentally WTF'ing over what you would do if a front tire blew.  Obviously you could just put the donut on a back tire and move a back tire to the front.  Duh.

[K Frame]

"Edit:  And..  I'm kind of a dumbass.  I was just mentally WTF'ing over what you would do if a front tire blew.  Obviously you could just put the donut on a back tire and move a back tire to the front.  Duh."

Yep.

And, I suspect that yes, any automatic all-wheel drive car is going to be the same.

My question, though, is what happens if you blow a tire on a manual transmission AWD? You can't easily disable the AWD on a manual. Or at least you couldn't on my two Outbacks, and I don't think either one had a full size spare.

[mtnbkr]

Oh, and I misspoke...

I should have noted that Mtnbkr's mailman has two daughters...

 

He's welcome to them, especially the older one who think she's older than she is.

Chris

[mtnbkr]

Yeah, I was thinking interference with the brake calipers from the smaller wheel.

But if it fits without any interference when moving, then it would be OK.


Carrying plugs and a compressor is always a good idea, in my opinion. I bought a plug kit some years ago, and used it twice on my old Outback when I picked up nails in my community (reshingling houses, I think), and once when Castle Key picked up a screw in his one tire.

Which reminds me, I need to go by the auto parts store and pick up more plugs.

Between plugs and fix-a-flat, I've only had to use my spare once in the last 20 years and that was on a tire where the belt had started to separate internally.  I keep plugs and a compressor in the family truckster and a can of fix-a-flat in my DD.  The 4x4 gets plugs and fix-a-flat, but I do not have a compressor (should remedy that, but the large volume AT tires would probably burn out a typical auto compressor).

Chris

[K Frame]

I've never used a can of fixaflat.

There were tire shops in Pennsylvania that wouldn't work on tires that had been treated with fix a flat.

[Ben]

I've never used a can of fixaflat.

There were tire shops in Pennsylvania that wouldn't work on tires that had been treated with fix a flat.

I never have either and have always heard the same about treated tires. My information is from the early days of fix-a-flat though. I wonder if the composition has changed?

I wouldn't hesitate to use some if I were stuck in the boonies, regardless of if it ruined the tire or not.  I wouldn't want to use it on an "urban flat" though if I had other alternatives.

[mtnbkr]

The composition has changed, it's no longer flammable, which was the original issue. 

I've informed shops if I have tires with F-A-F inside and they've not had issues.

That said, unless the leak continues, I've never had tires with F-A-F addressed by tire shops until I replace the tire due to wear.  I've had the stuff last years.

Chris

[K Frame]

I never knew what the exact issue was, but as I never used it, it was never an issue for me.

[mtnbkr]

It's useful for when you don't have time or can't replace a flat tire (bad spot for jacking the car, wearing a suit and going to work, etc).  Even a large can for 4x4 tires doesn't take much space.  I makes a good "2nd spare".

Chris

[Ben]

It's useful for when you don't have time or can't replace a flat tire (bad spot for jacking the car, wearing a suit and going to work, etc). 
Chris

Yeah, besides the boonies, I wouldn't hesitate to use it if, for instance, I got a flat on the 405 freeway in LA, especially if the flat was on the driver's side. Every second you're out of your car in a place like that, you're ticking off your nine lives.

[KD5NRH]

The commenter saying a full size spare won't work either because of uneven wear is an idiot.  Yes you need to keep them even, that's why there is such and thing as a 5 tire rotation to keep them that way.  That's why I bought 5 tires for the land cruiser and they each get a turn as the spare.

With the Saturn and it's $40 tires, I just picked up a pair of $25 rims from the junkyard, and any time I started seeing significant wear, the best two tires went to the front, the next best to the back and the worst to the tire store for a new pair next payday.  Came in handy a few times to have both a good full size spare in the trunk and another at home.

The old Datsun 720 I had several years ago was handy in that it had plenty of clearance to plug tires without removing the wheel.  If I could have found a fast portable compressor, I don't think I would have used the spare on it at all in the ~6 months I drove it.  ($200 pickup. 6 months of city driving and a couple of road trips before all the forward gears gave up, then a tax write off at scrap value was a pretty good deal.)

[41magsnub]

With the Saturn and it's $40 tires, I just picked up a pair of $25 rims from the junkyard, and any time I started seeing significant wear, the best two tires went to the front, the next best to the back and the worst to the tire store for a new pair next payday.  Came in handy a few times to have both a good full size spare in the trunk and another at home.

That's great except for in an AWD (such as a land cruiser or Subaru) all 4 have to match or it will cause damage (over the long term).

[KD5NRH]

That's great except for in an AWD (such as a land cruiser or Subaru) all 4 have to match or it will cause damage (over the long term).

Don't think I ever really paid attention to it when I had the Legacy.  Didn't notice any problems in ~150k miles.

[41magsnub]

Don't think I ever really paid attention to it when I had the Legacy.  Didn't notice any problems in ~150k miles.

I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say it was a really old one that was not full time AWD.  The older ones are basically FWD that if they sensed a slip engaged the rear axle to make it AWD when needed.

[HeroHog]

"It was the wrong size wheel (14 vs. 15") but it fits."

Isn't that dangerous to have a wheel that much smaller than the rest of the group?

The issue is when it is installed on a drive axle with a wheel of a different diameter. The difference in diameter causes the differential to overwork the center section (spider gear set), if it is a limited slip diff, it can destroy the differential, even if the differential is disengaged (unless it has locking hubs and they are unlocked).

[KD5NRH]

I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say it was a really old one that was not full time AWD.  The older ones are basically FWD that if they sensed a slip engaged the rear axle to make it AWD when needed.

Yup.  Made for some fun power slides on wet freeway interchanges, though.  I really should stop listening to the Dukes of Hazzard theme song while driving...at least until I can find a '68 Charger.

[makattak]

As I suspected, the EPA assuredly has something to do with this:

http://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/the-disappearing-spare-tire.html

Decades ago, nearly every car came with a full-size spare tire. But fuel economy requirements, trunk space considerations and safety concerns have prompted automakers to shift toward smaller temporary spares. In some vehicles, there's no spare at all.

[TechMan]

As I suspected, the EPA assuredly has something to do with this:

http://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/the-disappearing-spare-tire.html

Said that back on page 1.