Most motorists regularly check the four wheels installed on their car. Pressure, tread condition, damage — all of this is usually checked at least from time to time. But many only remember the spare tire when one of the main ones has already been punctured.
It is then that it turns out that the spare tire may be completely unprepared for use. It can lie unattended for years, gradually losing pressure, corroding, or even disappearing along with its mounting. Therefore, it is better to check its condition in advance, when there is time and normal conditions.
First, make sure the spare tire is even there
The first thing to do is to open the storage area and make sure that the spare wheel is indeed where it should be. This is especially relevant for cars where the spare tire is mounted externally.
A wheel mounted on the tailgate or under the body is in a more accessible place for outsiders. Over time, it could well have acquired a new owner, and the driver may only discover the loss at the most inconvenient moment.
There is another category of cars for which such a check is especially important. If the car is used by someone who is not its permanent owner, they may simply not know that there is no spare wheel.
Therefore, the check does not start with a pressure gauge, but with a simple question: is the spare tire even in the car?
It's better to check the pressure in advance
Even if the spare wheel is safely in its place, this does not mean that it can be used immediately. A tire gradually loses pressure even when the car is practically not driven on it.
The spare wheel should be periodically removed and checked. The pressure in it must correspond to the nominal value provided for the specific car.
The peculiarity of a spare tire is that the need for it usually arises suddenly. Moreover, a puncture can occur in conditions where dealing with finding a pump or repair is particularly unpleasant: at night, in the cold, in the rain or snow.
It is not necessary to check the spare tire every time before a trip. It is enough to periodically include it in the usual car check:
- make sure the wheel is in place;
- check the pressure;
- inspect the tire for damage;
- inflate it if necessary;
- check the condition of the rim and mounting.
Spending a few minutes in advance is much easier than discovering a completely flat spare tire after the main wheel has been damaged.
Check how the spare tire is mounted
Another point that is easy to forget is wheel bolts or nuts. The fasteners used for the four installed wheels are not always suitable for the spare.
For example, a car may have forged wheels, while the spare wheel is equipped with a stamped rim. The design of their seating surfaces may differ, so the spare tire requires different fasteners.
In a specific case, the spare set of bolts may be shorter than those used with the main wheels. If the driver does not check this point in advance, the spare tire itself will be useless precisely when it is needed.
Therefore, it is advisable to make sure in advance that the car has suitable bolts or nuts along with the spare wheel and that they actually fit the installed spare rim.
The spare tire well also requires attention
If the wheel is stored inside the trunk, its condition depends not only on the tire itself. It is important to periodically inspect the well in which it is located.
One of the problems is water. It can get there from above, for example, after using the spare wheel in winter. If you put the wheel back after a trip with snow on it, it will eventually melt, and the water will end up in the well.
There is another way for moisture to enter — from below. If the rubber plugs of the drainage holes are damaged or missing, water can penetrate directly under the spare wheel.
A prolonged problem with moisture is dangerous not only for the spare tire itself. A constantly wet metal surface can begin to corrode, and along with it, the car body risks suffering.
Therefore, during the next check of the spare wheel, it is worth lifting it and seeing what is underneath. The presence of water, rust marks, or dirt characteristic of constant moisture ingress is a reason to deal with the cause, and not just dry the well.
If the spare tire is outside
External placement has its own peculiarities. In addition to the risk of theft, it is necessary to monitor the wheel's mounting.
A spare tire on the tailgate experiences constant loads, especially if the car regularly drives on bad roads. Therefore, from time to time, it is worth checking how securely it is fastened and whether there is any damage to the mounting mechanism itself.
In fact, the spare wheel has several separate control points:
- Presence — the wheel must indeed be in the car.
- Pressure — the tire must be ready for installation without prior inflation.
- Condition — no damage and pronounced corrosion.
- Fasteners — suitable bolts or nuts must be available.
- Storage location — there should be no water in the well, and the external mounting must remain secure.
The spare wheel is practically not used in the car's operation most of the time. But that is precisely why it is especially easy to forget about it.
When it is suddenly needed, there will be no time for checking. Therefore, a few minutes spent inspecting the spare tire today can save you from a much more unpleasant procedure on a cold night by the roadside.