Spare Tire Question

[big_dawg74]

Well, the craptacular stock General Ameritracs are getting ready to give up the ghost with only about 22,000 miles on them. But my spare has never even been dropped down from the frame. Zero miles. I was thinking how old is too old for tires? I don't know what the date code on the tire is. Is it reasonable to replace the spare just because of age, and for no other reason?

 

 

Debating on the BFGoodrich Long Trail T/A Tour or the General Grabber HTS (both highly rated by tirerack.com), although I am leery of purchasing another General product. Anybody have any experience with either of these? My truck is a quote unquote street truck. Mostly rain here in the NW, snow maybe 3x a year. Paved road to and from work. Do not need any off road/mudder tires.

[99silveradoz71]

That tire safety video that we have a link to around here(probably above) mentioned 6 years I believe.

[salden77]

you will not be disappointed with the BFGoodrich long trail tours, they are a nice highway tire and BFG makes an awesome quality tire, i inherited a set of those from a company truck that got totaled last winter, my truck rode very smooth and quiet with those on.

[rodram]

... MY OPINION on your spare tire question would be that, yes the tire will age and become an increased risk of blowout/separation if ever used as one of your primary tires at high speeds in hot weather yada yada.... but if you treat it as "just a spare", and if you ever need to use it one day, then remember it is "just a spare" ... only drive it a 50 mph max and only far enough to get home or to a tire shop to get the regular tire fixed or replaced.... something like the rule for those dinky little donut tires that some cars have for a spare...

 

... I have an "original" spare Goodyear Wrangler on my 97 with only a little bit of wear .... it looks good, but I would never use it as a regular everyday tire now ... the tire safety video referenced above talks about 6 or 7 years max ... so I won't be putting a 13 year old tire into regular service on my truck ... but I will keep it around as a spare tire

[jro909]

my generals got 45k on them and still got plenty of tread, i have no idea what you did to them but i drive 50 miles a day on them, as far as the spare i'd just replace it, the main issue is trying to get it down, its going to be seized up there and 99% i know just ended up cutting the cable and chuckin the spare in the bed