Tips for driving on a spare tire napa know how blog. Buy new tires and refer to dot codes to be sure they are not. This type of tire sidewall cracking is sometimes called ozone cracking or weathering. So after a puncture, make sure to check the air pressure before plugging it in. As a tire continues to degrade and dry out, dry rot can occur. Nov 16, 2015 how long can i drive on my plugpatched tire.
Sunlight, heat, ice, and general wear and tear can accelerate the breakdown of a tire. Its normal to see a little bit of the stub in the tread where he cut off the excess. What you have to consider is whether or not the structural belts are by the edge and were punctured. Jan, 2020 they might recommend that you replace the tire even if it can be patched.
When your flat tire may need to be replaced les schwab. How safe is that, and which is safer, driving on a patched tire or mismatched tires. The last thing you want is for a patch or plug to fail while you are driving. In addition, driving with a flat tire may damage both the tire and the wheel. Dec 31, 2015 for the most part, a properly patched tire should allow you to drive safely for a long period of time. Feb 22, 2020 the great ones are some yahoo with large tires on his posilimited slip rear end, he gets a flat and puts the spare on, not only does it drive the electronics batschit, it does not take long to fry a clutch pack in the diff.
Every time i pick up a nail i take it to discount tires and they always patch and plug it, but they still say dont go over 90mph. Patches, on the other hand, are very safe, if applied properly. If patched up how long is the estimate lifespan of the tyre. What you need to know about spare tires completely firestone. I like to carry a portable air pump in the trunk of my car that allows me to inflate my tires anywhere i go. If you can spare a moment, read on for everything you need to know about spare tires, including the difference between a fullsize spare and a compact spare, plus what your other options are, like flat tire repair kits or a set of innovative runflat tires. With the spare in place, you can now drive your car. This means less rubber on the road so lower traction.
Getting a flat tire on the road can be a scary experience, but what you do in the moments after a tire loses pressure is very important. How far, and fast, can i drive on a spare truck tire. It should match the vehicles tire size specifications, but you should only use it as a spare. If you have ever had to use a temporary spare tire or donut, it is important to know how far you can drive your toyota camry on a spare tire. Not only are the tires dangerously close to suddend failure, theyre completely unable to disperse water in wet pavement. When the shop wont patch your tire, patch it anyway the drive. Can fixaflat be used to seal my air mattress, football, basketball or inflatable pool. Is it safe to drive cross country on plugged tires. Now that you know how long you should drive on your spare tire, there are a few other things you should keep in mind when using a spare.
A patch can be a stronger repair than a plug, yet it is not designed to be used on, or near a sidewall. If you run two different size tires on a drive axle then your spider gears in the differential will be spinning very fast while you drive which is not good. Essential details here by pete barden 30112017 0 comments. How long can you drive on a spare tire aaa automotive. Do you know the rules that cover driving on a spare wheel. Just like fullsize tires, sometimes spare tires can be defective.
If you get a flat tire on a front wheel and have to. How far can you drive on a dummy spare tire heres my story. Driving for long distances on a spare tire can potentially cause damage to other car parts, including the transmission. Now, in your case, not only does the spare have more tread, but its a different size, too. Mar 06, 2007 well i have been going through hell with my tires, and one of the problems was a nail in a tire. The typical way that a tire is fixed, and its completely improper, is to take a. A spare tire or stepney is an additional tire or tyre see spelling differences carried in a motor vehicle as a replacement for one that goes flat, has a blowout, or has another emergency. Mar 29, 2012 how long can you really use your spare tire. How do i remove the odor of fixaflat from upholstery or carpet. Ive repaired dozens of nail punctures on my own tires over the last 20 years.
