{"id":33273,"date":"2023-03-08T10:59:04","date_gmt":"2023-03-08T15:59:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/?p=33273"},"modified":"2024-07-22T11:36:03","modified_gmt":"2024-07-22T15:36:03","slug":"how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\/how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire","title":{"rendered":"How long can you drive on a spare tire?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019re wondering how long can you drive on a spare tire, chances are you\u2019ve been driving on one for too long already. Here\u2019s everything you need to know about spare tires and how long you can use them for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Types of spare tires<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are two kinds of spares your car may have. A space-saving spare, better known as a donut, is smaller than your normal wheels. It\u2019s designed to store away and get you out of a pinch. A full-size spare is the same kind of wheel as the set you drive on normally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an alternative, run-flat tires can give piece of mind when driving a car that doesn\u2019t have a spare. These tires have additional reinforcement inside that allows them to be driven temporarily after a puncture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Run-flats helps you avoid having to change a tire, and are stable when a puncture does happen. The downside of a run-flat is cost, as they\u2019re typically more expensive than regular tires. If your run-flat is punctured, replace it as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How far can you drive on a spare tire?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A spare tire serves one purpose: to get you to safety where you can replace the flat. It\u2019s not wise to drive on any spare tire longer than you have to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Space-saver spares or donuts should be driven no more than 50 miles. If you\u2019ve needed to use your spare, make an appointment at a tire shop or with a trusted mechanic as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These temporary spares are usually not the same size as the rest of your tires. They are often smaller, and have thinner contact patches. This can make your car handle unusually. Prolonged use of a donut can even cause stress and damage to your transmission or suspension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How much time can you drive on a spare tire?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You should drive on a spare tire no longer than it takes you to get a new tire on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if you\u2019re driving with a full-sized spare, make it a priority to get to a tire shop or mechanic as soon as you can. Not only should you replace the blown tire, you should also have the mechanic ensure your wheel is tightened to factory specification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When installing a spare tire<\/a>, you\u2019ll most likely use the included tire iron and tighten the spare by hand. The lug nuts holding your wheel to the car have a torque specification they need to be within. This prevents damage to the car, or in a worst-case scenario, your wheel coming loose while driving. Without the right tool, you won\u2019t know if your lug nuts are too tight, too loose or unevenly tightened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How long does a spare tire last in storage?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

All tires, no matter if they\u2019re a spare or not, are made of a rubber compound. Tires should be changed every six years or so<\/a>, even if they\u2019re not worn. The spare tire in your car will degrade even when it\u2019s not in use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Periodically inspect your spare tire for air pressure, and check the manufacturing date. On the sidewall of the tire, you\u2019ll find a four digit number. This is the time code, and it tells you when the tire was manufactured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first two numbers indicate the week and the last two indicate the year the tire was made. For example, a tire with the number 0220 was manufactured on the second week of 2020. If your tire is getting old, replace it even if it\u2019s a donut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How fast can you drive on a spare tire?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In general, a donut spare should not be driven at speeds over 50 miles per hour. A donut has less grip than a normal tire. Take turns slowly and brake early and smoothly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Driving on highways vs. roads<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Since a donut spare isn\u2019t meant for prolonged use or at speeds over 50 miles per hour, you should avoid driving on the highway with one. Instead, take local roads if possible. Travel in the lane furthest right and keep your speed under 50 mph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that you\u2019ve taken the time to take care of your spare, let us help take care of you. Drive assured with Plymouth Rock and you\u2019ll have top-notch coverage with even better service.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Now let\u2019s talk about you<\/strong>
\nDo you have the right coverage for your vehicle? We\u2019d love to chat with you about it. Call us at 800-516-9242<\/a> or speak to a local agent<\/a>. \n

\nIf you\u2019d rather not talk, you can get a quote<\/a> quickly and easily online. Just enter your ZIP code to get started and see how much you could save!\n<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You should drive on a spare tire no longer than it takes you to get a flat fixed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":33274,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":""},"products":[],"state":[79,83,80,81,82,84],"class_list":["post-33273","resources","type-resources","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","state-ct","state-ma","state-nh","state-nj","state-ny","state-pa"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow long can you drive on a spare tire?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Wondering how long you can drive on a spare tire? You should drive on a spare tire no longer than it takes you to get a new tire on.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\/how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How long can you drive on a spare tire?