TTAC Commentator sastexan writes:
With the extreme cold throughout the US and seeing a few shredded tires on the highway this week (in fact, I had a flat myself – not sure what caused it but possibly doing donuts in the FR-S on a parking lot last week with lots of broken up ice on the edges), I got to thinking about spare tires.
Many of the Best and Brightest have "keeper" cars – myself included with our old Camry. Tires have limited lifespans due to dry rot, and I'm guessing spare tires are included in that category. The spare in the Camry is the original 14 year old tire (full size spare at least). How often do people change their spares, if ever? Has anyone with an aged spare had it blow out due to dry rot? Can you just order a new space saver spare off of tire rack?
Take care,
Steven
Sajeev answers:
Very interesting question, one that raises even more questions! Keep these in mind before we proceed:
- Tires dry rot slower when living in an enclosed space with no exposure to sunlight (UV rays).
- You may not see visible cracks like other rotted tires, but rest assured at some point the rubber has petrified like a rock.
- The odds of getting stranded by a rotted temporary spare is less likely than an ordinary tire, as nobody wants to roll around on that tiny donut for an extended period.
- Low air pressure can be the reason for a spare blow out, as they tend to leak profusely after a few years of hibernating in a trunk.
- The items listed above will not necessarily apply to externally mounted spares in trucks/SUVs/CUVs. Treat those more like your other four wheels.
Externally mounted full size spare owners: change the tire every 5-10 years…more or less, depending on your risk tolerance and driving needs. Or re-use one of your "old" tires as a spare when upgrading to new ones for your regular wheels. And if you are luckily to have a matching 5th wheel as a spare (or unlucky enough to have 5 steel wheels on your ride) just rotate it into the mix.
Externally mounted temporary spare owners? Good question, as this is a future quandary of my little Ranger pick-em-up truck. Then again, it might be similar to our next case…
Internally mounted spare owners? Who knows the safe lifespan, but I'd wager that 10+ years is fine, since I've used the original spare in my Mark VIII for short distances in urban conditions. I'd change my tune if I was traveling hundreds of miles daily on rural roads…grabbing spare tires from crusher-bound Taurii and Fusions in the process.
Whenever you "internally mounted spare" folks are ready for new rubber, well yes, Tire Rack sells spares…but I'll assume China's finest off-brand donuts trade for less money from another vendor, as that happened when my 1983 Ford Sierra needed new tires in it's unobtanium space saver-esque size for a measly $34 a pop. Which is more than adequate for the job.
In the case of your Camry? I say replace it (full size spare in the trunk) with one of the external tires when its time for new shoes. Or get a used tire from any local shop for $20-ish. Or just make sure it's inflated to spec and you drive SLOW (i.e. 50mph or less) for a short period of time. There's no wrong answer here, unless you're stranded in the middle of no where and must rely on a fresh tire to take you hundreds of miles away in a harsh climate.
As with everything in life, this Piston Slap boils down to: It depends.
So eyeball the rubber and keep it inflated to spec. That's a good start. Off to you, Best and Brightest.
Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.
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