Just noticed I still have my 24 year old spare tire still underneath.

Just noticed my original Dunlop spare tire is still mounted (un-used) under my '96 4x4 Tacama.

I wonder what kind of mileage I could still get out of it?

I've never had a flat tire in 24 years/414,000 miles so never had a reason to use it.

 

I think that tire has reached its "best if used by" date.

Perhaps the spare tire winch, too. You've seen the recall that was issued on those, yes?

[Oops -- the recall was only on Gen 1.5 trucks. See @jammer's details below.]

 

That thing is probably hard as a rock.

My spare (2004) is original as well, also never used. Next time I get new tires, I'm definitely getting 5.

 

24 years is a good streak of no flats! i've had just one so far in 23 yrs, but noticed it in the driveway one morning so just jacked up the truck and took it for repair

just put some tire wet gloss on it and it will look good as new
my truck originally came with goodyear wranglers not dunlops, i wonder why?

 

I was about to say you could probably get that rusted tire carrier replaced but then I noticed yours is a '96

 

As to not having a flat in 24 years, good for you. Knock on wood though

 

Or just run E rated tires...

 

Didn't seem hard, but tire pressure is real low.

 

I didn't really notice how rusted the tire carrier wing was until seeing the photo. The shock covers (original shocks) are very rusted as well, but frame is in amazing shape.
I need to remove the spare, check it out and address the carrier.

 

You were probably better off with the Goodyear as I remember the original Dunlops not lasting very long at all. Other than the original factory set, I've always gotten very good tire mileage with this truck.

 

my trucks mileage dropped real bad when i changed from the stock wranglers to the duratracs, it is still unclear where 2 to 3 MPGs went!!
the only thing i can really do is to buy another set of wheels (refinished) and different tires then troubleshoot if there is a big difference in mileage

 

Need to knock on wood every day as this truck has never given me any issue tires or other wise, been an amazing truck.

 

I've torn a sidewall on an E rated tire

Granted 1 flat in countless wheeling trips over 3.5 years is a pretty good record if you ask me, I definitely think E rated is the way to go if you wheel. Overkill on these trucks for sure but worth the peace of mind when you're in a remote area

 

I had the GoodYears too and it's my original spare under there. I thought it was a TRD thing to have them as they were 31x10.50s. I'm also of the persuasion that while E's are way over kill, I too never had a flat and running over a gafftop catfish was usually a sure thing.

 

Last week when rotating my tires I also checked on my 20 year old, never touched pavement, spare.
It never gets in the rotation because the truck came with factory aluminum wheels and the spare is standard steel wheel.

I can’t see buying new but I am keeping my eyes open for a newer used tire to replace it.

 

Fairly rust free, too! You must not be in the salt belt.

 

That tire is probably brittle, but if it's only used as a spare at slow speeds, could serve you for a short ride. Best to replace it. ...at least you still have yours. Last year as I was heading down the mountain roads to town I saw a tire on the side of the road, and said out loud, "some idiot threw a tire out". Someone else did pick it up before I headed back home, so I was glad. A week or so later as I went to change my differential fluids, I found that the cable holding the spare in place had snapped, and I was the idiot. The replacement lives in the bed under the camper shell.

 

@Kevin Jones , Maybe a Tire Museum would be interested in your spare. When I purchased my 03 DC back in 2010, it also had the original spare, never used, but I didn't use it, and bought a new tire when I purchased my first new set.

 

which is more 'museum quality', dunlop or goodYear