You can visit the national highway traffic safety website to check for recalls and make sure that your spare is safe for driving. Note that this is a shortterm remedy, as patched tires are generally only safe to drive on for about 100 miles, or three days, whichever comes first. How fast can you drive on a donut spare tire autoblog. It is safe to drive your vehicle like this as long as the tire s useful life. The first few times i was skeptical about safety and integrity, but not a single one has. Mar 31, 2019 is it safe to drive cross country on plugged tires. Its not the right size and it has a different amount of tread on it. A spare tire is always the best saver in case of flat tires along the road. This is why tires that are stored in a garage can still get tire cracks. While a fullsize spare is heavier and requires space for storage, these tires are more durable and can handle a drive similar to a normal tire. Plugs have a pretty bad track record for making the tire separate, rendering it useless. The good thing is they are bridgestones and have strong sidewalls. Runflat tires can support the weight of a vehicle for a short time, giving you about 100 miles of range to find a repair shop.
Is a patched tire substantially as safe as the other three. Believed them so was prepared to replace both rear tires but they dont have anything in stock that will work. This is only a temporary measure as spare tires are different in shape and are less efficient than standard ones. The new radial tires are getting even harder to patch so a standard old time inside patch are not sticking as well. If you have a plugged tire or are considering having your tire plugged, here are some things to.
The small spare is not intended as a longterm replacement, however. Thats why its important to take your damaged tire to a shop you can trust to do quality work, like one of our certified shops, to guarantee a proper repair that will last the life of your tires. Limping home 250 miles on a temporary spare tire this is not recommended, but if you have no choice, heres how to maximize your chance of a successfuland slowjourney. Im driving a 1993 grand am thats actually in fairly good condition. Mounting your vehicles spare tire which is alternatively referred to as both the donut spare and the spacesaver spare in the event of a flat tire is a common occurrence. In the majority of cases the answer is that you should do everything possible to minimize both speeds and drive time with a spare fitted. If you need help replacing a flat with your spare, nationwides 24hour emergency assistance program can provide a quick tire change. One of the last sights drivers want to see when they are getting ready to drive their vehicle is a flat tire. Average rating from 116 customers who received a spare tire installation. That said, drivers should never use a tire with visible damage, such as cracks in the sidewall, punctures, impact bulges or irregular tread wear all of which are dangerous to drive on.
Id like to make it home to have a mechanic family friend patch it. If a commercial motor vehicle cmv has a defective tire, may the driver remove the defective tire from the axle and. My reputable tire store fixed the hole in the tire for free, but my wife wonders if the patch repair is safe, and she thinks we need a new tire. Of course, a spare tire is a lifesaver when regular tires go pop, but leaving the temporary tire on for longer than the manufacturer recommends invites a host of problems. Please read below on my situation leading to this concern. So i just got my tire patched, but its like 12 from the sidewall edge. They realize that in addition to the immediate inconvenience of having to install their spare tire, they will have to get the punctured tire repaired. Aug 26, 2016 note that this is a shortterm remedy, as patched tires are generally only safe to drive on for about 100 miles, or three days, whichever comes first. A donut spare tire can take you 50, 70 miles while a fullsized spare tire can get you even farther than that. Tire tech information spare tires driving on temporary. If your car does not have a spare tire then you will need to either get your car towed or find a way to inflate your tire enough to allow you to drive on it. Otherwise, you risk damaging your rim if you drive on it for long distances. Driving on an improperly repaired tire is dangerous because it can further. A patch can be done to a tire with a small puncture that has not caused much damage to the.
Imho the crucial point with the safety of tire repaired properly as e. If youre driving on a spare tire on an interstate, stay in the right lane to allow other drivers to pass. This fullsize temporary spare is built with a lightweight construction and a shallow tread depth. Heres something that will ruin youre entire morning, the old screw or nail in the tire deal that leaves you with a flat. Once youve taken your vehicle to an auto repair shop and learned your original tire cannot be repaired, you can request the spare tire be put on the original tire s rim just make sure to check the spare tire s air pressure. The first few times i was skeptical about safety and integrity, but not a single one has ever failed on me. If you find that the tire with the nail in it is leaking air, it is not safe to drive. I got it patched plugged by a toyota mechanic last fall. How far can you drive your toyota camry on a spare tire. I hit a nail in both my rear tires a few months ago but i am moving to phoenix so my car will be loaded up as well. We suggest buying a new tire as soon as you can afford to.
