To spare or not to spare
#1
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
To spare or not to spare
My 997.2 does not have any spare tires. All it has is an air pump and a pressurized can of that gooey sealant which I don't plan using even I needed to fix a flat. I just can't stand injecting that messy stuff in the tires. Do you guys carry a spare tire and jack and whats the recommendation for a right size tire suitable for temporary use for both front and back. Thanks !
#2
Rennlist Member
My 997.2 does not have any spare tires. All it has is an air pump and a pressurized can of that gooey sealant which I don't plan using even I needed to fix a flat. I just can't stand injecting that messy stuff in the tires. Do you guys carry a spare tire and jack and whats the recommendation for a right size tire suitable for temporary use for both front and back. Thanks !
https://www.suncoastparts.com/product/997STK.html
Read the product details in the Suncoast copy and you'll see some of the additional problems that come with carrying and possibly using the spare.
#3
Instructor
That spare tire kit from Suncoast is the only thing I've found. As is says on their website if you have a flat on the rear you have to first take off your front wheel, put the spare on the front, then put your front tire on the rear. You also have to carry the spare around in the rear seat and if you have a flat then your full size tire will have to go back there. Seems like I did recently see a website that sold just the spare, without the jack, tire cover, etc. and it was significantly cheaper. Probably something I would consider for really long road trips.
#6
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
I carry a gooless puncture repair plug kit and a AAA card.
#7
Rennlist Member
I carry a repair plug kit and a can of Fix A Flat that won't fry the TPMS. I would use one or the other depending on the circumstances. I also have towing on my insurance if I needed to flat bed it. Cost a couple of bucks annually. One thing to think about when you are contemplating "going to extremes" re flat tires: when was the last time you had one??
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#9
Rennlist Member
It's a fear we all have and while having a spare may give you some comfort, I worry about how to slide a jack under the car on the side of the road and then where to put the flat tire (I understand with the passenger seat all the way forward, you can stuff it into the back seat). I take my chances with AAA.
#10
Burning Brakes
I've got the Suncoast spare kit for road trips. I often drive well in the middle of nowhere with no cell coverage. Locally it's fix-a-flat, AAA, and a plug kit. The Porsche Tire Sealant only has a 4 year shelf life. Replacement goo is $80 for some reason. Identical goo from VW is $30-40.
#12
I once had a flat and was about to use the glop, but the tire had jumped the rim when it went down (no damage to the rim, I was rounding a turn very slowly, and pulled right off) and the little compressor wasn't powerful enough to pop it back in. So I had to call a flatbed. That was like a mile from my house. I never take the car more than 100 miles from home, so if I got a flat I'd just call for a flatbed. Otherwise I would probably look into runflats or self-sealing tires or something like that. If I have a passenger in front and luggage in the back, I don't see where I could put the flat even if I had a donut spare.
#13
Rennlist Member
I once had a flat and was about to use the glop, but the tire had jumped the rim when it went down (no damage to the rim, I was rounding a turn very slowly, and pulled right off) and the little compressor wasn't powerful enough to pop it back in. So I had to call a flatbed. That was like a mile from my house. I never take the car more than 100 miles from home, so if I got a flat I'd just call for a flatbed. Otherwise I would probably look into runflats or self-sealing tires or something like that. If I have a passenger in front and luggage in the back, I don't see where I could put the flat even if I had a donut spare.
#14
Rennlist Member
I've been carrying a spare for about 7 years and finally got to use it. I have a thread on that, and I plan to add to it with some new info.
Spoiler - that I test fit a spacer on the front and it works. Now I need to buy some longer bolts.
Spoiler - that I test fit a spacer on the front and it works. Now I need to buy some longer bolts.
#15
You may be right, I haven't looked into it. My Vette came with non-runflats, but OEM are runflat. Everyone says runflats are noisy. The only car I've got with them is an E-Class diesel (Mercedes used the spare tire well for the blue fluid tank) and that car is so quiet you can't hear tire noise period.