No more donuts for me!!
- Thread starter Blokey
- Start date
- Status
If you're going to have a spare then make sure you have the equip to change it will actually function. I don't believe in pulling off the road ASAP. As bad as either of those tires are, they are sufficient to limp you to a place of safety to change the flat. I had a tire go flat on a rental Chrysler 200. I had to spend an hour getting that taken care of. I have changed a flat in less than 10 minutes on a BMW.
Originally Posted By: NormanBuntz
I love donuts almost as much as Homer Simpson does. Make mine apple cider.
Mmm... Donuts...
Anyway, you can be replacement donut tires, but they cost so much that you mind as well just get one from a junkyard, they have lots of them that haven't been used. Just check the date code.
I love donuts almost as much as Homer Simpson does. Make mine apple cider.
Mmm... Donuts...
Anyway, you can be replacement donut tires, but they cost so much that you mind as well just get one from a junkyard, they have lots of them that haven't been used. Just check the date code.
I've had to put dedicated spares on the ground four times over the past twenty five years and Lord knows how many miles, but at least 750K.
Never a problem with any of them, including the one that lived underneath our '97 Aerostar.
It is wise to inflate them every year or so, though.
Never a problem with any of them, including the one that lived underneath our '97 Aerostar.
It is wise to inflate them every year or so, though.
Gee, when I saw this in the sidebar, I didn't know what section it was in. I thought it might be about a new diet for somebody.
rslifkin wrote, "With a donut, you're not supposed to put it on the drive wheels. Ever. You're supposed to put it on the non-drive end and then move a tire from there to the drive end."
In my years of driving, I've never heard this -- though I understand it makes a kind of sense. But it's not in my owner's manual for my FWD Regal. Details, please?
rslifkin wrote, "With a donut, you're not supposed to put it on the drive wheels. Ever. You're supposed to put it on the non-drive end and then move a tire from there to the drive end."
In my years of driving, I've never heard this -- though I understand it makes a kind of sense. But it's not in my owner's manual for my FWD Regal. Details, please?
I've definitely heard of this being in the manuals for some cars due to the smaller diameter donut causing extra heat in the diff (or abusing a limited slip, if present).
It's possible that the donut for your Buick is full diameter but not full width, in which case, the drivetrain wouldn't feel the difference. It's only the reduced diameter donuts that are a concern for this.
It's possible that the donut for your Buick is full diameter but not full width, in which case, the drivetrain wouldn't feel the difference. It's only the reduced diameter donuts that are a concern for this.
Quite possibly; and maybe this caveat has never crossed my path before because I've always had cars with full-size spares until now. It'd be a good idea for me to open up that lid under the trunk, check the spare pressure again, and measure it.
In theory it's also common sense. If you punch the car with a donut on the drive wheel, guess which tire is going to spin? On the non drive wheel, it's just going along for the ride. I guess it doesn't really matter if you have AWD though.
Donuts are fine by me but, like other tires, I check the pressure and take a look every 6 months or so. Ed
My space saver spare had the same exact thing happen to it, but luckily I checked it before I even needed to use it.
Like has been stated above, it owes me NOTHING, having lasted for almost 16 years as well.
Sadly for me, a full sized spare will not fit in the same place the small spare did, and I have a couple of tires to use (just have to find ONE used OEM 'snowflake' style alloy to put the best of them on), so I may just put it in the hatch well and build some sort of bracket to hold it in place.
Like has been stated above, it owes me NOTHING, having lasted for almost 16 years as well.
Sadly for me, a full sized spare will not fit in the same place the small spare did, and I have a couple of tires to use (just have to find ONE used OEM 'snowflake' style alloy to put the best of them on), so I may just put it in the hatch well and build some sort of bracket to hold it in place.
This is why on cars older than 10 years that I plan on going anywhere with...I change the spare. Its a waste of money until you need it.
On cars with a full size spare I typically can get a pretty good deal going to say a Town Fair and asking for either an odd leftover tire they have one of or an off brand Chinese tire.
Last was for a W140 Mercedes and it was Yokohama that they ordered for a customer who never took it, they charged me $50 to mount and balance it. The manager was just happy to not be looking at it anymore.
On cars with a full size spare I typically can get a pretty good deal going to say a Town Fair and asking for either an odd leftover tire they have one of or an off brand Chinese tire.
Last was for a W140 Mercedes and it was Yokohama that they ordered for a customer who never took it, they charged me $50 to mount and balance it. The manager was just happy to not be looking at it anymore.
With my last car, when I bought a new set of aluminum wheels with new tires, I kept one of the steelies, and asked them to put the best of the 4 old tires that came off the car onto it.
The best of the 4 still had 4/32 on it, and was true and evenly worn. Worked great as a full-sized spare.
