The causes of a flat tire can be from a number of things—sharp objects discarded onto the road, a curb swipe taken a little too roughly, a deep pothole you couldn’t swerve around—but the response is almost always the same: NO! When your tire is irreparable, it can be stressful! A flat tire can turn a great day into a stressful one, but at least you’ve got a spare to hold you off… But how long will it last?
D & R Car Care has been helping the residents of Bulloch County with their tire woes for ages; we’ve seen the worst of the worst in tire damage and have helped the most desperate of drivers find a solution. When you’re running on your spare, we’ll be right around the corner to help you when you’re stressing over the question: Exactly how long can I drive on my spare tire?
What is a Spare Tire?
A spare tire is a backup tire stored either within or under a car that can replace a busted tire in a pinch. These tires are temporary measures meant to get you from the side of the road to your nearest automotive mechanic—not a permanent fix.
Running on a spare tire can be dangerous. Most styles of spare tires have a different tread depth than the rest of your tires, usually far less or even no tread depth at all. This can lead to a loss of stopping ability and an increased risk of hydroplaning. For some styles (especially a space-saver spare), the spare can even be smaller than your usual tires, which means they’ll need to spin much faster to maintain the same speed as your other tires.
Not all cars come with a spare. There are a number of vehicles sold today that choose to forego a spare in favor of saving space. It’s essential to check your car if you aren’t sure if you have a spare, not only so you aren’t caught unaware but so you know where to look when you’re stuck in a bad situation. In most cases, you’ll find your spare under the floorboards of your trunk or underneath your car near the back.
Spare Tire Sizes & Their Limitations
Space-Saver Spare
Otherwise known as a donut, these are some of the most common styles of spare tires. Smaller and lighter than your standard tire, these spares are meant as a stop-gap measure to get you from wherever you broke down to your mechanic. On the side of your donut, you’ll find some important information, such as the maximum distance you can travel on a donut and the maximum speed you can drive on your donut.
However, if you aren’t sure, a general rule of thumb is that you should drive no more than 50 miles at a maximum speed of 50 miles per hour. This should serve you for the period you need to bring your car in. Going above this risks damage and blowouts.
Full-Size Spare
The full-size spare style used to be much more prevalent in past decades, but as the need for fuel economy increased, these spares were phased out. A lighter car means more gas mileage, and trucking around a fifth full-size tire is heavy. Nowadays, they’re much more common in big cars such as sedans, SUVs, and large trucks.
While these are effectively replacement tires and can be driven on as a standard tire would be, it’s still recommended that you bring your car in for a checkup. It’s likely that your full-size spare is a different brand and has a distinct tread depth from your other tires. This may cause problems as you drive, which can be eased by having a skilled mechanic examine your tires and alignment.
Run Flat Tires
Run flat tires are becoming more and more popular as an alternative to spare tires. These tires are designed to continue driving even after the loss of air pressure for up to 50 miles. This way, if your tire is punctured, you’ll have enough time to drive your car to a mechanic for replacement. They’re also tougher and withstand more damage than most tires. However, these tires come with the downside that they are far more expensive to replace.
A Tire Shop Just Around the Corner
No matter what brings you in, D & R Car Care is happy to assist you with your tire troubles. We have the specialty knowledge required to help you no matter what kind of vehicle you might drive. We offer a quality guarantee that brings our customers back time and time again. We don’t sacrifice quality in the name of fooling you with gimmicks of “free” tires that only lead to you paying more in the long run.
We’ll even assist you with your spare! Whether you need tires installed, repaired, or rotated in Statesboro, GA, and the surrounding areas, D & R Intensive Car Care is the best choice! Call us today to schedule an appointment, but don’t worry if disaster strikes—we happily take walk-ins.
