Spare tire mounted upside down?

This is an interesting thread -- I think I had better take a better look at my owners manual!

 

I always flip valve side down. Learned that from the coach who taught us drivers' ed 30 years ago. Funny.

 

Why do you need to check and air up your spare when it's not being used? Just buy a small compressor to keep in your truck and you can fill it if/when you need it. You can get a basic compressor for cheap (~$20).

 

I just put an extra 10 psi in my spare as a buffer against loss over time.

 

Any specific recommendations? I'd like a decent air compressor to keep in my truck at all times - to adjust tire pressure when needed in offroad situations (moreso to put the air back in before hitting the pavement) and when driving in diff temps/altitudes. Also would prefer to have the AC/DC option as we have several inflatable items (rafts, etc.,) and would prefer to use the AC in the truck bed vs. being tied to the DC in the cab.

 

I just got a little cheapo. It's D.C. And takes awhile to air up, but it's perfect for just topping off the spare and stuff. It's pretty slow so might be a pain in the ass to air up all 4 tires after off-roading, etc. But the price was right. I'll see what kind it is when I head back out to my truck after work shortly. Super small and fits under the backseat.

 

I go valve stem up to protect the stem and the face of the wheel. I use my spare in the rotation, so all tires get checked whenever I rotate.

 

Even though I don't use my Spare in my rotation, I always pull it down a couple times a year to clean and make sure the pressure is good.

 

Reason they put them face up is to make getting the spare off easier.To protect the valve stem and to keep water , dirt and debris sitting inside the back of the rim causing rusting out on a steel spare. Allso mud and debris on the inside of the rim will cause a perfectly balanced tire to become unbalanced.

 

The spare is upside down to protect the nice rims from road debris, also keeps the metal arm that holds the spare from nicking/wrecking a nice rim.
U have some sort of tpms system...

The only way to properly have 5 tpms sensors is if you have the recalibration tool to tell the ecu which serial numbers are being used...
ie you would have to remove all your tires write down the serial numbers on the current 4 tpms add an extra tpms and serial number and when u rotate your spare in or use it you have to plug in your recalibration tool to set the tpms serial numbers in the ecu.

 

So does this mean all the guys running spares with matching tires and rims are not rotating their spare in? Sorry if thats a dumb question. Just wondering for when I get my 4Runner wheels. If its a huge PIA to rotate the spare in, I think I will stick to the stock spare and just by 4 wheels instead of 5. What do you guys do?

 

Mine was inside out!!

 

Click on the link and read post #19, maybe this can help you out?

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/texas-tacomas-only.482405/#post-14875798

Oh and by the way your Tacoma "should have TPMS" installed (which is now mandated by the U.S. NTSB).

Read your vehicles Owners Manual to familiarize yourself with your Tacoma.

 

It just means that you have to set the tpms to read the new tire and not the one cycled out, unless u want to know what pressure your tire is under the truck(spare) and not on the ground.

 

I cant remember the year for sure, but the DOT mandated TPMS sensors in all vehicles starting 2010 or so. Every single 2017 vehicle sold in the US aside from some commercial vehicles, has TPMS.