How far can you drive on a spare tire reddit


Can I Drive 200 Miles On A Donut? The Exact Answer Is Here!

The spare tire has a small design and is lighter than the vehicle’s original tire. In particular, the donut is the popular version because of its compactness, ease of assembly, and great support for the car in an accident.

But, can you drive 200 miles on a donut? What do you know about a donut?

With its unique design, you should only operate it for a maximum of 50 to 70 miles. In other words, 200 miles is a dangerous number, given its endurance.

The article will discuss this topic in detail so that you have more useful knowledge. Scroll slowly, so you don’t miss any important information!

Can I Drive 200 Miles On A Donut?

You should not drive 200 miles on a donut. We do not recommend driving with a donut tire for long distances as 200miles. Here are some reasons:

About the outside appearance of the product, the spare wheel has a different design. It is smaller, lighter in measurements, and thinner tread thickness.

Therefore, when replacing the wheel frame, the pressure and gravity from the body make the donut tires not adapt well and coordinate well with the other three wheels. Maybe the donut spare tire can’t balance well in a short time, but if the situation continues for a long time, it is not very good.

With a spare tire, few manufacturers focus on its functions. Most donuts have little or no tread pattern. It causes the wheels not to balance the friction of the road when moving, from which the grip also decreases sharply, especially when turning corners or braking sharply.

The loss of grooves also causes water intrusion in the wheel, resulting in a dangerous appearance when participating in traffic.

Why Should I Not Use Donut Tires On The Highway?

This action is dangerous for you in traffic. According to experts, the allowed travel speed in case of tire change should not exceed 50 mph.

That’s called a highway, which means you have to drive at a fast pace, which inadvertently causes the loss of control from the control system, endangering both you and the car. Too many incidents like this happen, but safety precautions are still paramount.

Besides, we limit the use of wheels on the highway because of the heat. Heat is the top enemy in tire damage, if you don’t know.

The backup donut has a fast rotational force, plus it has to move in particular conditions, so heat production is inevitable.

However, the characteristics of this type of tire are poor heat resistance, and the structure is easy to wear and inconvenient during operation.

Perhaps you should install a warning light for the system to easily monitor the vehicle’s condition. From there, it verifies the work at repair quickly.

What Is The Maximum Time The Donut Tires Can Be Used?

The life of the spare wheel is usually measured according to the distance traveled. Depending on the manufacturers, they can set a longer time to use. The usual numbers used range from 50-70 miles.

After that, you should take the tire in for maintenance if you want it to be damage-free and convenient for subsequent use.

On the market, people divide donuts into two main types: medium vehicles and large load distribution.

The first case is the type of tires we usually see. However, it has a unique design for the following cars, is large in size, heavyweight, and takes up a lot of space. But it also comes with better quality and good long-term pressure.

How Fast Can My Car Go On Donut?

We do not recommend using this tire when there are no unforeseen circumstances. Although the materials and methods of making it may be similar, the difference in shape and the disagreement in the distribution of ingredients make the quality of the product not highly appreciated by experts.

With continuous improvement through many stages, the driving speed when using the spare tire should not exceed 50mph.

FAQs

In the section below, we will gather and answer a few frequently asked questions that many newbies do not understand. Keep reading for details!

Will A Donut Tire Fit Any Car?

The answer is not. Every frame and tire has been to fit specific measurements. It is possible that seeing the coincidence from small details such as screws and bear holes does not entirely determine whether it is suitable for other vehicles or not.
The parts that lie deep inside are the consciousness that needs to be verified. Yet, you can still exchange wheels if you ensure compatibility in all aspects.

Can I Repair A Donut Spare Tire?

You can be a field expert in the auto tire industry. Otherwise, it shouldn’t.
A spare tire is only a solution to solve urgent problems. Because the quality of the tire is not so good, do not try to repair it when it is no longer usable.
You will not be able to be sure if you have done the correct technique or not, as well as the openings being completely sealed, the air pressure is not leaking. Mistakes can be dangerous, so don’t hesitate to change your tires to be on the safe side.

Should I use the donut tires for as long as the regular ones?

