Checking your tires

[Dray]

Why is my spare tire a different size than the others?  I have 185/80 ST13's and the spare is a 175/80 ST13.  I thought it may be a mistake by the dealer but then I saw on my placard the same information.  

Thanks

[markwi]

Call your dealer and ask. I  would like to why they should be different. I know why  they should be the same. When you tow, the tires are to be the same size on the camper.

[wavery]

Call your dealer and ask. I  would like to why they should be different. I know why  they should be the same. When you tow, the tires are to be the same size on the camper.

I don't know about your car but my car has a spare tire that is about the size of a hub cap. :p

[PattieAM]

My PUP also has the different sized spare tire.  I did notice when I had a flat this year that the two PUP rims are the fancy/schmancy rims, and the spare is a generic rim which might have bearing on the different tire size.

[TriadNCGuy]

I know this sounds dumb....but maybe so the spare tire cover will fit???

[Dray]

I know this sounds dumb....but maybe so the spare tire cover will fit???

ha ha that's funny.

[wavery]

I think that it's pretty well accepted that "Spare" tires are meant for short term use.

In the event that you have a blow out, bulge or other defect in one of your tires, it's time to replace both of your tires....not just one. At that point a new spare might even be considered.

At any rate, if the spare were a duplicate of the mounted trailer tires, there would be little incentive to replace those tires. I think that having a different spare may be a good thing. It got your attention..... :sombraro:

[flyfisherman]

Cartainly true of some automobiles coming from the factory with different sized spare tires but I've never heard of it nor ever seen any postings here or other PU sites about popups coming from the manufacterer so equiped. I'd be inclined to think a previous owner changed tire sizes for whatever reasons. Maybe some dealers might have changed s tire by mistake or doing whatever to get by without having to go to extra expense ... some dealers would do such a thing ya know!

A call to the popup manufacturer would certainly solve the "mystery" ~ for sure they'd have a quick reference as to what the PU left the factory with.


Fly

[Jim K in PA]

Both our and my mom's 2006 Vikings came with spare tires and wheels that are identical to the ones mounted to the trailer.  I think it would be prudent to have a spare of equal size and load capacity as the trailer tires specified for it.

Our Jeeps all have full size spare tires and wheels.  A "temporary" spare is not much use if you need to get through difficult conditions like snow, mud, rough roads, etc.

[mike4947]

Dray, of course Fleetwood doesn't list your model anymore, so I couldn't get an easy answer...LOL
But, of your GVWR of the camper is over 3200 pounds then the ST185/80D13 is the correct tire.
I will bet that the dealer replaced the correct spare with the undersized/rated tire because he needed one and just didn't look when he replaced it.

[wavery]

Cartainly true of some automobiles coming from the factory with different sized spare tires but I've never heard of it nor ever seen any postings here or other PU sites about popups coming from the manufacterer so equiped. I'd be inclined to think a previous owner changed tire sizes for whatever reasons. Maybe some dealers might have changed s tire by mistake or doing whatever to get by without having to go to extra expense ... some dealers would do such a thing ya know!

A call to the popup manufacturer would certainly solve the "mystery" ~ for sure they'd have a quick reference as to what the PU left the factory with.


Fly

I agree that the manuf probably put 3 matching tires on the trailer when it was built. All I'm saying is......having a different size spare isn't necessarily a "Bad" thing.

[austinado16]

I agree that the manuf probably put 3 matching tires on the trailer when it was built. All I'm saying is......having a different size spare isn't necessarily a "Bad" thing.

My brother and I bought a car tow dolly together about 10 years ago.  It stayed with him and he was "taking care of it."  Being the financial conservationist that he is, when one of the original $100 13" tires went bad, he slapped a 13" car tire on it that was smaller in diameter.  

The next time I picked up the dolly to use it, it was skating all over the road at speed.  I discovered the tire mismatch, took it to a tire store and had 2 new matching tires mounted.  Problem solved.

Based on what I saw the tow dolly doing, I don't think I'd want a 2-3 thousand pound PUP running on tires that were 2 different sizes.  Although, maybe the "light/empty" tow dolly was more prone to skating and it would have been perfectly fine with a car sitting up on it.

[wavery]

My brother and I bought a car tow dolly together about 10 years ago.  I wasn't doing much playing around with cars at the time, so it stayed with him and he was "taking care of it."  Being the financial conservationist that he is, when one of the original $100 13" tires went bad, he slapped a 13" car tire on it that was smaller in diameter.  

The next time I picked up the dolly to use it, it was skating all over the road at speed.  I discovered the tire mismatch, took it to a tire store and had 2 new match tires mounted.  Problem solved.

Based on what I saw the tow dolly doing, I don't think I'd want a 2-3 thousand pound PUP running on tires that were 2 different sizes.  Although, maybe the "light/empty" tow dolly was more prone to skating and it would have been perfectly fine with a car sitting up on it.

That's my point exactly Austin.....a spare should only be used as a spare. If one tire goes bad on a trailer, both tires should be replaced with new tires immediately. A "Spare" should only be used as a stop-gap to get you to a place that sells new tires. I would think that it would be fare to say that if the spare on the car trailer were the same as the other tire, that other tire would not have been replaced. That just isn't acceptable IMHO.

[markwi]

In The spring I will rotate the spare on to the camper. The spare on a newer car is a space saver tire. It should not be run more than 50 miles and not over 50 mph.( your spare should have that on the tire)  It really is not safe to run different size tires on the same axle. Mark

[sundawg]

In The spring I will rotate the spare on to the camper. The spare on a newer car is a space saver tire. It should not be run more than 50 miles and not over 50 mph.( your spare should have that on the tire)  It really is not safe to run different size tires on the same axle. Mark

Didnt want to start new thread ..... who do i tell the max size of tires i can put on my trailer? i want the most clearance i can get?

Thanks!

Or should i start a new thread?  Newbie <<<<