OEM spare tire install

Should I get the spare tire balanced when I take it to the tire shop to get it mounted ?

 

Is your spare a full size tire and wheel ?

 

That's a very good question.

I just had my space saver tire (T145/90D16) mounted, but it never occurred to be to have it balanced ...

 

I purchased mine online at America's Tire (Discount Tires) where they already charged me like $25 installation which included balancing. When I when to pick it up, the guy did not balance it then I asked him 3x and he refused to install it. I gave them a bad review. I had to bring it to another tire shop and paid to have it balanced. The manager tried to call me after he saw the review, but I did not pick up the phone.

 

It would be a good idea, if you ever needed it. Especially if you don't follow OE recommendations to place the spare tire on the rear axle. My full size spare actually didn't need balancing. The shop placed it on their machine and it came out OK - no weights needed. I did test this on my next tire rotation. Place it in front and took the car to 65 mph, no wobble...

 

There's no weights on the (from the factory) spare in our 2010. I've used it once, no problems.

 

I wonder if the 50mph limit on compact spares is related to the fact that they are (typically) not balanced?

 

It’s the donut spare. ( T145/90D16 )

 

To me the scissor jack in the photo with the cut out for the pitch weld looks safer to use than the other Jack that is just flat on top.

 

The stock scissor jack does does not support the car on that vertical, crimped seam (aka “pinch weld”). The notch on its cradle straddles it, and the bearing point is behind, on unreinforced sheet metal. I used the scissor jack once, at the (lighter) rear location, and even there it dimpled in the sheet metal.

 

You DEFINITELY want to place that tire on the rear axle, if you need to use it. That thin tire on the front axle is unsafe. If you reactively jerk the steering over to avoid something, that spare can fold under or break the bead.
re: scissor jack, I'd find a 12 inch 2x6 and toss it in with the spare. The small base of that jack would make jacking up the car on a soft shoulder very unsafe and unstable. Placing that 2x6 under the jack increases the foot print by 2.5x; making it more stable on the soft shoulder.

Hope this helps....

 

No disagreement that the spare would do better on the rear than the front.

But do you really think the spare would just "fold under" even at 60psi ? To me, sure seems unlikely, especially at 50mph or lower.

 

I’m using an 8” square of 3/4” plywood, for similar purpose. A pair of wheel chocks is another worthwhile addition, Owners Manual does recommend to chock the diagonally opposite wheel. And of course good to set parking brake firmly, half-loosen lug nuts before raising, etcetera.

I don’t think it’s too rash, putting the temp spare on the front, especially if you’re just getting yourself to somewhere you can repair the regular tire, and just on low speed streets. Toyota makes no statement on the subject.

also, if the flat’s in the front, and you’re at the side of the road with just the scissor jack, how do you accomplish this? Maybe I need coffee..

 

The assumption here is that the person is going to follow OE recommendations - which clearly states to place that tire on the rear axle. That begs the question, what else will they be ignoring or don't know about????
Unfortunately, I've seen on multiple occasions, people rifling down the highway at 75+ mph with a compact spare in the front axle position. I don't want to be anywhere near them, especially if traffic comes to a abrupt stop!!!
More than 4 decades ago; I was working in an auto parts store when a customer wanted to buy a single tire. He gave me the size and I told him that he had the numbers mixed up. He didn't know the year, make, or model of the car - but it was outside. I went outside to find a compact spare on the front axle and asked him to pop the trunk. He asked me WHY - that's the tire I want to replace - it seems to be wearing faster than the rest...

True story!!!!!!

 

It is possible, just requires a bit of 'tire musical chairs'.

But it most definitely makes the job longer.

 

It does, but at least your car will handle properly and you don't get reduced control and slightly less braking ability in the correct rear axle position.
When I caught a flat on my company's field service van. I had road service replace the tire. When he jacked up the front end - I told him to stop - "I've got a compact spare", and he said so what. Showed him the OE manual and asked it I need to call his supervisor. He was pissed but he did it correctly after I pointed it out to him.... Never discount people's laziness; especially when they don't have to "live or die" with the consequences.
I had to do it, out in the boondocks - no cell reception. Swapped good rear tire with spare then replaced flat front tire. Knowing what I know; I could've gotten away with putting that compact spare on the front axle - but the decent out of the mountains would've been hairy.

 

I gotta say, that is funny as hell.

(Or, maybe ... sad as hell.)

 

Do you mean the owners manual says to put the spare on the rear? Can you point out the page with that statement?

Lets say you've got a flat on the front, you're pulled over to the side of the road, with a temp spare, scissor jack and lug wrench. What do you do to end up with the temp spare on the rear, and the tire that was on the rear moved to the front? This is more for @BiomedO1. I'm not trying to be smart, just trying to figure out how that would be accomplished. My thinking is you would have to have both the front and rear wheels on that side simultaneously up in the air, securely. I don't seeing that being possible or safe, with the equipment on hand.

Addendum: ok, here's the musical chair routine, with a flat front tire:

1. Raise the rear corner on same side, and swap out that wheel for the spare.
2. Raise the front corner, remove the flat, install the previously removed rear tire.

Based on this bit in 2023 Owner's Manual (relevant excerpt attached):



Guess I do need coffee...

Still, as far as I can see, they only mention this in conjunction with snow/ice conditions, and I" think" in conjunction with the use of chains??

My 2 cents: just swap the flat with the temp spare, wherever it is, and just get to somewhere safe, via a lower speed route whenever possible, where the flat can be fixed.

 

The other issue is emergency braking, that compact spare has a smaller pad print than the other tire - so the cars is going to pull. It shouldn't be too bad, if they abide by the 50 mph limit.

 

Hello, I've read all 22 pages of this thread a couple of times and truly appreciate the effort that has been made to research and share this info (especially Hammersmith). I'm getting ready to order parts from Lewis Toyota. I gave them all the part numbers and asked them to confirm they fit my vehicle per my VIN, but they said my car didn't come with a spare by the VIN. Duh! They also said return shipping on incorrect parts would be covered on my side. Doh! My question is this: has anyone actually fitted the spare wheel and tire on their vehicle? I know the wheel is designed to fit a '24 Prius (and other Gen 5s), but has anyone confirmed that the wheel works on the car by mounting and driving with it installed? If so, was it installed on the front or rear of the car? Thanks!