Some questions to VX owners

[stangri]

Oh, one more thing I realized -- if I get wider tires, the full-size spare wouldn't fit in the trunk door anymore, would it?

What would happen if I'd get a flat and need to put a spare on?

[PK]

Oh, one more thing I realized -- if I get wider tires, the full-size spare wouldn't fit in the trunk door anymore, would it?

What would happen if I'd get a flat and need to put a spare on?

The spare in the rear door is not normal size anyway.
It is commonly called a pizza cutter (full standard height tyre, but very narrow).
You can only use it as an emergency tyre to get you to a service centre, and is limited to a speed of approx 30 mph IIRC.

If you want to carry a full size spare (standard size or larger) you will have to mount it elsewhere.
Others have them mounted outside the rear door, or up on their roof rack, or if you take the rear seats out, you can mount it inside the cargo space.

PK

[VX KAT]

Oh, one more thing I realized -- if I get wider tires, the full-size spare wouldn't fit in the trunk door anymore, would it?

What would happen if I'd get a flat and need to put a spare on?

Some other IMPORTANT notes....

~because of how the TOD works, it requires that all 4 tires be really really close to the same circumference...so you can't (shouldn't) put a single brand new tire on if the other 3 are fairly worn down...changes the circumference too much and MANY have reported hearing some horrible clunking sounds that are completely resolved when 4 equal size and amount of tread (and pattern for that matter) tires are put on.
You do have some lee-way, but many here have had the nasty clunking that it just can't be good for the TOD to do it. It's probably a good idea to buy 5 new tires when you do your tire upgrade. And also keep in mind, the 5th tire must be put into the rotation so its tread wears down at approximately the same rate as the other 4, so when you need it, it's really close to the same circumference.

~Tom4Bren and Marlin have both have their full size spares mounted to the rear hatch door. Both have posted pics in their galleries of the mounting brackets used. Some have said they worry the weight of the tire/wheel would be too much for the rear hatch door hinges. I believe both guys are pretty "gentle" when using their hatch for that reason. I think it looks great personally, BUT, my hatch hinges went hinky on me after 1 day of off roading in Moab in 2009 and I couldn't shut my hatch completely.....somebody fixed it for me that night, but it made me think that I don't want to put any more stress on the hinges, certainly not 77 lbs extra pounds (OEM rim weighs about 28, my tires weigh 49 lbs). My luck, the whole back door would fall off when I'm driving along....

As PK said, those of us with oversized tires, most (like myself) have mounted the full size spare in a roof cargo basket. If you plan that, make sure the cargo basket is large enough to fit the tire. For example, the smaller Thule Xpedition rack 695 that some have, does NOT fit a 285/60-18 tire (pics in my gallery), only the larger Thule Xpedition basket 696 fits a larger spare..see how vt_maverick just mounted his in his Thule basket this week. Marlin cut part of his basket in the middle to allow his full size spare to fit there when he wants it mounted there (see his gallery for pics).

As PK said, if you want, you can remove the backseat and mount it in the back.
Rowhard just finished a mounting system there..check his gallery for pics and the thread. Also, Jolly Roger VX'er, custom mounted his there. http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/sh...275/ppuser/505

I plan on bringing mine down from my rack and laying it FLAT in the back (seats removed) and ratcheting it down in an "X" pattern to the metal floor hooks back there. I'll put it back up in the basket for certain activities, in the back cargo area for other activities.
(Aw geez, what did I just do?...there's at least 4 words in this paragraph that will light up PK...)

~which brings me to your issue....yes, our spare tire is called a "donut" as it's not a full size tire. The owners manual states (somewhere) if you get a flat on the REAR, do not put the donut on the rear. Move a good front tire to the rear, and put the donut on the front....and get to a tire shop very soon. Like PK said, I think 30 mph (or maybe a little more, can't quite recall specific speed), and I think the rule of thumb is no more than 50 miles (but I'd never go that far on a donut personally).

[Riff Raff]

~which brings me to your issue....yes, our spare tire is called a "donut" as it's not a full size tire. The owners manual states (somewhere) if you get a flat on the REAR, do not put the donut on the rear. Move a good front tire to the rear, and put the donut on the front....and get to a tire shop very soon.

In a nutshell, the donut spare will suffice nicely in case of a flat and it is capable of 45 MPH as indicated on a bright red sticker attached to the donut rim itself. As VX-KAT said, the key is to only use the donut on the FRONT axle (never the rear); and if a flat occurs on the rear, then a good tire must be relocated from the front. This is because the TOD system is very sensitive to mis-matched tires on the rear axle, and is much more forgiving to mis-matched tires on the front axle (just get the original flat fixed ASAP).

Is it worth getting a full-size spare??? I would say, NO.
Just ask yourself these questions:

o When was the last time you ever got a flat???
o If you did get a flat-- how close were you to civilization and able to quickly find a nearby service station/repair shop???
o Do you constantly want to lug around a heavy and bulky full-size spare, when the OEM donut will easily suffice on the front axle in a rare emergency and be able to limp yourself back home or to a nearby repair shop???

Today's truck tires are very durable and tough, and are very unlikely to ever get a flat unless you are in the extreme outback wilderness. If you do ever plan on venturing out in the dead of wilderness; then yes, take along a full-size spare for the occasion (it can just be a cheapo rim, with a skinny tire having the same O.D.). Once you're back home in the urban environment, then toss the cheapo full-size spare back into the garage.

Constantly lugging around a heavy, bulky full-size spare tire 24/7 is a total waste of cargo space (interior located), creates excessive wind-drag (roof-top located), and lowers your MPG overall with the extra additional weight. It simply isn't worth the hassle in today's modern world of cell phones, AAA, and available mobile tire repair services that will gladly come out to your roadside location to fix your existing flat (that is if you ever get a flat in your lifetime). Don't waste your money on a full-size spare unless you plan on venturing deep into the outback wilderness. Use the OEM donut on the front axle for that rare emergency that will likely never happen.