June 15th, 2024 by harlalka
One of the most frustrating things to see in life is a flattened tyre right in the middle of the road. The best way to deal with it is to use the spare tyre hidden under the belly of your vehicle. It can at least help you drive your car safely to the closest repair shop.
Full-sized spare tyres
Traditionally, passenger cars were built to accommodate full-sized spare tyres with them. These days, you find a lot of MPVs (multi-purpose vehicles) and SUVs (sports utility vehicles) that carry these tyres. They are, however, heavier and need more storage space. However, when it comes to performance they are a lot more durable and thus can deal with similar driving as you would do with your normal tyre. Still, their capacity is not equal to those tyres. Having said that, you can use them to drive hundreds of kilometres if the need be before you get the injured tyre repaired or get a brand new one.
However, if the tyre has been lying under the trunk for a few years you should inspect it before you start driving on it. You also must be cautious when you are driving on it. You should also remember that many car-makers do not provide you with the same stock tyre for use as a spare. They may also get it made by a different brand of tyre-makers just so that they can cut costs. If that is indeed the case you would surely face issues with handling and traction.
Donut or space-saver spare tyres
Their name should indicate to you clearly that they are not as heavy as the full-sized spare tyres. They are also produced in such a way that they can be accommodated easily in small cars thus saving space. It also helps that these tyres do not cost much. With these tyres, the car manufacturers pass the benefits onto you – the customers. Usually, you should not drive these tyres for over 110 km and the speed should never exceed 80 km per hour. If you use them any longer than that you would risk the failure of the lubricating grease.
This means that the clutch and gear plates would be worn out excessively. The main reason for such slow speed and short distance is that these tyres do not have a substantial amount of tread which makes them vulnerable to various hazards that you may face on the road. It must also be noted over here that since these tyres are comparatively smaller in size they have to spin quicker so that they can keep pace with the movement of the car.
Run-flat tyres
Apart from these you also have run-flat tyres but the thing is that you would not normally find them in every car because they do not have them. Such tyres are usually provided as stock with luxury brands such as BMW (Bavaria Motor Works), Mini, and Audi. The special thing about these tyres is that they can maintain the right kind of pressure even when they have been punctured. However, they are also costlier than your standard tyres, and in case they are punctured you have to replace them. As far as performance goes, they remain inflated for around 80-150 km.
You can also drive them at reduced speeds, between 70 and 90 km depending on the brand of car that you normally drive. The pressure monitor in this case will also notify you regarding the time when you need to stop the car closer to a safer space.
The bottom line is that no matter what type of spare tyre you are using it is a spare tyre and it is meant to be used as such. This means that you should not be using them for a long time. Ideally, if you experience any issue with your tyres while driving you should visit a repair shop as soon as you can.