490 North Pontiac Trail
Walled Lake, MI 48390

248.668.1200

Spare Tires 101

Posted June 2, 2021

Getting a flat tire is never fun. It’s inconvenient, frustrating and, in general, an unpleasant experience for all involved. While it may be a cumbersome process to get your damaged tire fixed or replaced, it’s definitely advisable to do so as quickly as possible as the lifespans of spare tires are typically how short. Just how short depends on a few factors.

Typically, temporary tires are comprised of a single layer of polyester in the sidewall plus two belts of steel in the thread. As such, they aren’t nearly as durable as regular tires which are advanced engineering products made of fiber, textile, steel and a variety of other components.

The most common spare tire is known as a “donut” or “space saver”. These small, lightweight tires are easy to store and install and, generally, you can drive on them for 50-70 miles at a top speed of 55 MPH. This should give you a good amount of time to make it to garage or tire shop in order to obtain a patch or replace your spare with a regular tire.

Alternatively, some vehicles are able to accommodate a full-sized spare tire. These are much more stable than donuts but the tread is typically much different than the rest of your tires so handling could be an issue even though you’ll get more mileage than you would on the space saver.

No matter which type of spare tire you have in your vehicle, you need to get your damaged tire fixed or replaced as soon as possible. Spare tires are designed to be a short-term solution and the longer you use them the more damage you can do to your other three tires or to other parts of your vehicle such as the axle.

If you have any questions about spare tires or anything else related to your vehicle, be sure to give us a call at (248) 668-1200!

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