bigs

I've always sorta figured that since my car still has the unmolested factory spare tire - that I should proudly "display" it securely nestled in its tire well.

But then yesterday I had to do a little trickle charge on my battery. And, of course, this involved crow-barring the dang spare tire out in order to access the battery!

I tell ya, that sucker is wedged in TIGHT! And by now, it's almost square!

So I got to thinkin'...

In my 45 years of driving, I've had to actually change tires at the side of the road and use my spare tire exactly... once! Sure, I've had nails in my tires, but the leak has been sufficiently slow that it's always been easy to drive to a tire center when it's convenient, have them patch the tire, and then re-mount the same tire without ever disturbing the spare.

So I'm gonna leave the spare out of the car, keep it saved all nice and shiny for some future owner... And take my chances.

Anybody else decide to lighten their car a little by removing the spare tire?

(I mean the one in the back of the car - not the one around your waist! )

Tom. M

My spare has been replaced by a subwoofer for a few years at least. Been on many long distance trips since then..never had the need for the spare..

V-Fib

Spare kept in the shed...

Nicole

Why did you not use the battery terminals in the engine compartment? That would have saved you from all the hassle you went through...

I keep my spare, because it can get me to my destination, if I have a flat. Granted, if I have a flat in the back, I will hate to move the front to the back and mount the spare, but it might be better than waiting 2-3 hours for a tow truck.

bigs

There are battery terminals in the engine compartment???

dr bob

Spare rides along with me. Never been used. It's insurance. Plus it's the best place to store it. If it wasn't in the car it would be taking valuable space in the garage.

jorj7

I don't carry the spare, of course I've got a fuel cell back there now, so there isn't any room.
I do carry my AAA card though, just in case

Hilton

Right-side of the car by the timing belt cover just in front of the cross brace.

There should be a small round plastic cap screwed onto a metal hex-shaped post (by the 14-pin connector). That hex-shaped post is positive (be careful waving a spanner around it!!). For negative, I just use one of the cross-brace bolts.

Can plug a maintainer or trickle charger onto that post and a cross brace bolt and just leave the battery compartment alone except for the annual cleaning of the grounds per Wally's instructions

Nicole

^^^ what he said.

I try hard to avoid seeing my battery...

the flyin' scotsman

Spare has been removed for sometime now along with the jack and compressor.

I do carry a can of tyre inflation goop, a cell phone and c.cards.

bigmac

Had to use my spare to help Chaad when his like new 255 rear was shredded by road debris a few miles from home. Hole so large we could not fix with can of goop. His spare space was filled with a Sub-woofer.

ew928

Not sure but I think that the the engine bay jump post may not be fused.
So be careful messing around near it.

oups59

I have a mix.

The '87 has the spare + jack but the '88 only a can of tyre inflation goop

rawky

I don't have mine in anymore, just have a bottle of tyre weld present at all times

Marine Blue

Funny because I keep mine in there but realistically if I had a blowout I would have the car towed before I used the spare.