Stock Spare Steelie -- Any Issue with Running it Full Time??

Searched for a while to try to answer this--came up with tid bits of info here and there, but no solid answer. Hopefully someone can chime I with the answer here...

2015 DCLB SR5 4X4 auto trans.

Truck has the stock 16" alloy wheels and the stock steelie all wrapped in 265/75/R16 KO2s.

The stock steelie looks to be the same exact size and offset as the alloy wheels.

I want to do a 5 tire rotation. My question is, any issues with running the stock steelie, as part of that rotation?

I already know that the stock alloy will fit up under the bed in the spare location just fine and the alloy lugs look like they seat the steelie onto the hub OK. I'm just curious if there is anything funky that I'm missing here with running the stock steelie on the truck for the long term.

Here's the truck as it sits now on the stock alloys (with the little squirt posing in front of it).

 

Hmmmm when you do a tire rotation on a (4x4) its has a pattern its needs to follow. Sorry if it doesn't answer your question haha!

I don't know where the 5th one would go on the rotation cycle

 

Check the weight.

 

You're asking if there's anything wrong with daily driving on a factory steelie made for emergency use that says it's rated up to only a certain low speed for the wheel?

I dunno you tell me.

You could just continue to drive on 4 tires and rotate those as needed, like every other Tacoma owner in history for over the past 10 years
Then you could take that extra time spent contemplating this and attempt to perform another mod/upgrade that's actually worth doing

Given how easy it is to unbolt a hub-mounted wheel and swap it with another one, versus finding and opening a spare tool kit to lower the spare tire held on by a chain
would probably require having the thought process "How can I make my life more difficult" which most people here will not do

Given that rear tires wear first in RWD so they can be swapped front and back as needed based on tread depth
There is not really a point in rotating a spare

Most people look at a spare and go "Oh. This is 10 years old. Tires last 5 or 10 years. It's dry-rotted. Maybe it's time to put a new tire and valve stem/TPMS service pack so this can be functional if ever needed"

the only reason I can think to rotate in a spare, is to match the tread depth, so if it needs installing during a puncture and a long drive follows, it does not harm the differential by running uneven tread depths.
Which might matter less if extra work is taken at that point to swap wheels around so that an uneven discrepancy (new spare) is put up front during RWD mode where it would not for example stress a TRD sport rear LSD.
There are many questions with that. Like would it become then a 5 wheel aluminum set, and if the 5th would fit/hold in the spare holder assembly and chain hoist bracket. So it is not an eyesore standing out like a steelie when swapped.
Swapping tires can be done. It's not recommended. Each time you remove a tire/break the bead, it risks being cut on the machine.
Another way is swingout rear bumper tire carrier. That makes one able to run a bigger spare that's easier to access during a trail puncture. Plenty of Jeep guys run pretty looking 5th wheels mounted to the tail/hatch gate.

 

the answer is......NO

 

No problems mechanically.

Cosmetically, it'll look a bit funky. Although, if you're ok with the appearance, then do as you wish.

 

The KO2s aren't directional, so that's not a problem.

I believe this an appropriate order for 5-wheel rotation (per https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=43 ):

 

Interesting opinion you got there... But not really what I am looking for. I was asking about the safety/technical aspects of running the steelie full time.

WRT the sticker that says "temporary use/emergency only/low speed only", I'm fairly certain that sticker is meant for the spare tire itself, as most donuts used as spares aren't meant to last long. I don't have this issue with a full size spare.

 

I haven't weighed them yet, but from what I've read the steelie is around 32 lb and the alloy around 22 lb.

I don't think the difference in rolling mass will cause any issues.

 

I can’t remember why the sticker is on the steelie saying it’s only to be run temporarily. I thought it was something to do with not having a TPMS sensor, and using the factory style alloy lug nuts with it, which work fine for the steelie as well.

Probably easier to find a cheapo used alloy cause no one wants them, and have the spare mounted on that so you can have all 5 match.

The steelie itself otherwise is fine to run permanently with the right lug nuts. It’s the same style of steel wheel that 1st gen Tundras ran and FJs were optioned with. I ran a set of 4 on my Tacoma for a few years.

 

That's what I figured. I just wanted to double check to see if there are any weird issues I'm not thinking of. Thanks.

 

People run the FJ steelies

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/show-off-your-steel-wheels.467479/

 

Thanks for the input. That was my thought as well.

It looks like the alloy lug nuts hold secure the steelie in place OK, but I haven't tested it yet. I might get a set of the acorn-style nuts for the steelie for the time being for piece of mind.

 

If you couldn't use the alloy wheel lug nuts with the spare wheel (steelie), Toyota would have provided a set for use with the spare, but, do whatever your comfortable with. Personally, I would pick up another alloy wheel from CL or other, and begin your 5 tire rotation regimen if that's your plan. Your spare does NOT have a TPMS sensor. So, it's your choice to add a sensor or not. Your Tacoma can track 5 sensors, but, needs 4 to keep the light off.
Ps.....I got 42K from my stock Bridgestones, 4 tire rotation every 7K miles and they would have easily gone another 10K miles (the stimulus check made me do it...LOL)

 

What a load of crap for a simple question.

OP:
Just work that 5th tire into rotation. No issues other than cosmetic, but you're already ok with that.

You get 25% more life out of all the tires. You already paid for the tire, put it to good use. TPMS won't even notice unless you move one of the other four far enough away from the truck.

 

The only time a spare tire becomes an issue is when the spare tire is a "donut spare".

These "donut" tires are emergency use only. Put it on when needed, get your a55 to a repair shop, get the "donut" off the road.

Many times the "donut" is limited speed and range. Going beyond the speed and range will put the "donut" at a higher risk of failure, oft times leading to a very bad situation.

A full size spare on a full wheel does not have these problems.


The other situation to consider is if you have changed wheels and are using a different type of lug nut. The style of the lug nut MUST match the wheel's lug seat for the nut to properly clamp the wheel onto the hub.


IIRC, the Toyota mag style lug nuts will work with the steel spare, but it is meant as a TEMPORARY fastener. The steel wheel should have a set of lug nuts that match if you plan to have the steel on the road in permanent use.

 

Thanks for confirming guys. That's pretty much what I thought. For anyone searching this in the future--all normal stuff, no special issues.

The stock lug nuts have a small conical section at the very end, similar to acorn-style lug nuts, so that they can seat the stock steelie. The shank/mag-style section doesn't interface with the steelie, so the lug nuts stick out pretty far. But other than that they should work OK.

I'm planning on grabbing some dedicated acorn-style ones just for the steelie when it's in use (dedicated acorn-style typically have a bigger mating surface than the small conical mating surface one on the stock mag-style ones), but for now the alloy mag-style lug nuts will work.

Thanks again for the input everyone.

It's sitting on the steelie now:

 

You could probably pick up a used alloy wheel for not much more than a set of lug nuts and then your unsprung weight will be consistent at all corners.

 

A fair point. I may look into that a little later down the road. Thanks for the input!

 

No problem at all.