Spare Tire Tale

[Zooks527]

Plus, waiting for hours on the side of the road doesn't sound like fun, especially if I am out of town in the middle of nowhere. I can just imagine sitting along I-15 between Barstow and Baker waiting for a tow, and then how much a tire shop on Barstow or Baker would charge me a replacement tire, if they even have something in stock.

My daughter can tell you what it's like. 11:30 pm on the Friday of a holiday weekend on I-5 halfway between SF and LA with two flat tires. AAA put her spare on to replace the one with the sidewall puncture and jammed enough fix-a-flat into the other tire that she was able to limp 7 miles to a 24/7 tire shop just off the road. There, she got to get in line with about 5 other cars who had all met the same bunch of nails scattered across the middle of the highway.

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[OLdchuck]

Yeah, that is not a pleasant feeling and why I think a spare is a must. Getting two flats is something that is unusual but as you described did and can happen. Any idea what the trunk depth on the 550 is? Trying to figure what size tire will fit. I knew on my 2012 but things may have changed from 197 to 550 and that was several car ago. On that car my full size spare was not easy to get in and out but was doable the one time I needed it..

 

[OLdchuck]

For me the issue is whether to be able to place a small 50 mph tire in the tire well under the floor OR just put a full sized regular tire in the truck and take away much of the trunk space. On my 197 a regular tire and rim would not fit in the tire well and had to sit in the trunk. For me, it was a good trade off as I could use the back seat on the few times we went out of town overnight..But, to each his or her own..

Zook, Thanks for all the great info as well as the tow and tie down points were very helpful. Thanks for taking the time .

 

[GregP27]

Hi Torched 10,

When I bought the car, I also bought LMR Bronze SP2 wheels and 285-35 tires. My stock wheels and tires are basically take-offs (275-40s). I sent the wife and a friend home and they got the original rear wheels and I changed out both rear wheels so I would not be driving with different-diameter tires. Driving 20+ miles that way is a really good prelude to having problems with the differential. So, at present, the car is home in the garage with bronze front wheels and Ford rear wheels. I have not driven it since I got home and won't until the new tire gets here and the full set of SP2 wheels are back on it ready to go.

Was it inconvenient? Yes. But I also am home and have no damage and the car was not left on the side of the road.

I have a friend with a Ferrari and he went through something similar when he got a flat with no spare. If you think the Mustang GT is low, try a Ferrari! They generally have a belly pan that is smooth fiberglass and there is NO PLACE to attach a tow chain. Neat car unless something goes wrong ...

 

[Zooks527]

I changed out both rear wheels so I would not be driving with different-diameter tires. Driving 20+ miles that way is a really good prelude to having problems with the differential.

Believe it or not (and I didn't until I heard it from the manufacturer) the Torsen differential in the PP cars is capable of taking up to a 25% difference in tire diameter for 50 miles at 50 mph. Yes, goes against everything you always heard about limited slip diffs, but that's what Torsen claims.

https://torsen.com/ask-torsen-using-a-mini-spare-tire/

If you research how a Torsen works, it makes sense, but it goes against long-standing grain.

 

[m3incorp]

You guys got me to thinking since I plan to take a trip to Hilton Head about 3.5 hours away this weekend. I don't have the Brembo brakes; but I do have a newer Ford Fusion that just happens to have the same bolt pattern and the doughnut spare. I think I'll take that donut, 5 lugs from my Mustang take-off wheels, my low profile jack (heavy),and a 4-way lug wrench......because I know if was to get a flat, I'm not finding a 305/35R20 Mickey Thompson Street Comp anywhere nearby.

 

[boB]

You guys got me to thinking since I plan to take a trip to Hilton Head about 3.5 hours away this weekend. I don't have the Brembo brakes; but I do have a newer Ford Fusion that just happens to have the same bolt pattern and the doughnut spare. I think I'll take that donut, 5 lugs from my Mustang take-off wheels, my low profile jack (heavy),and a 4-way lug wrench......because I know if was to get a flat, I'm not finding a 305/35R20 Mickey Thompson Street Comp anywhere nearby.

If you put the donut on the rear don't forget to take the belt off the blower too! ;)

 

[m3incorp]

lol or press the go pedal very very gently.