The best of the 4 still had 4/32 on it, and was true and evenly worn. Worked great as a full-sized spare.
Like others have said - the tire was flat before it came apart. I don't know if it is Honda wheels or what, but I have a friend with a 2005 Accord that does this once a winter. He also manages to debead at least 2 tires a winter. Still refuses to check tire pressure.
The donut likely failed because it was flat as well. I have seen people driving on the original 20 year old Goodyear donut spare that came with their Cherokee and it holds up fine. Would I do it? No.
Living in the People's Republic of NY so I have a separate set of snow tires for my car. In the summer one of those ends up in the trunk. In the winter, one of the all-seasons end up in the trunk. I also carry the donut. Surprisingly it came in handy when two of my tires were slashed.
Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
Can you even buy and mount a replacement donut spare tire or just the whole tire/rim from a dealer?
They are not cheap! It's cheaper to buy a new tire and new steel wheel on tirerack and throw it in the back of the car. OP's car should be able to fit a full sized tire in the back.
The donut likely failed because it was flat as well. I have seen people driving on the original 20 year old Goodyear donut spare that came with their Cherokee and it holds up fine. Would I do it? No.
Living in the People's Republic of NY so I have a separate set of snow tires for my car. In the summer one of those ends up in the trunk. In the winter, one of the all-seasons end up in the trunk. I also carry the donut. Surprisingly it came in handy when two of my tires were slashed.
Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
Can you even buy and mount a replacement donut spare tire or just the whole tire/rim from a dealer?
They are not cheap! It's cheaper to buy a new tire and new steel wheel on tirerack and throw it in the back of the car. OP's car should be able to fit a full sized tire in the back.
The Dunlop lasted one year and the donut lasted 16 years. What's to whine about? Ed
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
Can you even buy and mount a replacement donut spare tire or just the whole tire/rim from a dealer?
Tire rack has just the donuts, unmounted. You have to dig to find them.
Yeah, but how does their pricing compare to a full sized tire?
Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
Can you even buy and mount a replacement donut spare tire or just the whole tire/rim from a dealer?
Tire rack has just the donuts, unmounted. You have to dig to find them.
Yeah, but how does their pricing compare to a full sized tire?
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: rslifkin
With a donut, you're not supposed to put it on the drive wheels. Ever. You're supposed to put it on the non-drive end and then move a tire from there to the drive end.
Pablum.
IF the 'donut' is a MUCH smaller overall diameter than the stock set up (like mine was), and you have a clutch pack type limited slip diff (maybe even a worm gear/Torsen type as well?), you CAN hurt/quickly wear the diff with that combo on the rear axle.
Originally Posted By: rslifkin
With a donut, you're not supposed to put it on the drive wheels. Ever. You're supposed to put it on the non-drive end and then move a tire from there to the drive end.
Pablum.
IF the 'donut' is a MUCH smaller overall diameter than the stock set up (like mine was), and you have a clutch pack type limited slip diff (maybe even a worm gear/Torsen type as well?), you CAN hurt/quickly wear the diff with that combo on the rear axle.
Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: rslifkin
With a donut, you're not supposed to put it on the drive wheels. Ever. You're supposed to put it on the non-drive end and then move a tire from there to the drive end.
Pablum.
IF the 'donut' is a MUCH smaller overall diameter than the stock set up (like mine was), and you have a clutch pack type limited slip diff (maybe even a worm gear/Torsen type as well?), you CAN hurt/quickly wear the diff with that combo on the rear axle.
He said NON-Drive wheels which covers that.
And of course people with AWD like my subaru forester arent supposed to use a donut spare at all...
and all 4 tires are supposed to be within 2/32 tread depth.
BUT THEY GIVE YOU A DONUT and not FULL SIZE SPARE????
With all the wack tire sizes you would think they could come up with a really skinny full size spare that would fit.
I'd pay an extra 100$ for a full size(diameter) spare.
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: rslifkin
With a donut, you're not supposed to put it on the drive wheels. Ever. You're supposed to put it on the non-drive end and then move a tire from there to the drive end.
Pablum.
IF the 'donut' is a MUCH smaller overall diameter than the stock set up (like mine was), and you have a clutch pack type limited slip diff (maybe even a worm gear/Torsen type as well?), you CAN hurt/quickly wear the diff with that combo on the rear axle.
He said NON-Drive wheels which covers that.
And of course people with AWD like my subaru forester arent supposed to use a donut spare at all...
and all 4 tires are supposed to be within 2/32 tread depth.
BUT THEY GIVE YOU A DONUT and not FULL SIZE SPARE????
With all the wack tire sizes you would think they could come up with a really skinny full size spare that would fit.
I'd pay an extra 100$ for a full size(diameter) spare.
A lot of the donuts that come with AWD cars are full diameter, just narrower.
- Status
