Driving on compact spares for a little while....

Deep6

Registered User
Hey all,

I know ford gave us a compact spare to deal with the loss of one tire. In theory the tires are able to travel about 3000miles in speeds not to exceed 55mph. This way you can finish your trip should it blow out in an unfamiliar area and you want to get the regular tire replaced by a local dealer in your hometown.

Well, I need some tires to roll on for a few weeks. I'm not gonna be driving much, say 50 miles a week.

I called up a local junkyard and he has 4 compact spares from t-birds and taruses (they are the same right?) they are a 15" wheel. The guy who was selling them was aphrehensive about rolling on 4 compact spares. He thought that they wouldn't be able to support the weight of the car. IS that true?

I would think that a compact spare should still be able to support the equivilent weight of the car as a regular tire would, but due to it's skinny tread, just wouldn't have the same traction as the regular tire would.

Bottom line question, if I put 4 compact spares on my car, am I asking for trouble????
 
Why spares rather than just some basic wheels, say from an LX?

I think they will hold the vehicle off the ground, but I wouldn't expect to corner, or stop any better than a wheelbarrow full of brick on a sheet of ice. Speaking of ice, taking off might be tricky if it snows while you are setup on the spares.

But you should be able to smoke the tires like no ones business.

Bottom line, I think you COULD do it, but you better hope you don't end up in an emergency situation.


Plus it will look goofy.
 
I wouldn't do it when you can buy some lx wheels for 50 bucks for a full set. Probably can get some with decent rubber for 100 bucks for the set, and have your self some wheels for slicks for you and your buddy when you are done with them.

The spares can hold the weight of the car. I have four of them that I put on the car when it is in winter storage and they get flatspotted, but they hold the car up fine.

JH
 
Well....

Thanks Justin. I knew that the compact spares were able to handle the weight of the car.

As far as driving much is concerned.... I won't be doing much. I've got another car to use 3 days out of the week. The other days will just be used to drive back and forth to work, about 5-6 miles.

Obviously since I'm esentially cutting the contact patch in half (225mm vs 125mm), I won't be doing anything high speed. That includes highway driving. I probably won't exceed speeds of 45-50mph with them on.

As far as the LX/SC wheels idea. I still have my 16" wheels, but no tires on them. I was very pig headed and thought i wouldn't have problems with my 17"s so i went ahead and had the worn rubber removed from the 16"s. Now I'm stuck and I need to return the 17" wheels. I still need to drive the car limitedly and I don't have my jackstands to jack the car up.
 
consider this

those cheezy spares could cost you a lot more than you know one good bump and one or 2 of them could collapse and who knows what damage you could inflict on the under side of you car. I would look for a set of steel wheels from a crown vic or similar sort,they should be just as cheap,with rubber!
 
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