How Far Can One Safely Drive On A Spare Tire?
Getting a flat tire is never fun- and driving around on a spare can be nerve-racking. When road hazard strikes and you're stuck riding around on your spare, how far can you drive around the Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades area?
The tire design will determine how far you can get on a spare. There are two primary types of spares: doughnut and full-size. Many newer luxury vehicles come with run-flat tires instead of an extra tire. Most flats are fixable and are some are not. Some flats aren't fixable due to a tire's interior damage or a puncture that may be too close to the side wall. However, sometimes, it's just an old tire, so it's too worn to be fixed.
What's A Donut And How Does It Save Your Life?
Also known as a space-saver tire, these little guys typically fit under the floorboard in the trunk. Compared to regular tires, other ones are comprised of rubber. You'll know which ones are which because the rubber ones have a different tread pattern. If you see these traits on your tire, you can confidently drive up to about 55 mph. You can get up to 50 to 70 miles out of a doughnut. These estimations should be enough to get you to a tire repair center like ours. We would never recommend that you use anything but these two options. Schedule tire service online now!
Get New Tires ASAP
No matter what you own, in the case of a flat, it's important that you get your standard tire repaired or replaced as soon as possible and substitute your spare tire as quickly as needed.
With a donut tire, especially, a fast trip to our auto center near Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades, CA is essential. These substitute spares don't handle the road nearly as well as your regular tire, don't brake as efficiently. The spares are hard on the other wheel components since they have to move faster, due to their size. Since you can only get around 50 miles out of your doughnut spare, they are often single-use components.
Your wheels are the only vehicle part that consistently touches the road, so it's essential that all of them - including the spare - are kept in top-notch condition. Review their pressures regularly and check out bulges, cracks, and worn tread. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our tire team!