Do you often wonder how far you can drive around on your spare tyre? In this blog, we will talk about everything you need to know about your spare tyre.
What is a Spare Tyre?
A spare tyre is an extra tyre that you keep in your vehicle for emergency use, such as replacing a punctured or burst tyre. A spare tyre is called Stepney.
In the market, you will find typically two types of spare tyres, namely, regular spare tyres and space-saver or donut tyres. While regular spare tyres are similar to your regular tyres, space savers are smaller in size than regular tyres.
Is it safe to use a regular spare tyre for long term?
If you have already replaced a damaged tyre with a spare tyre, it is best to have a professional inspect it for any warning signs. The performance and quality of a tyre can degrade if it is stored for years in extreme conditions.
A regular spare tyre works just like your regular tyre. But, in this case, you should either get your previous tyre repaired or get a new tyre as early as possible. Otherwise, if you suffer another puncture or emergency without a spare, your road trip can be quite risky anytime.
Is it safe to use a space-saver tyre for the long term?
No. If you had to replace your original tyre with a space-saver or would face this situation in the future, you must not rely on a space-saver for long term use. Space savers are strictly designed for temporary use so that you can get to the closest tyre dealers in Dubai and get the tyre changed with a new one or have the previous regular tyre repaired.
A space-saver tyre is restricted in size and hence, its usage is also restricted. It is compact and lightweight and not as solid and durable as it should be. It has less traction which reduces your ability to handle the car even on the straight road.
Thus, a space-saver tyre must never be used for the long term. Besides, if your space-saver gets damaged, you must always replace it with a new one, instead of getting it repaired.
How should I maintain or take care of spare tyres?
Here are a few tips that will help you keep your spare tyre in the best condition:
- To ensure that your spare tyre is ready for use during an emergency, you should regularly check its air pressure. Thus, whenever you check the tyre pressure of your vehicle, remember to check the pressure in your spare tyre as well.
- Once in a while, clean the dust on your spare tyre because accumulated dust on a tyre can lead the rim of the wheel to be rusted.
- Even though most spare tyres can be used safely for lots of kilometres, it is highly recommended to check the tread of the spare tyre, rotate it with the other four tyres when you go for a routine tyre rotation procedure.
- Never use a spare tyre farther than it is supposed to be used. Unless you have a full-size matching spare tyre, your spare tyre is meant to take you to the nearby tyre dealers in Dubai. Never exceed the speed limit when driving on a spare tyre.
- Get the spare tyre fully checked with the help of a tyre expert to ensure that it can be safely used in case of any emergencies.
Follow the above tips, and you don’t have to stress or be apprehensive about the use of a spare car tyre.