<VV> Temp Tire Myths

[John Pinard]

I don’t recall Motor Trend article date.
Try Car and Driver’s test published Jan 2017.
Believe what you want as a belief is just a myth, even from your favorite car manufacturer.
Or study test results and make an informed decision.
Many people still believe Corvairs are unsafe at any speed, even after testing that proved their superior handling.
I have used a skinny spare on my Corsa in aggressive driving with no noticeable difference, but don’t often drive in rain or snow here in Paradise. (I live in California as testing proves it is the best!)
Regards,
Jack Pinard 
Salty but Nice!



Jack Pinard iPhone 8s
805.340.6533


> On Aug 31, 2019, at 10:05 AM, roboman91324 at aol.com wrote:
> 
> Jack,
> 
> Do you have a reference to a Motor Trend article?  Is the test you mention available online?  I couldn't find it in a quick search.
> 
> I find it difficult to believe that the mini spares are virtually the same as the full size tires for the following reasons.
> 
> 1. The tread depth on the mini is minuscule compared to a regular tire.  Therefore, the tread life would be much less.  This issue is aggravated by the smaller contact patch between the tire and the road.  A smaller contact patch will wear faster than a larger patch with the same weight, speeds, etc. in use.
> 
> 2.  The rubber composition of the mini is harder than a standard tire.  In addition, the tire pressure is higher.  I believe this is because they want the mini to retain pressure over many years without attention.  A harder and stiffer tire will have poor braking and handling characteristics.  As in item 1 above, a tire with higher pressure and a harder substance will have a smaller contact patch.
> 
> 3.  Due to both 1 and 2 above.  The already poor characteristics of the mini tire in normal use are far, far worse in the rain or snow.  Deeper treads and a more compliant tire are critical for safe operation under these conditions.
> 
> 4.  To save weight, both the wheel rim and tire are made of much thinner material.  The metal rim is probably made from a less dense material though I am not certain of this.  This makes them much weaker if you were to hit a rock, pot hole or curb.  Further, with even moderate handling efforts, the more pronounced flexing of both metal and rubber could easily cause unexpected handling characteristics.
> 
> Car manufacturers offer very explicit warnings about the use of the spares.  They warn that they must be operated at lower speeds and for strictly limited duration.  This is due to the things I mention above and probably for additional reasons.  These tires are for temporary, emergency use because of their very real limitations.  The warning labels are there because the manufacturer knows that normal use can lead to accidents and law suits.
> 
> Periodically, I have seen people on VV who contend that mini spares are perfectly acceptable for every day use without reduced speeds and without handling concerns.  I believe that anyone who uses one or more of these tires on a car as if it/they are the same as a regular tire is tempting fate.  DON'T DO IT!
> 
> Doc
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> 
> In a message dated 8/31/2019 7:12:16 AM Pacific Standard Time, virtualvairs-request at corvair.org writes:
> 
> 
> Message: 5
> Date: Fri, 30 Aug 2019 12:59:25 -0700
> From: John Pinard <socalcorvairs at yahoo.com>
> To: virtualvairs at corvair.org
> Subject: <VV> Temp Tire Myths
> Message-ID: <61B04664-1B06-441A-8AF0-EC404917C067 at yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain;    charset=utf-8
> 
> Motor Trend tested many years ago and found no substantial difference in braking or handling at highway speeds, and tread life similar to full size tires.
> I don?t like a tire blocking access and view of enhanced engine bay, so temp lays flat up front only on long trips where there could be long wait for AAA.
> Found in discard pile at tire shop for five bucks.
> 1966 Corsa convertible
> 1964 Greenbrier Deluxe
> 1965 Race Car ?97?
> 
> Jack Pinard
> 87 Years in No. 1 State