The spare tire is not to last as long as a regular wheel. It is only an alternative solution when the running wheel is flat or has problems. So if you use them for a long time, it will affect the balance of the car and the remaining wheels.

For more tips to follow, you can check this video:

Conclusion

The above article is about information related to donut tires, from how to move to after-use advice that you should know. We hope the above information will help you more.

If you have any questions, please leave a message, we will reply as soon as possible. Finally, do not hesitate to share this knowledge with everyone because maybe they also need it. Thank you for reading!

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How Long Can You Really Drive On A Spare Tire?

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.

How long can you drive on a dokatka - Life hack

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In order to reduce costs in order to increase profits, many automakers have stopped putting full-fledged spares in the trunks of their cars. Their place is occupied by the so-called underwheels - "dokatki", allowing you to get to the nearest tire service. But what if there is not a soul for the next 100 kilometers? How long can you ride on a wheel-crutch, found out the portal "AvtoVzglyad".

Efim Rozkin

"Dokatka" instead of a full-fledged spare wheel today is not uncommon. This is how automakers reduce their costs while increasing profits. On the other hand, “dokatka” means less weight and smaller size. And to get to the tire fitting with the help of such a wheel-crutch is more than enough. But there are situations when you have to go to the repair shop for more than one hundred kilometers.

And here, many motorists are wondering: how long can you drive on a “dokatka” in order to be safe?

Photo from open sources

WHICH AXIS TO SET ON?

To begin with, let's figure out what a "dokatka" is. And this is actually a spare wheel, but the size of the stamped disk and the tire itself, put on it, is different from the impellers installed on the car. You can find a "dokatka" in the models of European automakers. They, instead of at least some kind of spare wheel, may even have a repair kit. What can not be said about Asian brands. These complete their cars with a full-fledged “reserve”, which is much more preferable in our latitudes and with our quality of the roadway.

However, whatever the spare tire, it is always summer. If one wheel is pierced on your car and it needs repair, then any wheel lying in the trunk (unless, of course, you change it for the winter) is a “dock”. Believe me, it will not be difficult for you to see the difference in the behavior of a car on three winter wheels and one summer one, no matter what your level of driving training is. Actually, therefore, it is recommended to install the “dokatka” on the rear axle. And in winter, this rule is categorical, even despite the fact that you have to tinker, throwing the wheels from front to back.

Photo: AvtoVzglyad

HOW TO RIDE AND HOW LONG WILL IT BE?

And now about how much you can drive on the "dokatka". Let's take a closer look at it first. A thin underwheel has a smaller grip area in the tire contact patch with the road; a different, by no means effective protector; The dokatka is not as strong as a regular tire, and wears out rather quickly (savings again).

All these shortcomings, of course, affect the controllability, and the consumption, and the decrease in braking efficiency, and negatively on the suspension of the car, which is most important, on the safety of both the driver and other road users. And that is why the speed at which its use is permissible is always written on the wheel-crutch. As a rule it is 50-80 km/h. Which is quite enough to get to the nearest service station.

As for distances, if you follow the rules for the safe use of the “stowaway”, you can drive on it for more than a dozen, and even, if the situation requires it, a hundred kilometers. However, you should always monitor the condition of the wheel, avoid exceeding the speed limit indicated on it, do not recklessly and remember that this skinny wheel in your trunk is for temporary use only.

However, the best option would be to replace the "stowaway" with a full-fledged spare wheel. In this case, the driver's headache will be much less. The main thing, when changing tires, do not forget to include the “spare wheel” in the rotation so that it does not turn out that the four wheels on your car are worn out and worn, but what is in the trunk is in perfect condition.

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How long can you drive on the spare tire

Unforeseen situations on the road are not uncommon. A tire puncture is one of them, and it is very unpleasant. Movement in this case becomes unsafe. In this case, the car should always have a “spare tire” that can be quickly replaced by a punctured wheel. But this is only a temporary option, which is forgotten by some motorists who then continue to drive for such a long time.


What to do in case of tire breakdown

Signs of breakdown are easy to notice on the go:

  • handling noticeably worsens, yaw is noticeable along the road;
  • the vehicle does not hold direction well, moves to the side when braking and accelerating;
  • Machine swaying is felt.

