Check the Tire Pressure in Your Spare

[white87911]

Hey everyone,
This is not just about Porsches but its good advise. A lot of us will be traveling this Thanksgiving week / weekend. I always do, and I am alway amazed at the number of cars that I see on the highway that have a flat tire and then find out that their spare tire is flat also. Most people never look at it, they just assume its there and fine. Also don't just look at it, those small donut tires should have @ 60psi in them and most of time they are under inflated, and on the highway that could blowout if the pressure is low.

Just a friendly reminder that might save you from a big headache!

Oh, and I had a flat tire, Monday, on my Birthday, boy was I glad that I knew my spare was good!

Happy Thanksgiving,
Erik

[Wayne 962]

Some people don't realize that the space saver tires require that you also carry an air compressor to inflate...

-Wayne

[im4duke]

I had to temporarily mount my spare a few weeks back. When I inflated it, the tire did not fill out completely before the compressor maxed out at 35 psi or so. That is, the fold in the tire did not unfold everywhere. I deflated it and tried again, this time trying to work the fold out by hand as it inflated, but the tire was too stiff. I'm thinking I just need to hook it up to a higher pressure source and let it work itself out. Anyone else have this problem and try this to resolve it?

[m325ix]

I carry air compressor in all my cars, just in case

[creaturecat]

As well recommended that the spacesaver only be mounted on the front
i.e. if you have a back tire go flat - put the front tire on the back and spacesaver on the front.

[vincenza]

I carry Visa and AAA card ( premium member )

Vinnie in Ventura
1989 Silver Anniversary 911 3.2

[NoLift911]

Cell phone requires no air...and weighs 35lbs less

[wcc]

I've been a member of AAA for a long time now. I rarely use them except for maps and travel info. But I know it's there in case of an emergency, sometimes.

That brings me to this:

I had a blow out with my 4 runner. I waited in over 90deg heat along the road for close to 3 hours. After talking with them the 3rd time they said it might be another couple hours before anyone got to me. It was a Saturday afternoon. I gave up waiting and changed the tire myself. I don't want to sound like I'm slammin' AAA, but I always carry a good spare.

[FrayAdjacent911]

I always keep a compressor and air gauge in my car. Well... in my daily driver, that is.

As soon as I get Stinky driving, I'm going to have the abortion of a spare tire that was in my coupe replaced with a real tire, then equip the car with a jack, compressor, and air gauge. Along with a few other good-to-have items.

A few bucks of preparedness is worth a fortune when you need it!

[KS120196]

wrt the space saver spare, I suspect mine's never been used. I've wanted to pull it out and inflate it with the pump thereby testing both, but will it resume the deflated shape after I deflate it? Does it automatically fold itself?

[PRE-H20]

" will it resume the deflated shape after I deflate it? Does it automatically fold itself?"

yes it will deflate to previous shape.

yes it will automatically fold itself.

[kqw]

I inflate my spare tire at least once a year. However...here's a tip. If you need to use your factory spare...get it off the car as soon as possible. Why? Cost....

Get to a shop as soon as you can that can mount or fix a tire, if they cannot fix your tire, have them mount any tire that'll fit. Then when you get home, get the correct tire replaced on the rim.

If you run that spare more than say 25 or 30 miles, it will be worthless and replacing that factory spare is about $385.00. I got lucky and grabbed an unused spare from a friend that totalled his car at Watkins Glen. It was worth $385.00 and he asked for $150.00...Whew...

So...

Flat fixed...$10.00 and spare tire in good condition.
or
Cheapo tire to get you home....$75.00, New tire $145ish...Spare tire in still in good condition....Total $220.00
or
Run your spare tire until it's worthless...$385.00, New tire $145ish...Total $530.00

[Bill Douglas]

Alexander, you show off, that is one shiny spare wheel!

[PRE-H20]

bill,...

just a little something i threw together....

actually the fuch was a swapmeet find......

then had it polished...... came out ok i think.

thanks for the props!

[quaz]

Here is a question I have been wondering about. Why not just put a 40/45 series regular tire on the spare wheel? The profile will be low enough to clear the area and it is a conventional tire that you can drive at a normal speed and distance. (Given the height difference will cause a pull on the front) My plan was to get a 16x6 fuch and then put a 205/40 16 tire on it. I will still keep an air compressor, but I won't have to deal with those wierd spares.

[PRE-H20]

kevin,

good question... good idea!

go for it and let us know how it comes out!

the only thing i would question is this...

the space saver tire is no-where near the width of a normal tire, it actually looks pretty weird on there.

if a regular tire goes on,... it will be ALOT wider then the fuch and the spare tire and may not fit.

like i said good idea and let us know. also, are you running a 205-40-16 all the way around or at least on the front,.... if NOT same difference right?

hopefully this will never come into play, cuz if it does it means you got a flat and potentially in danger.

happy motoring!