Is it safe to drive on them for a long distance or should i buy new tires. Like others have said, if you do in fact have a fullsize spare tire, you will be fine. Temporarycompact spare tires should be removed from service as soon as possible by repairing or replacing the original tire that went flat. Keep in mind that neither a plug nor a patch should ever be used to repair damage that is located within an inch of either sidewall. The tire has a sudden loss of air and you drive on it flat. The spare tire enables you to drive to the nearest repair shop to have the flat tire inspected and either repaired or replaced. Please note that many manufacturers provide spares that are smaller in size. When the shop wont patch your tire, patch it anyway. Do you know the rules rules that apply to driving on a spare wheel and how you could be risking a fine and your safety. Plug january 27, 2012 whether a tire patch or a plug is the way to go, a lot of drivers who have had tire problems on the. Seals both the hole like a plug and seals the inside of the tire like a old time patch. Jul 21, 2009 the tire guys have always told me that once its been plugged or patched, you shouldnt exceed 90mph. While it may sound like the perfect solution, its important to know.
How to patch a tire the proper way using a patch plug to fixrepair a tire duration. Heres why you really shouldnt drive on a flat tire. Since the spare tire is used so infrequently, carmakers have switched to narrow, compact spares to save space and weight. I bought a set of four tires about two years 16,000 miles ago, and they were all fine until today, when my left front tire picked up a nail that someone generously left on a public street. An old, unused spare tire can be past its prime and unsafe to drive on, as well. The tread will be worn off if you make it without a blowout and youll then have to spend more money on a new compact spare tire. I think noone will be able to answer the question whether your tire or any other tire according to your description is as good as a new one. Jul 17, 2014 however, the spare has not been used to the same extent as the other 3 tires and may be a different type of tire altogether. For this reason, the wheel will handle differently than the other tires and can create an unsafe drive. While a replacement might not be absolutely necessary, it is something to consider. I got it patched, and a few weeks later the same slow leak reappeared. If your mechanic removed the tire from the wheel, and patched it from the inside, you can forget about it. How far can you drive on a dummyspare tire heres my.
Its easy to learn how to change a flat tire and install your spare. One issue with all spares, regardless of size, is the longer they sit unused in your vehicle, the more air they tend to lose. What would happen if i hit a pothole or curb hard enough to cut the tire. Read the manual in order to learn how to make your drive safe when using a spare. Aug 05, 2017 she took it to our nearby tire shop who patched it the last time this happened. Note that this is a shortterm remedy, as patched tires are generally only safe to drive on for about. Because these spare tires are fullsize, they generally dont interfere with abs, allwheel drive or traction control. But some people assume that because they havent used a spare, that it can operate like new. Tire manufacturers usually recommend a speed limit of 50 mph. This time they refused, claiming that the hole was too close to the sidewall. For the most part, a properly patched tire should allow you to drive safely for a long period of time. If a tire is punctured while offroading far away from civilization and a spare tire isnt.
Also if you have a clutch type lsd this is a good way to fry those clutches. The tire flex works the patch loose so the combo patch is the best of all worlds for holding the patch. Most fullsize spare tires are designed to last anywhere from seven to 10 years, according to john paul. The sidewall and shoulder areas of the tire will flex too much when rolling and will eventually work any repair loose, often causing an unexpected and catastrophic loss of air while driving. People usually rely on a tires tread depth to determine when to replace it. Patching this is why good shops will not plug your tire. How long can you drive on a factory spare tire really.
