Spare tire

[Irish.]

Ok folks, i need your input.
Data: 2019 ram tradesman only three weeks old. Brought as NEW.
Last week, i just installing my mud flaps on rears. Noticed the spare tire looks funny, not the same tread design as on all four, and "looks" wore out.. same size but. I never seen that and never had a "donut" in full size. Had true full size spare in past trucks. I asked the mgt, they said it a full size safety spare. Unheard of. I am asking you guys what you got for spare. Will looking at other dealership and inspection thier truck to see got a real full size spare.
If this dealership did a shaddy job on me, hell is to be pay

 

[TigreST]

You can visit this site.... https://fcacommunity.force.com/RAM/s/equipment-listing …….and plug in your VIN and get the build sheet and see what it says. When you plug in your VIN use caps and no spaces or dashes or you will get an error code. My spare is described as a " 17" Steel Spare Wheel" . I'll have to peek under the truck, but it looks like a full size unit I think,..it comes close to the rear of the rear bumper.

T.

 

[Irish.]

Thanks T, i just looked it up. My dismay, yup it is temperary full size spare.
Oh well, during the summer will be installing a real spare for my peace of mind.
They should be adding real full size for the cost to buy the truck.imo.

 

[Badger 13]

My truck has 20" tires & wheel on it, but came with a 17" wheel and a "temporary" tall tire to match the height of the stock wheels. I wasn't really comfortable with that, so I found a used 20" steel wheel and a very good used 20" tire. It fits just fine under the truck. I have read that the aluminum wheel center hole opening is not big large enough for the spare attachment piece to get through. So, if you know anyone looking for one of those new spare 17" temporary spare tires, I have one... Back a few years a friend purchased a new Chevy 1/2 ton truck. It came with 20" wheels, but he told me the spare was 17". I thought what the heck is that all about, so Dodge is not the only one doing this... I would like to think that things have not changed with your 2019 from the 4th gens. Congrats on the new truck.

 

[Jus Cruisin]

I carry a plug kit and inflator. I seriously doubt the spare will ever hit the ground. They haven't in the past.

I always have a car or two that don't even have spares. And they don't have run-flats.

The new Explorer might not have one. It's coming with a substance in the tire that'll fill a pencil sized hole

 

[TigreST]

Somewhat related, re: Flat tires. I had my plug kit out last night funny (not) enough. My wife says "Could you pump up my tires...the low pressure thing is in on the dash, thanks." 2012 Ford Focus Titanium with 18" wheels, read: very small sidewalls. To look at them there was no real indication of a low pressure that I could see with the naked eye. Anyway...left rear is down to like 10 or 15psi, ...oh and look....a nail (mid tread, not sidewall). So I plugged it and pumped it up, job done.

To the point. While riding motorcycles in the U.S. my riding buddy picked up a #10 3" wood screw somewhere in the rear tire of his Harley Road Glide. It was holding air, so we drove around to tire shops hoping to get a plug put in his next to new rear tire. "Nope...we don't do that anymore, but we'll sell you a new tire!" That was pretty much the way it went every shop we stopped at. Something about "liability" issues.

We ended up pulling out our plug kit and used the shops tools and airline to do the repair ourselves. The repair lasted another three years.

Anybody else run into this "no-plugging" policy in your travels? I don't think it is in effect here in Canada..at least not locally (Ontario).

T.

 

[Irish.]

Plug kit, ummmm where to find a good kit?
Lucky i had one flat on the ford150 few yrs back. Knock on wood, never had to pull spare out. I am hopeful i dont have too. Still i rather be 100% safer using a real spare tire instead of donut tire.

 

[Jus Cruisin]

Any parts store will carry plug kits. Besides the kit you just need pliers or small vice grip to yank out the nail or screw.

