spare tire different

[Fibrepunk]

is it safe to use the atlas spare with the continentals? the treads look pretty much the same

It is, until you get a chance to replace it. A lot of people just look at their local FB Marketplace and see if anyone is offloading their steelie wheels, and just pick up one and use that as spare instead. And my Ford's "full-size" spare is just sitting in the garage.

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[Hot Runr Guy]

It is, until you get a chance to replace it. A lot of people just look at their local FB Marketplace and see if anyone is offloading their steelie wheels, and just pick up one and use that as spare instead. And my Ford's "full-size" spare is just sitting in the garage.

FWIW, the "full size" spare tire wheel is the same size as the steelies, 17x7.

HRG

 

[Fibrepunk]

FWIW, the "full size" spare tire wheel is the same size as the steelies, 17x7.

HRG

Yes, it is the same steel as the XL. But getting a wheel off someone who is offloading the XL wheels is cheaper than getting a new tire mounted onto the Ford "full size" spare steelie.

 

[Bob zimmerman]

Answer this. When was your last flat tire? Mine was in 2010 and I put the spare on and drove to a tire store immediately.

According to AAA, flat tires are the number one cause of vehicle break-downs.
I’ve had two in the past 12 years. I ran over a screwdriver and my spare got me to Walmart to have a new tire put on.

I had a tire slashed in Canada at a campground and the spare got me to a service center to get a new tire.

For me, I will always have a spare. In both cases, a can of fix a flat would not have saved me.
Bob

 

[Cancunbadlands]

I got the conventional spare tire 215/70R17
Won't match the 235/65R17 Falken Wildpeak AT Tremor tires

#Tremor

 

[BoxxerDad@50]

anyone get a different spare tire than the other 4

Really…. These new questions that have been asked and covered over and over get old!

If there wasn’t the internet I could understand
I have an idea …. Google?

 

[Maverick77]

Google can't give me an easy answer if my 26 Lariat can have a full size 19" tire and wheel as a spare. Keeps pointing me back to the posts around here discussing 17" wheels. I am guessing a 19" is a no go. Would be great to have on a road trip into the Rockies.

 

[MavStangVa]

According to AAA, flat tires are the number one cause of vehicle break-downs.
I’ve had two in the past 12 years. I ran over a screwdriver and my spare got me to Walmart to have a new tire put on.

I had a tire slashed in Canada at a campground and the spare got me to a service center to get a new tire.

For me, I will always have a spare. In both cases, a can of fix a flat would not have saved me.
Bob

I agree about a spare tire. And I was happy to have the "conventional" spare versus the donut. I also carry AAA for me and my GF. My 2014 F150 also came with a "full size" spare but it actually was not since the truck had 20" wheels and the spare was 18". But I knew it was safe to use in an emergency.

 

[Shelbyv8]

I haven't put a spare on the ground in over 20 years.

 

[Maverick77]

Wish I could say that I have not had to change a tire in 20 years. I had a Chevy Malibu that had a freakish suspension spring failure years ago in which the spring broke and made contact with the tire. The spring was a factory defect that was covered under warranty, but it happened on a Saturday night. It shredded the inside sidewall of the tire. Living in a small rural town with no tire service on weekends can be a bummer. Had a donut to slowly get me home. Glad I was close to home and not on a trip. I also had another tire destroyed on another vehicle by a metal file that must have fell off of somebody's truck. It punctured my tire so bad that it could not be plugged. The tire had less than a 1000 miles on it Days of slow leaks are long gone, but road debris will always be a concern thanks to careless drivers.

 

[Connect]

Yep! The first thing I did was got rid of it - went to Discount Tire and bought a steel wheel with the same size tire as my other four to use as a spare instead.

It fit under there fine?

 

[Hot Runr Guy]

It fit under there fine?

There are probably no less than 100 posts on that subject, both for & against,,,,,

HRG

 

[HeyBales]

Yes it is a problem. So if you get a flat DO NOT USE IT. Walk to a tire store with the flat tire under your arm and buy a replacement. Joking of course. Answer this. When was your last flat tire? Mine was in 2010 and I put the spare on and drove to a tire store immediately. Had 2 tires put on, because they only had 2 alike, drove 300 miles for work. Tire store ordered 2 additional tires and a week later I had them put on.

Last was Oct '25.
In NY, with the 1250 mile return trip coming up in 2 days.
And those 2 days still had some miles - back tire and back roads.

Just like the initial 2 flats - big enough damage a plug wasn't doing it. (who get's a bolt thru! big bolt. other was sidewall slit by tall rock - in street!)
Had free dealership special 1 yr warranty on those 2 replacements.

NY dealership couldn't find the cheaper OEM Conti fast enough - so put on the normal version thicker tread.

Had a 3rd flat in there - plug fixed that one.

Each time spare on - drive the flat to dealership.

 

[zorki1c]

Back in the 90s a friend of our daughter was driving home from college when she had a flat about 50 miles from home. The doughnut spare was supposed to be good for 100 miles at 35 mph. She figured if that was the case she could drive 70 mph for 50 miles! Thankfully she survived.

 

[Chopperbobc]

What good is a spare tire if you can't safely use it....

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