Editor’s Note: This blog has been updated in 2021 to reflect current industry standards.
In older cars, every model came with a spare tire that matched the tires already on the vehicle. Over the years, car manufacturers have realized the spare tire is used so infrequently, it does not make much sense to equip every car with a full-sized spare. For this reason, manufacturers began leaving a space-saver spare (otherwise known as a donut) in place of a full-size spare.
Nowadays, spare tires should never be a permanent replacement, begging the question, how long can you really drive on a spare tire? The type of spare tire in your vehicle makes a difference in how long and how far you can drive before fixing your tire or buying a new tire.
These narrow, compact spares are designed to save space and weight in the vehicle, allowing the manufacturers to build a smaller car. However, the tire itself is not built to last. Your owner’s manual will give recommendations for driving time and speed. A general rule of thumb is to drive no farther than 70 miles and no faster than 50 miles per hour before replacing your donut with a new tire.
The biggest reason why you should avoid prolonged use of space-saver or donut tires is that they have little to no tread, making the spare vulnerable to road hazards and projectiles. It is also much smaller than the other 3 tires, making it spin faster to keep up with the moving car.
Run-flat tires are becoming more common as manufacturers realize they cost less to maintain than traditional tires. If you drive a recent model BMW or a MINI, your car likely came with run-flat tires. These tires are tougher than most tires but are not designed to last forever, such as a full-spare tire.
Rather than including a spare tire, these run-flat tires are built to withstand most road hazards, including punctures.
Rather than going flat or blowing out (as traditional tires do), a run-flat tire can continue to drive after punctured for about 50 miles before needing to be replaced
. However, these tires cost more to replace than traditional tires.
While you have a bit more room to travel on these types of tires, it is important to inspect your tire as soon as you are aware of any change in tire pressure. This gives you an idea of how long you have until you have no choice but to have your tire replaced.
How Long Can You Drive on a Full-Size Spare Tire?
For years, cars were built with spare tire wells capable of carrying a full-size spare. On many older cars (and a few newer models), this is still the case. If you bought a truck, SUV, or another large vehicle, your car probably is equipped with a full-size spare. While a full-size spare is heavier and requires a larger space for storage, these tires are more durable and can handle a drive similar to a regular tire.
Once you have taken your vehicle to an auto repair shop and learned that the punctured tire is irreparable, you can request the spare tire to be put on the original rim. It is important to note that a full-size spare tire is usually not produced by the same manufacturer as the rest of the tires on your vehicle, meaning it will handle differently than the other tires. We suggest buying a new tire as soon as you can afford to, but this can easily buy you some time.
Christian Brothers Automotive was born out of the idea of not just being an auto repair shop, but also a neighbor. Our mission is simple: to take root in the local communities we serve and to create an uncommonly great experience for customers in need of auto service and repair. To have your tires inspected or to replace a spare tire, please do not hesitate to call or visit your local Christian Brothers Automotive shop. We have 240 plus locations nationwide that are locally owned and operated, providing complete auto care and repair solutions near you.
If you have a flat tire, you know how frustrating a process it is to get your car back to its normal operation. Not only does it disrupt your travel, it also takes time and money to replace a flat. After you change the flat tire and install your spare, you might be wondering: how long can you drive on it?
In this article, we’ll tell you just how far you can drive on a spare tire, what the key differences in types of spare tires are, and best practices for driving on a spare tire.
Let’s jump right in by answering your main question:
You should drive no more than 50 miles on a temporary or donut spare tire if possible. If you absolutely must go longer than 50 miles, avoid driving on it longer than 70 miles. A spare tire isn’t meant to completely replace a tire, rather, its purpose is to tide you over until you can properly replace it.
Additionally, you shouldn’t drive faster than 50 mph on a temporary or donut spare tire, as they have far less traction and durability than a standard tire.
You probably wouldn’t want to drive longer or faster on a spare anyway, as the typical spare can make your vehicle feel more like an airplane ambling down a runway than a car driving down a highway.
Once you are driving your spare, you should replace it with a proper full-size tire as quickly as possible to stay safe on the roads.
Types of Spare Tires:There are several kinds of spare tires, but which one you will use mostly depends on the type of vehicle you’re driving.
These vehicles are significantly heavier than most sedans and mid-sized cars, so the spare tires are usually larger to support the vehicle’s full load, and possibly additional cargo or items being towed.Full-size spares are typically much better quality than a donut spare; however, they still should be replaced as soon as possible. These spares often aren’t as durable, may have narrower wheels than the standard tires, and may not be produced by the same manufacturer as your other tires.
Full-size spare tires should be regularly inspected too, especially if they are secured to the bottom of the vehicle and therefore may be exposed to harsher elements.
