Do we really need a spare?

[Buddha.]

Yes. A full-size matching spare. I laugh when I see a Jeep with 35" tires and a 28" spare hanging on the back.

I had to loan my spare once to someone on a trail run as I was the only one with the matching bolt pattern and tire size for his Jeep. Pissed me off watching him bouncing his Jeep on the rocks and such with my spare tire (and now I didn't have a spare). It would have been one thing if he had to use his spare and then got another flat (then he's just having a really bad trail day). But at least start out with a full-sized spare. At the end of the day, I politely told him we weren't doing that again.

I've had a few flats over the years. Cut valve stems, wood spikes in the sidewalls, broken beads, road debris punctures, etc. I just swapped out with the spare and kept on going, and dealt with it later.

My wife's Subaru (2017 Crosstrek) came with a temp spare (same diameter at least). I bought her a matching factory rim and tire. I will admit for running around town she has the temp spare only (full size won't fit in the spare tire well) - but at least she's got a spare. Temp spares are technically only good for 50 miles or so. But when she or we go on a long trip in her Subaru, the full-size spare gets tossed in the back. Same thing with my manly 2008 Toyota Yaris.

When I organize a run, a matching full sized spare tire is a requirement. I've yet to go on an organized run where they didn't have that requirement.

When I had my ‘17 forester I think I remember that the rest of the world “ROW” forester had a full size spare. I think it required changing the foam piece that locates the spare in the spare well.

Interestingly on my 19 ranger the factory wheels are steel but the spare is some weird aluminum thing with what seems to be a standard tire on it.

 

[Walkers]

Just had a flat yesterday on a day old BFG All Terrain on my pick up. We were on the freeway on the way home from my camp in the mountains. Lost its 75psi of air in about 45 seconds. I put in a #12 screw, and it was a bit loose. I aired it up and it got me home. Put the spare on and will drop the tire off for repair today.

 

[rnArmy]

A full-sized tire and rim weighs what... 60 to 90 pounds depending on the tire size and type of rim (steel vs. aluminum)?

Your vehicle weighs anywhere from 4000 pounds to 8000 pounds? How is deleting the spare really going to make a difference in total weight and gas mileage?

Don't be foolish. Have a full-size spare.

 

[Metcalf]

A full-sized tire and rim weighs what... 60 to 90 pounds depending on the tire size and type of rim (steel vs. aluminum)?

Your vehicle weighs anywhere from 4000 pounds to 8000 pounds? How is deleting the spare really going to make a difference in total weight and gas mileage?

Don't be foolish. Have a full-size spare.

Yup, for sure it can make a difference.......weight, storage volume, visibility, etc.

I always suggest that people completely strip down and unload their vehicles every few years. It helps keep an eye on weight bloat and gives the driver a fresh perspective on how the vehicle can feel when lighter and less 'full'. Many vehicles live their life being drastically overloaded with a lot of gear that rarely gets used or even looked at. All that extra weight can and does cause problems with vehicle performance, especially in an off-road setting.

 

[rnArmy]

I think of a full sized spare mounted on a matching rim as "necessary" weight, not "extra" weight.

I agree with the occasional gear inventory though, I'm guilty of wanting to take a lot of stuff.

 

[Metcalf]

I think of a full sized spare mounted on a matching rim as "necessary" weight, not "extra" weight.

Why only carry one spare tire and wheel? You have 4 or more tires that could be damaged......

 

[alanymarce]

Just curious, what type of punctures did they have that where non-field repairable?

The "no-field-repairable" one was a hole in the tyre which was too big to repair with "jerky" - now it's true that a dedicated team with experience in taking the tyre off the rim, grinding out the interior, and putting on an internal patch could fix this puncture at the roadside, with time and effort, however when you have a serviceable spare it makes more sense to use it.

We are in Botswana right now. Every one here still carry 2 spares.

Not everyone - lots of people do, but most locals don't. Those who do are usually renting 4x4s for a visit. I admit that on our last trip through Botswana we did carry two spares - however we didn't need any at all, during 10 months from Nairobi to Cape Town and back.

 

[84-4runner]

Better to have one and not need it than need one and not have one.
Here in north AZ two guys on a four wheeler the guy in back hold a flat tire.
50 miles of dirt road to the pavement then 20 more miles to a place that
fixes flats. BUT closed on sundays. Of course it was winter.
You can actually be up to about 100 miles from the pavement if you aren't lucky

 

[Metcalf]

The "no-field-repairable" one was a hole in the tyre which was too big to repair with "jerky" - now it's true that a dedicated team with experience in taking the tyre off the rim, grinding out the interior, and putting on an internal patch could fix this puncture at the roadside, with time and effort, however when you have a serviceable spare it makes more sense to use it.

