Motorists put on the spare tire when they face an issue with their primary tires. However, what most people don’t realize is that the standard spare tire is only designed to carry you a short distance. Today, we at Calderon Tow & Auto would like to discuss the basics of a standard spare tire.
How Many Miles Can You Drive on a Donut or Full Size Spare Tire?
Designed for emergency use only, the donut spare tire is compact, smaller and thinner than conventional tires and stowed somewhere on the vehicle, depending on the make and model. It was originally designed smaller simply to ensure there was space to store it. Its purpose is to get you back on the road and to a mechanic or tire specialist for replacement or repairs safely. Spare tires cannot be used to drive very far, or very fast, due to the compact design. As is typically enough to get you home and to a professional, professionals recommend keeping the drivetime on a spare time under 50 miles. Also, experts recommend never exceeding 50 mph when driving on the spare tire since narrow spare tire cannot support high speeds. The spare is likely to fail if you push it too far, or too fast. A full size spare should not be driven for more than 100 miles.
What Happens if You Drive Too Long on a Spare Tire?
In addition to potentially causing physical harm to yourself and others on the road, driving too far puts you at risk for a blowout that can also cause costly repairs. Being far from cheap to repair, bent rims and broken axels are the common damages. The handling, braking, and electronic traction of vehicles or stability control features will not work efficiently either with the smaller and thinner spare tire. Excessive wear on the other tires which will fault the alignment; adding to the repair cost and put you at higher risk for potential danger is also an effect of relying on a spare tire for too long.
Is it Hard to Change a Flat Tire?
You need to replace the vehicle with your spare if your tire fails. If you chose to do it yourself, make sure you are on level ground and follow the steps below.
1) Safety Brake. To alert other motorists of your situation, activate hazard lights and put the parking brake on. If you have them, flares or reflector cones can also be of assistance placed strategically behind you to give motorists additional warning time, especially at night. Large rocks, bricks, or wheel wedges should be placed behind the other wheels. Changing back tire requires the block placed in front of the front tires, and a front tire dictates the blocks being placed behind rear tires
2) Loosen lug nuts. Use a lug wrench you can turn the lug nuts a half turn each. Because they can get stuck, you may have to rely on a lot of strength. Only loosen them up enough you can unscrew by hand later without removing the lug nuts yet.
3) Jack up the vehicle. Follow the instructions as different jacks operate differently and most vehicles should also be equipped with a jack. If the directions are not on the jack, the manual should help. Never go under the vehicle once it is elevated. Only elevate the vehicle just enough to remove the old tire and replace the spare with ease.
4) Remove flat tire. By hand, remove the lug nuts. Lower the vehicle back down to loosen them if they are too tight. Be careful, the vehicle can roll off the jack with too much force. Once the lug nuts are removed, pull the flat tire off.
5) Replace with the spare. Match up tire with the lug nut placement and firmly push the tire in place. Do not use the lug wrench yet replace the lug nuts and tighten them by hand. do not use the lug wrench yet but replace the lug nuts and tighten them by hand. Follow the jack’s direction to lower the vehicle after they are one. Now, use the lug wrench to tighten the lug nuts with strength once it is firmly on the ground.
Towing & Roadside Assistance in San Mateo, San Francisco, Daly City & Colma, CA | Greater Bay Area of California
To ensure your safety, when you need your tire changed in San Francisco, the Greater Bay area and beyond, call Calderon Tow & Auto and let us assist you.
