Removing spare tire...BAM!

While it is a good idea to lower the spare and check it in case you actually do need it, a better plan is to buy an air compressor, tire plugs, and tools. It is a LOT easier, faster, cleaner, and safer to plug the tire and air it up with it still on the truck than to mount the spare. I've lost count of the number of times I've done so for myself and others, but it has to be 20+ times. Often, I've just aired up the tire and it held long enough to get to a tire shop and let them fix it without the need for plugs. Or if too damaged to repair let them put my spare on.

Since I started carrying a compressor and tools in all of my vehicles I've only had to resort to the spare once when the hole was too big to plug. Obviously that tire couldn't be saved.

 

I barely open my hood, let alone check my spare tire.

But I am very anal about the psi in my 4 tires. That's what I have on my little screen between the steering wheel. Constantly checking that.

 

Believe it... I've had to dig though my trunk and find the spline drive socket because Discount Tire didn't have one to remove spline drive lug nuts What was more perplexing is that not one of the technicians knew how to drive a standard transmission to get the car into the service bay.

 

I saw that at Sam's club - none of the 20-something guys who were mounting and balancing tires or installing batteries could drive a stick. They all park in a row of old trucks (OBS Chevys), and those are column automatics.

 

I keep the stem up and I am able to check & adjust the air pressure in the spare. I have dual foot air chuck. Sneaks right up through a lug bolt hole next to the stem. The gauge is on the same air hose.

 

I believe that having it suspended under the bed is the worst place to carry the spare. It's exposed to all the road debris, salt, etc. Plus, the suspension system is a weak link. (With my 2000 Ford Ranger, I was worried that the cable would corrode and break, dumping the spare out onto the road. It happens. With the Toyota, at least it's a sturdy chain, which is less liable to break.)

My spares (on both trucks) now ride in the bed. They're heavy enough that they don't shift around in normal driving, with no extra tie downs required. After more than a year, the spare has not shifted position, even an inch.

 

you probably already know this, but your unsecured spare tire will definitely "shift around" and then some if you ever get into a serious accident. Possibly even with enough force to dislodged that bed cap from the vehicle. Be careful out there brother!

 

This was a 2013 Subaru WRX STI six speed manual and the tire changer guy revved the engine and dropped the clutch thus killing the engine twice. I came out of the store to watch fail #3 at manual shift driving till I asked do you just want me to pull it into the service bay. I woulda figured that at least someone maybe a assistant manager in the shop would know the mechanics of a manual transmission.

I know I'm aging myself here as I still remember driving a "3-on-the-tree" transmission on a Dodge Aspen.

Now back on subject... I'll second the idea of a portable compressor and a plug kit and or can of fix-a-flat as a first quick fix to get you going till you can find a tire shop rather than futzing with a spare tire and jack on the side of the road.

Nevertheless it is good practice to annually or semi-annually check the PSI in your spare tire as I can attest from personal experience that having a spare does you no good if it's only got 5 PSI in it.

 

Garage cats are awesome

 

So...there is no cap on the valve stem....right? I wouldn't want that. I'll just buy another small pump and some tire plugs.

 

Oh, there IS a cap. Wouldn't have it any other way. I get it off and back on just fine. One handed even.

 

Wow, you are absolutely correct. There is an enlarged oval-shaped hole in the rim where the valve stem is located...and yeah I can get the cap on/off through that hole. Good to know plus I have a similar air chuck and can set my compressor at 35 psi. Learn something new...well not everyday....but occasionally.

 

I was glad too that I practiced deploying the spare on my truck when I was adding the spare tire lock to it. A few months later I appreciated having figured it out when I lost a tire on my work truck (also a Tacoma) and had to change the spare on the side of the road in triple digit temperatures - wouldn't have been the best time to learn how it worked for sure, worse if I hadn't selected the underside wash option at the car wash and mud had been raining down on me too

 

Think a plug kit or fix a flat would have helped here? Picked this baby up on I-20 west of Abilene late at night in the wife's RAV4.

 

This trick would have helped me out when I was changing a flat on the side of the highway. Single digit temps didn’t help either but I couldn’t get that thing to line up for crap. Ended up crawling under the back of the truck to line it up.

 

Also like to add if you never dropped your spare you should get the jack out and try it in your garage or driveway before you get stuck out in the cold in the middle of nowhere like I did.

 

Puttering in the garage today and the weather was nice, so on a lark I dropped the spare and checked it.

16.5 psi.

Good thing I keep an inflator on board. Pumped it back up to 30 and cranked it back up.

 

chain? How barbaric.

 

OMG...not forgetting to mention...the spare could be a projectile too!

I understand the concern about having the spare under the bed of the truck--chain strength, debris & weather being the big concern. I'd recommend OPS Checking it every year (or 6 months); washing/rinsing/drying the spare tire and checking/replacing the locking mechanism as needed.