Temporary used truck tire. Install on front or back?

Joined
Jan 11, 2007
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953
Location
El Oeste
Just found a screw in the sidewall of a tire on my Suburban. Can’t get a new one in until Wednesday but am leaving on a 1200 mile trip Tuesday. Tire place says they have a used one in same size they will let me use until new one is in. Haven’t seen it yet but it is a Goodyear with likely less tread than my 7000 mile Coopers.

Truck will only be in 2WD for this trip. No rain, no snow and mostly interstate driving.

I‘ll defer to tire guys, but my instincts would be to put the new one on the front since it won’t be in 4WD.

What’s the right answer here?
 
Whatever tire has the screw in it keep the spare in the same spot. That’s what I say and would do. No since in messing up the rotation of the other ones by moving one but not the rest.
 
Technically, it would be easier on the rear diff to have identically sized tires. In practice, it doesn't make that much difference if they are slightly different. Different tires on the front may make the truck tend to want to pull to the side, but you can probably mitigate by adjusting tire pressures. Either way, not a big deal.
 
Rear, you don't know how the 1st owner rotated it. Some shops in my area only do front to back. Lets say it has 40,000 miles of spinning the opposite of the side you installed it on. If, and its a tiny if, there is a problem you would have more control if a problem developed in the back while doing a long interstate run.
 
You're supposed to put the donut in the opposite side of the drive wheels. For RWD, the donut goes up front. For FWD, put the donut in the back.

Also, replace the donut with a full-size spare :sneaky:
 
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