Knowing Where to Place Your Spare Tire

It’s that moment we all dread—getting a flat tire while you’re out and about. Naturally, your first instinct is to stick your spare tire on your hub and get back to driving—but is that always the best choice? After all, attaching a spare tire on your front set of wheels can be downright dangerous—stick with us as we go over where you’ll want to place your spare tire and how long you can use your backup parts. Also, if you need a replacement tire now, head to our tire center at Spitzer Acura in McMurray, PA.

Why You Don’t Want to Be “Upfront” with Your Spare?

You don’t want to replace your front tire with a spare since your vehicle often weighs more in the front, which puts excess pressure on a tire that’s much smaller than a standard-sized part, potentially leading to a variety of issues like throwing you off course when you attempt to turn. Even worse, remember that your front tires often do most of the work when you brake—so, imagine an undersized tire taking the brunt of your stopping power—the odds are high that you’ll slide (if not spin out of control) when you need to come to a quick stop at a four-way intersection or to avoid a fender bender ahead. Also, just generally driving with a spare upfront can throw your wheels out of alignment since you’re driving with different-sized tires, unevenly distributing weight across your vehicle.

What If You Have No Other Options—Can You Use a Front Spare?

If you have absolutely no other options, and you’re only driving a short distance (only a few blocks), then you’re usually safe attaching a front spare tire—just make sure you drive defensively and refrain from taking any further risks. For longer distances (past fifty miles as a rule of thumb), you’re better off calling for a towing service to take you to the nearest tire center since such a small tire will struggle even in the rear at that point.

More Safety Tips: How Far Will a Spare Take You?

Again, remember that your spare tire isn’t a full-sized tire—so you won’t want to go far. As with the front replacement, you won’t want to travel further than fifty miles since you not only risk your safety, but your car parts are also in danger of needing an imminent repair (again, the uneven weight distribution wears the tread on your other tires quickly and can throw your balance off). Also, try to stay below highway speeds since your vehicle can’t perform at its peak—and you risk losing control at fast speeds since you’re using such a small part that struggles to keep up with your acceleration.

Where Can You Find a Replacement Tire?

Riding with a spare tire now? Don’t risk your safety and damaging your car—instead, visit our Spitzer Acura tire center and we’ll help you replace your tires from a variety of brands and styles to help match your cruising pace. While you’re here, your needs come first, so feel free to ask us any questions or for any particular tire types, and we’ll work our hardest to find what you’re looking for—it’s the start of how we offer premium tire service.