For those of you who are lucky enough to have one…
Fall/Spring are good times to check. I check twice-a-year and they still require 7-10psi to be added. More as they age.
Check your Spare Tire Pressure!
- Thread starter The Critic
- Start date
For those of you who are lucky enough to have one…
Fall/Spring are good times to check. I check twice-a-year and they still require 7-10psi to be added. More as they age.
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
Excellent advice.
If they're externally mounted by a winch system, it's wise to exercise and lubricate that system once a year as well.
If they're externally mounted by a winch system, it's wise to exercise and lubricate that system once a year as well.
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
Good point. I bought my Sonata a few weeks ago, 14 psi in the spare...
With the temperature drop I need to go around to all of the other cars too.
Edit: Although I should check if I can fit a full sized spare to replace the 15+ year old donut. I bet I can find a wheel cheap, and when I get new tires soon throw an old one in the trunk.
With the temperature drop I need to go around to all of the other cars too.
Edit: Although I should check if I can fit a full sized spare to replace the 15+ year old donut. I bet I can find a wheel cheap, and when I get new tires soon throw an old one in the trunk.
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I have a copressor in the car, so can inflate the spare when used.
They are still good at 7 years, they haven't seen any direct sunlight
They are still good at 7 years, they haven't seen any direct sunlight
Yup, always a thing I do!
When I had that 2014 Tacoma for a short stint the spare tire under the truck's valve stem was facing up so nobody checked it. I dropped it and it had 17lbs in it! Installed it stem facing down. Did the same thing for my 2021 when I bought it. I can quickly crawl under there and check it without dropping the spare.
Gma's Jetta had 20ish lbs in it when it needed to be 60. Same with the Subaru we just bought.
Aunt's Outlander also had never had the spare tire dropped and checked. One of the tires has a decent leak in it so I checked the spare. Yet another spare in the 20lb range when it should be 60...
When I had that 2014 Tacoma for a short stint the spare tire under the truck's valve stem was facing up so nobody checked it. I dropped it and it had 17lbs in it! Installed it stem facing down. Did the same thing for my 2021 when I bought it. I can quickly crawl under there and check it without dropping the spare.
Gma's Jetta had 20ish lbs in it when it needed to be 60. Same with the Subaru we just bought.
Aunt's Outlander also had never had the spare tire dropped and checked. One of the tires has a decent leak in it so I checked the spare. Yet another spare in the 20lb range when it should be 60...
I've got 4 vehicles. Three of them had low spares when I was prompted to check a few months back.
Now my question is, how long do I keep this thing... Yeah I know they're dated but I'm not replacing it just because of a date if they never seen sun or use.
I checked my spare.
It's at 0psi.
It's at 0psi.
I know this sounds bad but if I get a flat I'm calling roadside assistance, I've heard of to many freak accidents happen to people while working on their vehicle on the side of the road.
About a month ago I guy that works at a convenience store I frequent was killed trying to help someone on the side of the highway, some guy hit the car that they were working on. Another friend of mine was helping someone change a flat when he got hit, messed him up for life.
About a month ago I guy that works at a convenience store I frequent was killed trying to help someone on the side of the highway, some guy hit the car that they were working on. Another friend of mine was helping someone change a flat when he got hit, messed him up for life.
As are most if they are even present anymore.
Mine is supposed to be
I got these early warning devices https://www.ebay.com/itm/392622073990
You can limp a car with a flat tire for miles. Should you get a flat , put your flashers on and drive as far right as you can until you can find a spot to get completely off the road like a parking lot. I do this whether I'm changing the tire or not
I check mine a couple times per year on 6 vehicles at least. Pilot is mounted under and I do the winch drop thing a couple times per year (plus spray cables etc with Fluid Film).
I normally fill them with 5-6 pounds more than required knowing it will lose 1psi per month anyway. Most of my cars have an HF compressor in them to add if needed. Biggest challenge is emptying the too much junk in my trunk
to get to them.
My Accord I knew I hadn't checked in a while. It was 52psi when I checked it last week. Son was taking it on a road trip so it was part of the pre-trip checklist. Back to 65psi it went.
I normally fill them with 5-6 pounds more than required knowing it will lose 1psi per month anyway. Most of my cars have an HF compressor in them to add if needed. Biggest challenge is emptying the too much junk in my trunk
to get to them.My Accord I knew I hadn't checked in a while. It was 52psi when I checked it last week. Son was taking it on a road trip so it was part of the pre-trip checklist. Back to 65psi it went.
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I have given up hope of keeping pressure in the spare, and instead I keep a can of fix a flat in the trunk to inflate the spare in an emergency. Might not get it up to full pressure but should get me down the road.
Once spares get a few years old, seems like they leak fairly quickly.
Once spares get a few years old, seems like they leak fairly quickly.