My general thought on this is that a spare tire only fixes one issue. Knowledge and a few tools ( that take up less space than a spare tire ) have the potential to fix many tire issues. Spotting those issues early is key when doing repairs.

 

[Regcabguy]

Yup, for sure it can make a difference.......weight, storage volume, visibility, etc.

I always suggest that people completely strip down and unload their vehicles every few years. It helps keep an eye on weight bloat and gives the driver a fresh perspective on how the vehicle can feel when lighter and less 'full'. Many vehicles live their life being drastically overloaded with a lot of gear that rarely gets used or even looked at. All that extra weight can and does cause problems with vehicle performance, especially in an off-road setting.

I see Tacoma's and F-150's all day in San Diego. They look like they just got detailed.

 

[Regcabguy]

My general thought on this is that a spare tire only fixes one issue. Knowledge and a few tools ( that take up less space than a spare tire ) have the potential to fix many tire issues. Spotting those issues early is key when doing repairs.

It fixes one issue,it gets you going. No amount of tools can fix a blowout.

 

[Metcalf]

It fixes one issue,it gets you going. No amount of tools can fix a blowout.

In my experience, a 'blowout' (total tire failure) is a pretty darn rare event with even average quality tires.
What 'blowout' type failures I did see in my time as a Schwaby where mostly caused by driving either completely overloaded for the tire load/pressure. That causes heat which causes sidewall de-lamination. Most of the others where caused by slow to medium leaks where people just kept driving on not being able to feel that anything was wrong.....or continuing to drive on a known low tire because they had no way to air it back up once they did notice.

Tire inspection after abuse, and keeping tabs on pressure, goes a long long ways to keeping tires alive.
Current TPMS actually help with that I think.....and so does having on-board air, a plug/patch kit, and more supplies to keep the tire going.

I'm not against carrying a spare tire if that makes people feel safe, I'm just looking at it objectively for the amount of space and weight that takes up for some people and vehicles.

 

[Winterhawk]

Just had a flat yesterday on a day old BFG All Terrain on my pick up. We were on the freeway on the way home from my camp in the mountains. Lost its 75psi of air in about 45 seconds. I put in a #12 screw, and it was a bit loose. I aired it up and it got me home. Put the spare on and will drop the tire off for repair today.

I need to ask what you're driving that requires 75 psi. My class c motorhome runs 65 front and 75 rear because of the weight on load range e tires.

 

[Regcabguy]

In my experience, a 'blowout' (total tire failure) is a pretty darn rare event with even average quality tires.
What 'blowout' type failures I did see in my time as a Schwaby where mostly caused by driving either completely overloaded for the tire load/pressure. That causes heat which causes sidewall de-lamination. Most of the others where caused by slow to medium leaks where people just kept driving on not being able to feel that anything was wrong.....or continuing to drive on a known low tire because they had no way to air it back up once they did notice.

Tire inspection after abuse, and keeping tabs on pressure, goes a long long ways to keeping tires alive.
Current TPMS actually help with that I think.....and so does having on-board air, a plug/patch kit, and more supplies to keep the tire going.

I'm not against carrying a spare tire if that makes people feel safe, I'm just looking at it objectively for the amount of space and weight that takes up for some people and vehicles.

I agree with all your statements but none of them is going to help with a piece of shrapnel on the roadway. Airing down off highway helps tremendously as the tire flexes and resists punctures.

 

[Metcalf]

I agree with all your statements but none of them is going to help with a piece of shrapnel on the roadway. Airing down off highway helps tremendously as the tire flexes and resists punctures.

Completely agree with airing down, the trail pressure for most of my vehicles is in the single digits. I will also say that running an aired down tire on the highway is possible for FAR longer than most people think, but there is a limit, especially with extra weight in higher temps.

The 'shrapnel' comment is pretty typical one-dimension thinking to me. That same piece of 'shrapnel' could also take out two or more tires and then we are back where we started with no spare. Carrying no spare, one spare, two spares, or whatever, is still all a calculated risk on a vehicle with 4+ tires. That is why I am a strong proponent in having a kit ( and knowledge ) that will repair more than one tire issue, even if you decide to double down and also carry a spare tire. It's always easy to dream up a situation you cannot carry enough spare parts for, it is a very slippery slope. I try and push back on that by pushing the limits a bit the other way.