Spare Tyre

Vehicle manufacturers have adopted a variety of ways of dealing with the need for a spare tyre. This varies according to model and even the specification of the vehicle. We strongly recommend you read the relevant section of your vehicle owner’s manual for specific instructions on the fitting and use of spare wheels on your vehicle.

1. Traditional Full Size Spare. The manufacturer will design a storage space, normally in or under the boot space, to house the spare wheel which will be similar to the other four wheels on the vehicle. This is still the most common solution. With or near the wheel you should also find the jack and toolkit for fitting the wheel.

2. Space Saver or Mini-spare. This is an ultra thin wheel and differs to the other wheels on the vehicle. One advantage of the space saver is that it requires less storage space than a full size wheel. The disadvantage is that it is not designed to perform to the same standard as your other tyres. These space savers should only be used to drive SLOWLY and a short mileage to safety where a new normal tyre can be fitted. Again, we recommend that you check with your vehicle owner’s manual for limitations.

3. Run-Flat Tyres. Some manufacturers now design their vehicles with run-flat tyres and DO NOT provide a spare wheel. The run-flat tyre is designed with a tyre wall strong enough to support the weight of the vehicle even when the tyre pressure is down to nothing. In this state the tyre will offer safe handling for the driver in some cases up to 80 km/hr for a limited distance (See your tyre manufacturer’s technical information for accurate data on your specific tyres). However it would be prudent not to drive under these conditions up to the limit of the tyre manufacturers stated performance.