If you put the donut on the rear don't forget to take the belt off the blower too! ;)

 

[GregP27]

Before my 2019 Mustang GT, 6-speed my last pony car was a 2002 Camaro SS with, you guessed it, a Torsen differential with a 6-speed. There were more than one set of guys in the SS Owner's Association who found out the hard way that driving with different-diameter tires was NOT a good idea. In 2006, I moved from Texas to So Cal following engineering work and had my Torsen start singing in harmony with the Eagles about Tucson, AZ. I slowed down, made it to Irvine and had the stock 3.42 rear gears replaced with 3.73s to the tune of $2,000. It wasn't from different diameters, but WAS expensive. So, I'm not about to tempt fate and Torsen again. If I had an option from Ford, I'd have opted for another type differential. But, I have what I have and it is operating just fine at this time.

That Camaro SS is still alive and kicking and owned by a friend of mine. We sometimes go for a drive together.

By the way, another horror story ...

When I moved from Idaho to Texas in 2005, I didn't really think twice about registering my Camaro SS in Texas. When I got there I had about 35,000 miles on it. Still later, I moved to So Cal and, when I got here, I again registered my car with the new state. Imagine my surprise when they told me that Texas had recorded my car as having 65,000 miles and now, over a year later, it only had 44,000 on it! That "fact" also got seen by CarFax, etc. So, the value of the car dropped by many thousands of dollars for NO REASON since I did NOT screw with the odometer. It was simple typo error.

Moral of the story, if you change states, always give the DMV about 2 - 3 weeks to get your data recorded and then go CHECK the miles they recorded. A simple typo cost me several thousand dollars of vehicle value. Don't let it happen to YOU. Believe me, it won't ever happen to ME again! I'll CHECK to be sure they recorded what they saw correctly.

I suppose if it CAN go wrong, circumstance will conspire so as to make it ACTUALLY go wrong on many occasions. These days, I make sure when the feds, state, county, or city take the trouble to record anything about me and I know about it. It's hard to check everything if you don;t know they are making changes in your name but, when you DO know, check it out before letting it lie there with possibly wrong data. It's like writing "wrong leg" on your good one if you are having knee surgery ... simple insurance.

 

[m3incorp]

I'm guessing that most would only drive with the spare long enough to get the flat repaired or fixed and not hundreds of miles. That is really too bad about your Torsen and registration. People often make mistakes inputting data.

 

[Torched10]

I edited my post after you replied. See above for the slot locations.

The full page for the wrecker guide (with the footnote for the GT350) is below.

Thanks so much for reply on slots.very thoughtful

 

[Fillykonk]

I bit the bullet and spent the $500 on the AA spare a few weeks ago. There is a BAP in the spare wheel well that I am not yet motivated enough to try to move so the spare does take up trunk space. However because I live in a rural area and drive at least an hour to any and all car meets having the spare certainly gives peace of mind. Whatever direction you go in (AA spare or other piece-meal remedy) as some have stated if you're going to have a flat it will probably be at the worst possible time in the worst conditions. Let us know what you decide.

 

[kinchy]

I bit the bullet and spent the $500 on the AA spare a few weeks ago. There is a BAP in the spare wheel well that I am not yet motivated enough to try to move so the spare does take up trunk space. However because I live in a rural area and drive at least an hour to any and all car meets having the spare certainly gives peace of mind. Whatever direction you go in (AA spare or other piece-meal remedy) as some have stated if you're going to have a flat it will probably be at the worst possible time in the worst conditions. Let us know what you decide.

You might want to consider adding a lightweight floor jack as well. For under $125 it simplifies the process when compared to the OEM equipment. You can find aluminum floor jacks just under 30lbs. Got to keep the weight down.

 

[Ecoboosted]

I have the AA spare tire. It was about $400 for just the tire. I already have a jack and lug wrench and the compressor/goo slime crap.

I hope I never have to use it but it’s piece of mind knowing I have it and can get my self back on the road instead of waiting on AAA or Ford’s road side assistance.

 

[kinchy]

I have the AA spare tire. It was about $400 for just the tire. I already have a jack and lug wrench and the compressor/goo slime crap.

I hope I never have to use it but it’s piece of mind knowing I have it and can get my self back on the road instead of waiting on AAA or Ford’s road side assistance.

Be sure and check the air pressure occasionally..

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