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Wondering how long you can drive on a spare tire? You should drive on a spare tire no longer than it takes you to get a new tire on.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\/how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Plymouth Rock Assurance | Car Insurance and Home Insurance\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PlymouthRockAssurance\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-07-22T15:36:03+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/hero-resc-spare-tire-last-640x350-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"640\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"350\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@plymouthrock\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\/how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\/how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire\",\"name\":\"How long can you drive on a spare tire?\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\/how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\/how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/hero-resc-spare-tire-last-640x350-1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-03-08T15:59:04+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-07-22T15:36:03+00:00\",\"description\":\"Wondering how long you can drive on a spare tire? You should drive on a spare tire no longer than it takes you to get a new tire on.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\/how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\/how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\/how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/hero-resc-spare-tire-last-640x350-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/hero-resc-spare-tire-last-640x350-1.jpg\",\"width\":640,\"height\":350,\"caption\":\"A spare tire stored away when it is not needed.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\/how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Resources\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"How long can you drive on a spare tire?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/\",\"name\":\"Plymouth Rock Assurance | Car Insurance and Home Insurance\",\"description\":\"More than just Insurance\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Plymouth Rock Assurance Corporation\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/PRAC-Tagline_new_branding.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/PRAC-Tagline_new_branding.svg\",\"width\":\"1024\",\"height\":\"1024\",\"caption\":\"Plymouth Rock Assurance Corporation\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PlymouthRockAssurance\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/plymouthrock\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/plymouthrockassurance\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How long can you drive on a spare tire?","description":"Wondering how long you can drive on a spare tire? You should drive on a spare tire no longer than it takes you to get a new tire on.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\/how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How long can you drive on a spare tire?","og_description":"Wondering how long you can drive on a spare tire? You should drive on a spare tire no longer than it takes you to get a new tire on.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\/how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire","og_site_name":"Plymouth Rock Assurance | Car Insurance and Home Insurance","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PlymouthRockAssurance\/","article_modified_time":"2024-07-22T15:36:03+00:00","og_image":[{"width":640,"height":350,"url":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/hero-resc-spare-tire-last-640x350-1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@plymouthrock","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\/how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire","url":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\/how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire","name":"How long can you drive on a spare tire?","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\/how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\/how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/hero-resc-spare-tire-last-640x350-1.jpg","datePublished":"2023-03-08T15:59:04+00:00","dateModified":"2024-07-22T15:36:03+00:00","description":"Wondering how long you can drive on a spare tire? You should drive on a spare tire no longer than it takes you to get a new tire on.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\/how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\/how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\/how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/hero-resc-spare-tire-last-640x350-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/hero-resc-spare-tire-last-640x350-1.jpg","width":640,"height":350,"caption":"A spare tire stored away when it is not needed."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources\/how-long-can-you-drive-on-a-spare-tire#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Resources","item":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/resources"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"How long can you drive on a spare tire?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/","name":"Plymouth Rock Assurance | Car Insurance and Home Insurance","description":"More than just Insurance","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/#organization","name":"Plymouth Rock Assurance Corporation","url":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/PRAC-Tagline_new_branding.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/PRAC-Tagline_new_branding.svg","width":"1024","height":"1024","caption":"Plymouth Rock Assurance Corporation"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PlymouthRockAssurance\/","https:\/\/x.com\/plymouthrock","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/plymouthrockassurance"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources\/33273","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/resources"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources\/33273\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33274"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"products","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/products?post=33273"},{"taxonomy":"state","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.plymouthrock.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/state?post=33273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}