In this case, immediately stop on the side of the road and check the wheels. If one of them is empty, it's time to get an emergency sign from the trunk and install it. Then you need to loosen the nuts on the punctured wheel, jack up the car, and put the spare tire on. The spare tire must be pumped up to the desired pressure before driving.

After that, you can continue driving, but to the nearest service station or car shop to fix a flat tire or buy a new one. Moreover, driving on a spare wheel is allowed at a speed of no more than 90 km / h, and even less is better, since handling will be worse, and the spare wheel is not always a full-fledged wheel.

How far can you travel with a spare tire

There are several types of spare wheels in cars today, and this determines how much you can drive on them:

  1. Complete wheel, with the same rim and tire as the others. You can ride it for quite some time, but the rubber on it may differ in composition and wear out faster. There may be fewer layers in it if it came with the car, and this greatly reduces its resource. In addition, the tread may differ, which will impair handling.
  2. Emergency wheel, the so-called dokatka. It may differ from the rest in the size of the disk and has reduced dimensions, which saves space in the trunk. The width is also reduced, and before moving, you need to ensure that you inflate to the desired pressure. On such a wheel, you can drive up to 80 km, that is, to the nearest service.

In any case, you never have to drive long and far on the spare tire. Its purpose is to get to the nearest service station to repair a punctured tire. The spare tire, even if it is a full-size one, differs from all others in its characteristics and is short-lived. Moreover, if you put it, then there is simply no second one if another such trouble happens. Therefore, it must be returned to the trunk as soon as possible.

How long can you drive on a spare tire in summer and winter

All of the above applies to the summer period - you can ride on a spare tire exactly as long as you need to get to the nearest car service. And no more than 80-100 km in distance.

In winter, this rule also applies, but you need to act as quickly as possible and do not delay the repair. The fact is that the spare wheel usually has summer tires, and even then it has a very low tread. Therefore, even just getting to a place with it will be difficult, as the car's handling is greatly deteriorating.

To compensate a little, the spare wheel must be put on the rear axle, even if the front axle is pierced - then the rear one is simply rearranged forward. Otherwise, every time you accelerate and decelerate, the car will turn to the side.

How long can you drive on a full size spare

Some car manufacturers fit their models with full size spare tires just like the rest. Theoretically, you can ride it until it is completely worn out. But in practice it is not necessary to do this, for the following reasons:

  • the tread pattern may differ;
  • different rubber composition, with worse characteristics;
  • the number of layers in the tire is less.

Such a wheel not only initially has a bad effect on handling, but over time it will wear out faster than others, breaking the balance more and more. Therefore, in the end, you will soon have to buy new tires. Yes, it's not far from the accident.

Important! Any spare tire is only for getting to the nearest car repair shop. Its long-term operation is not provided!

Of course, if you take care in advance and put a high-quality tire according to the season, then there will be no problems. But so few people do.

Driving on a dock

Landing - an emergency wheel of reduced size. It has a smaller tread width, and the height is also usually reduced. It needs to be pumped up much harder, and as a result, the outer diameter becomes normal for this car. European models are usually equipped with dokatka, as the roads in Europe are good, and on such a spare tire you can easily get to repairs. In addition, it saves space in the trunk.

With the only advantage - small dimensions, the dokatka has many disadvantages:

  1. It is necessary to install on the rear axle, otherwise the handling suffers. In winter, put it forward in general - it will be equivalent to driving a three-wheeled car.
  2. Due to the low height of the tire and the high pressure in it, the stowage can be easily pierced, sometimes even on the tram rails. Therefore, the movement on it must be very careful. Even on an excellent flat track, you can not accelerate more than 80 km / h. Plus, it will be easier to manage.
  3. When installed on the rear axle, various vehicle systems may not function effectively - ABS, ESP and others. Therefore, traffic safety is not fully ensured.
  4. The tread on the dokatka can often only be compared with a bicycle tread. Therefore, it temporarily supports the car, and no more.

Therefore, using such a spare tire, immediately move towards the nearest service station, where you can repair or buy a normal wheel.


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