 

[ThunderMug95]

The last time I had to get a tire plugged they insisted on plugging it from the inside. Which was new to me. Ok. Costs more.
I would say that no way in hell would i plug a streetbike tire to travel any distance other than to a tire shop. The chance of another flat and losing 50% of my tires at speed may not end up so good. That replacement tire couldve been the cheapest alternative.

 

[kad]

Anybody else run into this "no-plugging" policy in your travels? I don't think it is in effect here in Canada..at least not locally (Ontario).

T.

They won't do a straight plug around here (NY), they will only do the patch/plug style where they dismount the tire and put a patch on the inside with a plug piece that goes into the hole.

-K

 

[TigreST]

So....anybody got a plug handy?


T.

 

[turkeybird56]

I got some, but alas, kinda far away. U can go to Walmart and buy a kit.

AS far as MC, there is no way I would run a big street bike plugged or otherwise, other then a temp fix to get tire replaced. My Honda Trike is just too big and heavy, just saying, and with my fat *** on the bike, we talking 2500 lbs curb weight, But even when I had my Ultra Classic 08 HD, I would not run a plugged tire. Gets way to hot here in summer also...

Just all IMHO............

 

[Jus Cruisin]

I've used old style push in plugs in cars and trucks and trailers for years. Never had a failure. I'm sure the patch/plugs are better but I'm old school. I'm not about to have a tire shop scratch up a rim just to do a tire patch when I can do it in my drive in about 10 minutes. That's typically when I discover I even have a nail in a tire.

 

[TigreST]

Dated photo gents. June of 2018. Still got the "TigreST installed plug" in it. Warmer temps are coming the summer wheels will be re-installed...sooner than later I hope.

T.

 

[Irish.]

Tiger, sucks to have a good flat on your driveway, btw, loose that goodyear brand and get hancok tires.

 

[jason251]

Somewhat related, re: Flat tires. I had my plug kit out last night funny (not) enough. My wife says "Could you pump up my tires...the low pressure thing is in on the dash, thanks." 2012 Ford Focus Titanium with 18" wheels, read: very small sidewalls. To look at them there was no real indication of a low pressure that I could see with the naked eye. Anyway...left rear is down to like 10 or 15psi, ...oh and look....a nail (mid tread, not sidewall). So I plugged it and pumped it up, job done.

To the point. While riding motorcycles in the U.S. my riding buddy picked up a #10 3" wood screw somewhere in the rear tire of his Harley Road Glide. It was holding air, so we drove around to tire shops hoping to get a plug put in his next to new rear tire. "Nope...we don't do that anymore, but we'll sell you a new tire!" That was pretty much the way it went every shop we stopped at. Something about "liability" issues.

We ended up pulling out our plug kit and used the shops tools and airline to do the repair ourselves. The repair lasted another three years.

Anybody else run into this "no-plugging" policy in your travels? I don't think it is in effect here in Canada..at least not locally (Ontario).

T.

Yes. Many chain stores will not plug a tire. It was company policy when I worked at a Firestone many years ago.

 

[TigreST]

Tiger, sucks to have a good flat on your driveway, btw, loose that goodyear brand and get hancok tires.

I'm only running the Goodyears for winter service. Gonna get as many km's out of them as I can over the next few (?) years. There's only approx. 6000km's on them in two years. I like the look of them but I'm well aware of the bad rep they have for wear.

T.

 

[TigreST]

Well, I crawled under the ass end to look at the “full size spare”. Goodyear Radial Spare, Temporary Use, 235-85R/17, with the funky tread pattern.


T.

 

[Irish.]

Tiger, lol see, i hate that spare, i have same kind like yours. Later in spring will get a real tire put under there, . dont have to be best tire longs it match the size as the ones on truck

 

[TigreST]

It’s rather obvious what a space saver spare is about with automobiles, they save space of course. But what is it with these Temp Spares on trucks. Cost savings? Or how about an anti- theft technology.....there not worth stealing? Some years ago we had a rash of spare tire thefts from new trucks at local dealerships. I don’t know if they ever caught the perp/s.

T.