How much air is in your spare?

[PolarisCobra 132]

Call this a public service announcement if you like – When was the last time you checked the air pressure in your spare tire?

My daughter came home last week, parked, and heard hissing. We figured out pretty quickly that she had run over something, got stuck in the tire. Thankfully, she was in the driveway when she found it. I got her spare out, and put it on, she took the car her cousins shop the next day, he fixed the leak, and put the tire back on.

When I put the spare on, it was easy to see that the pressure was low. Got the tire gauge out, 20 PSI, should be 60. Filled it up, she was good to go.

Made me think, so I checked one of my cars. Had not checked that tire in several years. 16 PSI, should be 60.

Point is, if that flat had happened on the road someplace, the spare would not have been much use, unless there was a gas station close by to limp to. Might want to check your spares, to know they will be ready if you need them.

 

BTW - While you are at it, check the spare on your trailer...

[Old Thumper 150]

Likewise, if you have a pickup with the spare tire held under the bed by a crank down carrier mechanism...  If you don't exercise that carrier mechanism once a year and keep it lubed up, there's a good chance it will be froze up when you need to use that spare tire.

[PolarisCobra 132]

I suppose it doesn't matter how much air is in the tire if you can't get it out from under the truck...

[smallengineguy 88]

Or for that matter tried to lower the spare on their pickup? I have a chevy full size and have never had a reason to let the spare down, which is stored under the rear of the bed. Went to try it a few weeks ago and had to CUT the cable holding it. Glad I never got a flat!

[rneal55555 12]

Well I guess it's a good thing I had a flat last year and got to exercise mine. It was also a good thing a friend following me had a bid block of hardwood in his trailer because I had to beat the wheel off the hub with it.

 

 

[Saluda 110]

Ford has a lock on it's spare that the salt does a job on. Learned a while ago to keep it greased. Poor idea on their part !

[PolarisCobra 132]

On 12/22/2019 at 10:57 PM, rneal55555 said:

Well I guess it's a good thing I had a flat last year and got to exercise mine. It was also a good thing a friend following me had a bid block of hardwood in his trailer because I had to beat the wheel off the hub with it.

I take the wheels off my trailer every two years, get some lube on the hubs and lugs. I figure that after 5 years or so, they would be a real struggle to get off considering all the salt the trailer gets exposed to.