Ugentis it safe to drive with a full size spare tire on. Tips for maintaining and driving on a spare tire while most drivers realize the importance of taking care of their tires, theres one tire that usually gets overlooked the one in your trunk. I would suggest that you follow those directions, because the only way that this can be safe is if it used as a temporary spare. This is because tires are made mostly of rubber, and rubber degrades with age. A typical spacesaver spare has only one layer of polyester in the sidewall and two. Spare tire is generally a misnomer, as almost all vehicles actually carry an entire wheel with a tire mounted on it as a spare rather than just a tire, as fitting a tire to a wheel would require a. Much like using a spare tire, this isnt going to solve the issue either. Runflat tiresno flat tires the pros and cons edmunds. Now the spare tires for cars are either a small yellow donut or a black donut. The smaller physical size requires temporarycompact spare tires to be maintained with 60 psi cold tire inflation pressures and restricted to driving speeds of no more than 50 mph 80 kmh. You should not drive over 50 mph and no more than 50 miles with a donuttype spare tire. Ive got a question about driving on a punctured tire.
It is safe to drive your vehicle like this as long as the tires useful life. Ive got the 68m style rims on my 330ci, copped a nail in the right rear one245 wide, and had the dealer patch it, but they left the spare 225 wide on the car, and the old tire in the boot. Best rule of thumb for a non full sized spare is to run it on a non drive axle. One of my tires cracked really badly on the side i knew they were old and was going to replace them, all four. How long and how far can you drive on a temporary tire. The dealer said the car had runflat tires, but i assumed the car also had a spare. This was with ntb and ive been having issues with them, but i would say it depends on how much where you drive, and how good of a job they did.
However, regardless of whether it is a donut or a fullsized spare, you should still do everything you can to have your standard tire fixed at the soonest possible time. How long can you drive on a plugged or patched tire. Just how restricted you are depends on your vehicle and the quality of your spare. Well, they usually can be fixed, but you have to use some precautions here. Here are some things to know about driving with a patched tire safety. Remember the limits of the spare tires how long you can drive on a spare tire. A patched tire means a patch sealant is applied to the outside of the tire where the leak is located. We drove 55 from the little town to a bigger town to be safe.
If its the smaller donut spare tire, i wouldnt risk a long trip on the highway. The answer given by professionals is that it really depends on your spare tire type. With modern tires lasting up to a decade, you may have already forgotten the little guy sitting on the roof for so long. Mar 19, 2019 a donut spare tire can take you 50, 70 miles while a fullsized spare tire can get you even farther than that. They are made of a similar material to the tire, and put on from the inside with a very strong glue. The premounted spare tire and wheel combination proved so popular with motorists that carrying up to two spare tires became common. The rubber is hard, the tread isnt deep, and the tire patch is small. A tire thats 6 years old or older isnt safe and should be replaced, regardless of wear. If its done right and most shops know how to do it right, its not difficult, the patch will reasonably last the life of the tire. Some fixaflat got on the wheel while i was filling my tire. As a rule, most shops will not patch one tire more than three times. Whats not as easy is knowing when your flat tire cant be repaired or patched, and when it will need to be replaced with a new tire. The tire was not punctured on the sidewall, its in the middle of the tread and the tires are in good condition otherwise. As a general rule of thumb, you will want to get to a mechanic or repair your tire as soon as possible.
Some drivers rotate a fullsize spare with the other. Age can be determined by the dot number on the sidewalls. A proper repair job with a plugpatch results in a tire able to hold air indefinitely that is, unless you get another puncture. As long as your repair was done the right way, theres no need to worry about driving on a plug and patched tire. The regulations text of the section can be found on the ecfr website. Can i drive 75 home on this spare, or should i try and get the stock one patched here. While it is safe to drive with a plugged tire, it is only safe to do so for a short amount of time. While it is safe to drive with a plugged tire, it is only safe to do so for a. Safe to drive long distance on a patchedplugged tire. Older tires are substantially more likely to fail than newer ones. The ramblers interchangeable wheel with a mounted and inflated spare tire meant the motorist could exchange it quickly for the punctured tire that could then be repaired at a more convenient time and place. The age warning also applies to spare tires and seemingly new. Aug 03, 2017 ive repaired dozens of nail punctures on my own tires over the last 20 years using these plug strip kits. Limping home 250 miles on a temporary spare tire the drive.
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