How to drive safely on a spare tireRegardless of whether your spare is a donut or a full-size spare, you’ll want to be careful while driving on it. To drive safely on your spare tire, follow these best practices:
Spare tires often have different inflation pressure needs than your regular tires, so it’s wise to check them for proper inflation. Plus, a spare tire isn’t much help if it has low pressure.
Many spare tires have a lifetime of about eight years.As the Midwest’s premier driving school, Top Driver takes pride in preparing our students for everything they encounter on the road and with their vehicle.
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The presence of a spare wheel gives the driver confidence that in the event of a puncture or damage to the main wheel, he will not wait on the road, waste time, ask other drivers for help.
The spare wheel, at first glance, is no different from the wheels that are installed on cars. But it turns out that not all spare wheels can be used as main wheels for a long time.
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main wheels. In addition, their service life is much lower. Visually similar to the main ones, they differ in structure. The sides are made of rubber with one layer of polyester and just two bands of steel. The protector also consists of a single layer of polyester. Such tires are short-lived and quickly become unusable when driving. We will look at the two main types of spare wheels and their distinctive features.
Often, in factories, car manufacturers are equipped with spare wheels, which in our country are called "donuts" because of their small size and shape. In English-speaking countries, they are called Space Savers, which means "saving space." They fell in love with car owners because of their small size and practicality. They have advantages, but they also have disadvantages.
Donut benefits:
Doughnut Disadvantages:
The spare wheel has a thinner-walled lightweight rim and the same tire. A lighter wheel behaves on the road in a completely different way than the main one. The driver who has installed such a spare tire must not exceed the speed of 90 km/h. And avoid falling into holes and potholes.
Some manufacturers provide full-size, durable wheels on vehicles. They are bigger and heavier than donuts, but they can be ridden for just as long as the main wheels.
The only exception may be the tread pattern, composition and width of the tire, which may differ from the main wheels. All of these can affect handling. After the driver has installed the spare tire, he must fill the empty space in the trunk with a new one as soon as possible. The problem with the wheel can happen in a year, maybe tomorrow. You must always be ready for this.
Spare tires are useful insurance, but most are not designed to replace a flat tire indefinitely.
Not all spare wheels are created equal, and to better understand which spare tire your vehicle is equipped with, please refer to your vehicle owner's manual. Temporary spare tires generally do not have the life expectancy that regular tires do. Unlike a normal car tyre, spare tires can only have one polyester ply in the sidewall and two steel belts with a ply of polyester in the tread, meaning they can't provide half the performance and safety that an average tire can provide.
In this article we will try to describe all types of spare wheels available, and tell you how long you can drive on each of them.
These little spare tires are commonly referred to as donuts or space savers. They are very popular because they are lightweight and do not take up much space in the luggage compartment of your car. Due to the low weight, even a person who is not at all predisposed to physical activity will not find it difficult to lift and install such a spare wheel. By the way, how to do it in the field, without the help of specialists, read here.
However, because the "doughnuts " are smaller and lighter, they lack two key features of conventional tires: strength and stability. Most of these spare tires have a speed limit of up to 90 km/h. With such a spare tire, you can expect to cover a distance of 80 km, some of them can cover up to 110 km. This should be enough to find the nearest tire shop and fix the damaged tire, or find a store where you can buy a brand new tire if the previous one is no longer repairable.
From the above, we can conclude that the donut spare wheel is not recommended for long trips or pulling with its replacement with a normal, standard wheel.
Some car manufacturers fit their vehicles with full size spare tires. They are, of course, heavier than space savers and take up much more space in the trunk, but they are more durable and durable. They are able to last you much longer than donuts. However, these tires may have a different tread pattern or rubber compound than a conventional tire. This can affect overall handling and safety on the road.
Although these tires are more durable, they are primarily designed to get you to your destination before you deal with the tire problem. In addition, do not forget that the place for the spare wheel in the car is empty, and it should be filled as soon as possible before another tire is punctured.
If you do not have a spare tire in your vehicle, then your vehicle may be equipped with run-flat tires. BMW and MINI typically install these tires during production. This type of tire is tougher than other tires and can withstand a puncture and keep going. However, they are also not designed to be ridden forever.
Most run-flat tires recommend replacing as soon as you notice a puncture. As a rule, they are designed for a distance of up to 100 km in a punctured state, then they must be replaced. Compared to regular tyres, running-flat replacements are not cheap. Some craftsmen can patch run-flat tires, but manufacturers do not recommend going down this path.
One of the advantages of these tires is that you can get to the nearest car wheel shop at speeds up to 80 km/h, i.e. almost like a breeze.
Every motorist should remember that any type of spare tire is only there to keep you moving forward and replace a punctured tire as quickly as possible. The spares are a temporary replacement and while full size spare tires may look exactly like the rest of your car, they don't have the same performance as and can get you in trouble on the road.
