Andy Kay

How do I know if the spare tire in my 79 SC is still any good? Looks like it's never been used. Would any of you use it?

I'm planning a road trip throughout rural Texas, any thoughts of prevention? Carry some Fix- A-Flat (stuff in a can), leave spare at home, buy a tire repair kit all come to mind. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Tango635

I recently bought my 89 coupe from little rock and drove it about 8 hours to Houston area. All that time i was hopping I didn't get a flat. OK, not the best plan, right.

Since rubber degrades with time, I think the best thing to do is buy a new one for the best reliability. I called the dealer, they said tire and wheel is $435.92, minus 20% for PCA memebers. 20% discount is good through end of July, at least at that dealership. Delivery time is 3-4 weeks or can be 1 week on an expedited basis, but you have to add 20% to the price.

Dealership is checking with Germany to determine if tire is available by itself.

The second option is to buy the newest second-hand tire that will fit. Supposedly, the 993 spare will fit our cars. Not sure if the spare is the same for all years, 95 might be different than the rest, but I don't know. You will need to check around for prices.

Alfonso

Tango635

Yes, emergency spare with compacted tire. Dread the day I would actually use it and try to put it back into its cubby hole.

I have not tried the green stuff. Some folks here or maybe Pelican have said that you have to be careful with fix-a-flat-in-a-can because the fluid bonds to the wheel and then corrodes it. Not sure if only some do that or if it's a common thing to all.

rusnak

I wouldn't worry about it. I used my spare several years ago when I was out of town and it peformed flawlessly.

If you need it, you air it up with a compressor, NOT WITH THE SLIME STUFF. The spare is re-usable as long as there is tread still on it. Drive to the nearest tire store and have the road tire replaced. The spare is deflated by opening the white plastic valve while pushing the folding tire back into it's folded configuration. This is one area where good engineering really works, and you can rely on it.

Leave the slime, or fix a flat bottled stuff at home. If you don't have a good portable compressor, it's worth buying a good one.

Amber Gramps

go to pep-boys or Napa and get yourself a little plug-in pump. $25 tops.

User 4221

BTW, I have heard through folklore that the spare is part of the car's front impact system and is intended to be in at all times.

I'm not sure how much truth lies in this sentiment but I can see where it makes sense if you study the cavity left by the spare.

rusnak

I believe the same was true of the 914, which used a full sized tire lying horizontally in the front trunk.

Ed Hughes

Slime is an effective patch for most punctures. It is my spare.

rusnak

I think Ed was talking about using Slime in the road tire. The last time I used the spare tire, I had run over a piece of angle iron on I-580 and the hole that was torn in the tire was way too big for Slime. Slime is good for 90% of punctures, which result in slow leaks due to nails or screws left on the road.

You don't want to use Slime in the folding spare, that's my point.

Ed Hughes

That is correct. Also, any sealant should be rinsed out of the tire when it is repaired.

The stock spare won't fit over my brakes, so I'm stuck. Although, I've been meaning to have my buddy send me a 928 spare to try.

rusnak

You know what worked for me also? I swear it. I used one of those plug kits. Fortunately, I took the wheel off, and was able to let it cure overnight. But it was a damn good patch if I do say so. Aired it up, and the tire was good to go.

Amber Gramps

My spare still has the plastic gloves siting on it.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...ic-gloves.html

ron mcatee

I would use it. I would also have roadside assistance with my insurance company or AAA. UV rays are what deteriorate the tire. Being in the trunk away from light may be a deterrent from decay...maybe not.

User 4221

Ed, I will be at the monthly DFW 928 GTG next weekend. If you need me to take some dimensions off a 928 spare, let me know and I will bring a tape measure.

Ed Hughes

Slumming with those losers??!!

I'm pretty sure it will work. The fit over the brakes is the big thing, and in essence, mine are the same size as S4's. It really comes down to the outside clearance which I think will have to be test fit. I'm going to see if Roger can come up with a later model spare.