I have learned two things in the recent past:

1. Don't tow your trailer when you have a temporary spare on the TV. Temporary spares are not rated for towing.

2. Don't back (or turn) a dual axle trailer too tightly or you will wreck the tires on the pivot side, because the point of pivot with a dual axle is between the two tires and what you are effectively doing is forcing the tires to slide sideways.

Not too old to learn new things!

I saw this take place on Vancouver Island last year. A guy was backing into a very tight spot with a very big trailer. He blew two tires right off the rims.

I wonder if it's possible to make such a blanket statement about all temporary spares?

I ask because I've seen a great variation in type and size, depending on the vehicle.

Granted, none of them would be advisable for towing, but then they aren't really intended for long-term driving either, except to get you to the repair place. I wonder if some of them would be suitable for the job of getting you to the next tire-repair place, taking it slowly. Mine seems like it might be. I'll have to check my manual. There are times when driving slowly along would be preferable to staying where you are, or leaving the trailer in a given location.

Not saying that it would be recommended for anyone's temporary spare to tow, but I just wonder if every temporary spare is specifically not allowed to be used when towing?

Raya

Mini spares are not rated for driving either, so why carry one?.....Of course you can use your minispare to limp in for repairs, even when towing your Scamp.**
My Scamp spare will even bolt on to my Ranger, in a real pinch.
Of course,Any time you must use an off sized spare or a minispare it will affect driveability, and caution must be exercised while driving to the nearest repair facility.
Don't forget to use your 4-ways when driving significantly slower than traffic.


** or other lightweight fiberglass trailer small enough to pull behind a vehicle which comes with a minispare.

While we're on the subject of mini spares, Subarus with auto trans require the spare to be mounted on only the rear, and
to pull a fuse to convert it from AWD to front wheel drive. Just running the donut spare can damage the drive train.

Disclaimer: I have Subaru, but with a manual transmission and a full sized spare, so check your manual for exact details...

My Honda Odyssey's manual specifically states NOT to tow while utilizing the "doughnut" spare. Honda will sell you an optional full service tire mounted on a standard rim. They packaged a bracket to install in the 3rd row seat well, behind the 3rd row seating, to carry the tire in an upright configuration. However, this prevents you from folding the seat into the well. We don't utilize the seat often, and it spends most of the time folded into the well. I haven't experienced a flat on the Odyssey yet. I have experienced flats on the Fiber Stream...

Just to clarify, I wasn't trying to say that it was definitely okay to tow with a spare; but I felt that perhaps it was a bit too general to say that warning held for all spares. I just feel more comfortable if each person checks their owner's manual, to see what the recommendation is for their specific vehicle.

Raya

IMO "compact" spares are a highly developed bad idea. If I bought a car that had one I would replace it with a full grown tire and wheel immediately. Most of them are rated for 50 miles of use, get you to a tire shop and that's it.

i agrees...
the best all-around solution is full-size spares... i always get rid of donuts...
the weight difference is usually less than 20lbs...

While I too would prefer a regular spare, it must be said that tire developement has come far enough to make the minispare a viable alternative.
There was a time when a touring car would carry 3 or 4 spares for a trip and need them.
They also carried these extra tires many times without wheels and with tubes and a tire pump.
I haven't used a spare tire on one of my cars since 1985. In fact some new cars now come without spares. My Ranger came with a fullsized spare, which I imediately changed to match the tires that I put on the ground.[Remember this when changing tire size]
Most small SUV's come with mini spares and many of them would not have the space to properly install the regular wheel and tire in the stow area.
With the rarity of tire failure today, this is practically a non-issue, but I would not want to be stuck on the highway in the middle of nowhere without a spare, and I would surely use it in a prudent manner to reach a place of safety and service, mini or otherwise.


BTW; I carry a 12V compressor , a plug kit, and a can of "Fix-a-Flat" which I would also make use of under appropriate circumstances.

Floyd,

Agreed on the "Fix-a-flat." Although I don't use it casually, since it can make a bit of a mess inside the tire (for whomever does fix it), I will use it in certain situations, where changing a tire might be dangerous (place or time).

I carry a small tire patch (plug) kit, too. I used a friend's kit once a few years ago when I had driven over a screw and had a slow leak. I was able to remove the screw and fit the plug (on the car) without even causing the tire to lose much air. Took me back to one of my first jobs, at a gas station I had completely forgotten that you could just plug your own tire (certain holes, anyway) until a friend reminded me; after that I got my own kit to carry.

I hadn't had an actual on-the-road flat in ages, until last year when I had a blowout on one of my rear tires. Luckily I was only going about 25mph and was not towing. Unluckily, I had not checked my spare for air in much too long a time Luckily, a gas station was only a quarter mile away, and I had been able to pull off the road into a church parking lot. So I simply got some practice jacking the car up, and rolling a tire while I walked Hey, it was nice to have the spare be a bit smaller and lighter! (Mine is a mini-spare, but it's a biggish mini-spare).

I called the tire place (Tire Rack) because they were "good" tires, and not more than a year or two old (about 15,000 miles on them). They said that sometimes these just happen, and it could have been from driving over something. But they did also mention that if you drive with too little air pressure in your tires, that the belts can kind of start to rearrange themselves, and that can lead to a blowout. Anyway, I got two new rear tires just to be safe for towing. Now I have a really nice spare at home

Raya

I always carry two spares for my trailer these days. Had a tire self destruct in Montana last year and drove 400 miles with no spare before I could get a replacement.

2. Don't back (or turn) a dual axle trailer too tightly or you will wreck the tires on the pivot side, because the point of pivot with a dual axle is between the two tires and what you are effectively doing is forcing the tires to slide sideways.
I borrowed a flatbed with 2 axles to move some yard debri. I never thought about trying to turn a trailer with 4 tires before. I had my hand dolly on it and couldn't hardly turn it at all. Glad I only have 2 tires on my camper!