How Long Can I Drive on a Spare Tire?
Unless you’ve only been driving for a few years, chances are you’ve had to deal with a spare tire at some point in your life. Whether you popped a tire on the middle of the highway, or you simply returned to your vehicle to find a deflated tire, you’ve probably had to throw the old donut on the car to provide a short-term fix for the problem.
Your spare tire can get you out of a sticky situation, but you don’t want to rely on the tire for too long. Because the spare tire is usually a smaller, different version than the four tires on your vehicle, it’s not built for extended travel. The job of the spare tire is to keep you safe until you can visit an auto repair shop to have a regular tire installed.
Although you should consult your owner’s manual for a specific answer, a good rule of thumb to follow is to limit your travel on the spare tire to no more than 50-70 miles.
The main reason why you shouldn’t drive too far on your spare tire is because you may be putting yourself and everyone else on the road in danger. The spare tire is a small tire with very little tread, meaning it doesn’t have a very good grip on the road. This is especially dangerous if you are driving in elements like snow or rain.
When you’re driving on your spare tire, you may notice your car has poor handling or braking. This is more evident if your spare is needed on the front axel, where braking occurs. You may also notice that your car slightly pulls in the direction of the spare tire. As you can imagine, this occurs because the spare is not as equipped to handle stress like your regular set of wheels.
If you have any questions about your spare tire, or if you need to have a regular tire installed on your vehicle, don’t hesitate to contact us! We’re always happy to help.
Related source: AOL Autos
-
New Car Technologies Will Cut Commute Time, Keep Drivers Safe
Jan 22, 2014As we mentioned in a recent post, self-driving cars are expected to become the norm over the next 20 years. While the technology is still in its early stage of development, researchers believe self-driving vehicles will keep people safe and cut down on carbon emissions. Self-driving cars may be the way of the future, but […]
-
How To Jump Start a Car
Jan 29, 2014It seems like we’re locked in a never-ending loop of polar vortexes in Minnesota, and when the weather dips below freezing it can take a toll on your car’s battery. If you park your car outside during the winter, chances are you’ve had to jump your car or help someone else jump their car at […]
-
Minnesota Among Cheapest States For Car Repairs
Jan 15, 2014A review of national automotive data revealed that Minnesotans paid less than the average consumer to have work done on their car in 2011. According to the data, Minnesotans paid an average of $323.51 for “check engine” related repairs, $10 less than the national average of $333.93. As you can see by the lists below, […]
