Brother Can you Spare a Tire?

Finally got around to looking at my spare. It is, I believe, the original donut spare from '95. Looks remarkably good too. However, if I use it I'll bet I'd be the only kid on my block relying on one that old. Should I replace it with another- same type or do you (can you) fit a full size spare in the compartment? Are those donuts the same diameter as the road tires?

You can fit a full size tire and rim in the compartment. I have had 225 75R15 and 235 70R15 in the compartment.

Tom

Went with full size spare

One evening, my beautiful wife and I heard a sound like an 88 mm cannon going off in our home. We looked for evidence of a terrorist attack or an airplane crash but found nothing.

Months later I discovered it was the 65 PSIG donut spare in our Eldorado had completely blown to shreds while in the trunk. Never been on the ground.

Full size spare is the right move.

Rev Bob wrote:

One evening, my beautiful wife and I heard a sound like an 88 mm cannon going off in our home. We looked for evidence of a terrorist attack or an airplane crash but found nothing.

Months later I discovered it was the 65 PSIG donut spare in our Eldorado had completely blown to shreds while in the trunk. Never been on the ground.

WOW

Years ago my mom was dating a guy, and they were returning from a primitive cabin with their trash in the trunk...the spare detonated making a trash bomb in the trunk.

zonaman wrote:

Went with full size spare

Can you share the size you used? I tried fitting a 235/75R15 in there and did not succeed (I currently have a 225/75R15 as spare, but it is old and I want to have a good spare).

Try a 235/70/15. The only issue you might have is the diameter of the tire. if you have 235/75/15 on the car and a limited slip differential, it will wear the clutches if used on the rear.

Fred Kiehl wrote:

Try a 235/70/15. The only issue you might have is the diameter of the tire. if you have 235/75/15 on the car and a limited slip differential, it will wear the clutches if used on the rear.

Thank you. That is the exact reason why I would like something of the same diameter.

If a rear tire fails, I could always put the spare in the front (where the LSD is irrelevant) and move the good front tire to replace the blown rear one -- but I'd rather have something usable directly without having to take off/install multiple tires. Hence, my question if anyone has managed to fit a 235/75R15 in the spare well (FWIW, my current one is 225/75R15, whose diameter is within 1% of the 235/70R15).

The tire diameter is the reason it does not fit in the spare well. Unless you can lower the bottom of the spare well you are stuck.

Fred Kiehl wrote:

The tire diameter is the reason it does not fit in the spare well. Unless you can lower the bottom of the spare well you are stuck.

Thank you. The bottom of the well is perfect on my car, so I won't mess it up. Guess I'll stick with what I have now.

Maybe you can just let half the air out of the spare and carry a can of flat fix?

I don't see a mention of what tire size the OP is now running on the car, but it sounds like it might be 235/70/15, which offers more options than the OEM 225/75/15 for a decent tire. If so, why use anything but 235/70/15 for the spare? As Tom already noted, it fits just fine in the well (heavy SOB to lift out though.... travel with a teenager!).

I would not trust a 28+ yr old tire of any size, no matter how it looked. Had one detonate on the rear in a construction zone with the car squeezed between Jersey barriers with about 12" to spare on each side. That will give you an all-day pucker.