Ditch the spare?

[SuperBuickGuy]

It's been at least 20 years since I've put a spare tire onto a car or 4x4. I air down regularly, have an air compressor to air back up. On my FJ40, I'm seriously considering ditching the spare and going with a tube (stapling sidewalls if there's a problem). Beside being heavy and a sight block, I'm actually at the point on my H3 where the spare is beyond its useful life and has never touched pavement.

Cell phones, beadlock wheels (or tire irons), tubes, plug kits, air compressors, fix-a-flat (worst case), and travelling with others seem to me to make carrying a full-size spare pointless (I suppose I could carry a smaller spare for long-distance-road-trips, but even there.... I'm a tow-truck away from getting the vehicle to be fixed)....

so what say you? is it time to set the spare free?

I'll be really interested to hear what Loren and Stiney think...

[chevybuytroy]

I dont keep a spare anymore when I go out playing. If its flat I just call it a day

[Deaf Bob]

Carried a spare for years in the Suburban.. Tread got low so put it on, within a month it blew to smithereens!
The flatbed and 57 both do not carry spares

[Loren]

My '91 4x4 Chevy sits out there with the original 1991 spare tire, hasn't touched the ground in all it's years/miles. Tempting to just not carry one, but..

What I think? (Sympathies, for your having sunk to that depth, but...ahem...here ya go):

.I personally (if slightly paranoid-ed-ly) wouldn't go out into the wilderness without a full-size spare tire, along with my mostly-full-set of tools and a couple spare parts too. Travelling with others you can always borrow those things but that may come with a little attitude and is best avoided. The club we sometimes go out with has an actual rule, along with things like tow hooks and CB you must carry that spare although it needn't be as big as the other ones, just "full-size". (As it happens, a month ago out on the road we were getting a funny wiggle coming from the back of the car/truck/Jeep/heep thing which turned out to be something in the tire sidewall letting go, and it was nice being able to just swap over but that was a convenience matter, not any type of distress or emergency.)

However, what makes our situation different than yours is:

Most of the time we go out alone (not the best idea but that's how it goes). There's cell coverage and towing/recovery services, but man how they cost. We really have be self-sufficient as possible.

We're running a tire size that fits in the car in the regular place (barely) and isn't an undue burden on space or visibility. It's what determined the size tire we have, 32" not the more-common 33, where we would have had to either keep it in the way on the floor or use a rear swing-out mount and have it sticking halfway into the window. (We have a clutch posi rear end, no mis-matching tire diameters there so the spare needs to be the same as the others.) That's important...I have literally seen guys not be able to go places because their dang huge spare was up there in the way of seeing to back up. They would have had to remove it in order to do the maneuvering although I suppose an experienced spotter would have helped.

Finally we usually run in rocky areas where the chance of tire damage is significant, not like your normal mud and snow where I presume that isn't such a problem.

With your huge tires I can see why you'd be giving some thought here. Being prepared with some repair methods may be all you'd ever need. Me, I'd run the spare, just because of that law of nature that says if you have a spare you won't need it but if you don't, you will...but go with a manageable smaller tire that will let you at-least limp along forward, or back home. Your lockers won't mind the difference.

[moparmaniac07]

I've used a spare 3 times on my DD and I've only owned it for 4 years. Once I picked up a piece of metal, put the spare on and plugged it when I got home. Then the plug blew a hundred miles from home, so I put the spare on again. I don't remember what the issue with the third time was. Before that though, I've never needed a spare either. It's one of those things you don't need until you do, but I'll keep mine if I'm going any kind of distance.

[squirrel]

two of my wife's late model cars came without spares. It's been a while since I used one....but I still put one in the 55 or the 57 if I'm going on a trip, and the 62 generally has a pair of slicks in back if I'm on a trip, too.

We used the spare on her 08 truck several years ago.

I also usually have a compressor with me, and maybe even a plug kit.

[cobra]

My 70' Torino and 79' TransAm, both have their original spares (the TA is a space saver with the original inflater). Wouldn't ever use them, but do i really want to get rid of them?

On my other cars, I just feel safer having them.

[Huskinhano]

I've posted this on the Mustang board too. Really how often do we use one? I was carrying one in my Mustang then realized it had to be at least a 40 year old recap! No spare now. In my company E250 that I've had to the last 8 years I've gotten a lot of soft tires from nails and screws. The spare has never been out. I don't even know if it has air. Ditch the bitch.

[STINEY]

I am a contradiction in terms.

In other words, "it depends".

I've used the spare in our DD Magnumtwice in 10 years. Yep, its the original space saver - now has 100ish miles on it. I wouldn't be without it......I can't stand sitting along the road for hours waiting for AAA to arrive. (been there, done that, no desire to repeat - especially on a busy highway - especially with kids/wife onboard)

Have used the spare in my wife's DD Cavalier a few times as well. Again, I could have hung out for hours or did it myself in 5-10 minutes and be on my way.

Now in a toy its different. See, I have no where to go and all day to get there.......and I'm sure NOT on a 4 lane highway.

That is more of an adventure, and a chance to meet people and enjoy life at a slower pace for a change. So no spare required there. Most of the toys have mis-matched front/rear sizes anyways.

I'd have a hard time mounting up a same-size spare on the FJ. I put 80,000 miles on my CJ7.....and the spare sat in the barn at home the whole time. I did need it once, but I hiked home and it was right there waiting for me. (lucked out, blowout 4 miles from home )

[Barry Donovan]

spare must have.
I need to get an exact rim and another exact tire...

cannot recall the last blowout, those days must be done..
1990s.. seems a long time ago.
Trucks = full spare.

the gm with dangling disease tires underneath, salted with nuclear...
no good.
throw them off a cliff like a ...

[Dan Barlow]

I'll be really interested to hear what Loren and Stiney think...

I'll just be quiet then.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Yeah, you just sit there and look pretty.... failing that, you should probably contribute.

[Deaf Bob]

Yeah, you just sit there and look pretty.... failing that, you should probably contribute.

Never seen a pic of Dan Barlow, but with a name like "Barlow" he can't be pleasing on the eyes for a guy!

[STINEY]

Don't be too put off Hoosier......I think we are just case studies for some masters degree thesis in a psychological program.

[Beagle]

Don't be too put off Hoosier......I think we are just case studies for some masters degree thesis in a psychological program.

I'd flunk anyone who tried to explain it any further than "Definition of Because"