How Long Can A Spare Tire Last Unused?

Written by YourMotorFixResearcher in Automotive

Spare tires, though are infrequently used, play a pivotal role in our cars. If you have one in your vehicle, then you’re fortunate – that’s because most automobile manufacturers don’t always add it to their cars anymore from the factory. Matter of fact, a study has it that about 30% of modern vehicles do not come with spare tires.

Having a spare tire in your car can always save you a lot of stress. With one, you can always replace a flat tire and get yourself safely home or to your repairer’s workshop.

Interestingly, most full-size spare tires are designed to last for a long time. According to car experts, the average lifespan of these spare tires is usually between 7 and 10 years. So, if your spare tire has been sitting in your car unused for 7 years, it’s best to consider replacing it, for safety reasons.

How long can a spare tire last unused? How long can you drive your vehicle on a spare tire? How fast can you drive with a spare tire? Find out everything you need to know about spare tires, including the answers to the frequently asked questions above in the rest of this article.

How long can a spare tire last without being used?

According to John Paul, an AAA’s Car Doctor and the president of the New England Motor Press Association, spare tires are often designed to last for 7 to 10 years from the date of manufacture. It doesn’t matter whether the tire has never been used before.

Spare tires, once mounted, inflated, and kept for an extended period without being used, will start to degrade quickly. In case you don’t know, unused spare tires degrade faster than the ones that are frequently or continuously in use.

Furthermore, there are a couple of factors that affect the lifespan of spare tires. As you already know, age is the number one factor. Other things that could affect the lifespan of your vehicle’s spare tire are “environmental” and “storage” factors.

For instance, heat caused by hot climates can always cause the spare tires to degrade over time. The best way to store your tires, according to experts, is by keeping them in a cool place. To be precise, the temperature shouldn’t be warmer than 77 degrees or colder than 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Since that’s the case, it means the spare parts shouldn’t be stored in a place that’s exposed to direct sunlight.

How long can you drive your car on a spare tire?

So, you have finally replaced your flat tire with the spare one behind your car. Now, you’re wondering how long you can drive your car with the spare tire? If that’s it, you need to stop worrying too much about it.

To answer the question, I’ll start by saying that “how long the tire will last” depends on the type of spare tire that you have in your vehicle.

Here’s the thing; in the past, every model released by automobile manufacturers came with a spare tire. That’s not all; this type of tire came with the same design as the ones already installed on the vehicle. However, things aren’t the way they used to be anymore. 

Today, car manufacturers have changed the way they include spare tires in their models. Because of the infrequent use of these tires, they decide not to equip new models with full-sized spare tires. Instead, they only include space-saver spare tires, otherwise called donut tires. Matter of fact, up to 30% of cars produced today don’t even come with spare tires from the factory.

That said, if the spare tire you have in your car is a space-saver or donut tire, you should find the recommendations for driving time and speed for the tire in the owner’s manual.

However, if you can’t find the information, the general rule is that you only need to drive with the donut tire for at most 70 miles. Speaking of speed, for safety purposes, the best you can do is to drive the car at a speed of 50 mph (max) until you reach your repairer’s workshop.

On the other hand, if what you have inside your vehicle is a full-sized spare tire, you can always use it for as long as you can use your regular tires. That’s so because full-sized spare tires in older cars and a few new models often come with the same design and strength as the ones already installed on the car.

What are the things you need to change your spare tire?

Knowing what tools you need to install your spare tire is essential for every car owner. Of course, there’s no denying that you can always call your repairer to come down and fix the issue for you. 

But what if you’re in a very far place and there’s no way to connect with the technician? Here’s where the need to DIY comes into the scene. However, you need to understand that you can’t replace your spare tire if you don’t have the right tools and technical know-how.

That said, you can check below to see the tools you’ll mostly need to change your spare tire:

Simple steps to change your spare tire

Below are the simple and direct steps that you can follow to change your spare tire in the case of an emergency:

  • Ensure your car is parked in a safe location. After that, bring out the reflective triangles and place them on the road.
  • Next, go to the other side of the tire you’re replacing and put the wheel wedges against the tires. Doing that will keep your vehicle secure during the replacement process.
  • Now, remove the hubcap of the wheel. After that, pick up the wrench and loosen the lug nuts.
  • Get your carjack, place it right under the vehicle, and engage it until the flat tire is off the ground.
  • Remove the nuts and take off the flat tire from the hub.
  • Place the spare tire the right way and tighten the lug nuts back with your hand.
  • Now, remove the carjack and tighten the nuts again, this time, use the lug wrench.
  • Place the hubcap back.

That’s all about changing your spare tire. For safety reasons, ensure to keep the spare tire inflated appropriately.

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