Using the Spare Tire ?
 

First let me confess my sin, I did not rotate the tires on my TJ according to
the owners manual. <:-( So I have four 33" BFG AT tires with about 35K on them
and one spare that has never been on the ground, until the other day that is. I
picked up a nail some place and my only option was to, Oh horrors, use the spare
tire. <lol>

So now what? Am I going to hurt anything by driving with one tire that is
substantially larger than the one on the other side of the axle? Does it matter
front or rear axle? How about off road with an ARB locker in the rear? I am a
confesses non-tire rotator, and I promise to begin rotating tires on a regular
basis, just as soon as I start that regular exercise program. ;-)

Dean

Re: Using the Spare Tire ?
 

On Fri, 3 Oct 2003 05:10:05 UTC Dean
<do.not.email.me@post.it.to.the.group.com> wrote:

> First let me confess my sin, I did not rotate the tires on my TJ according to
> the owners manual. <:-( So I have four 33" BFG AT tires with about 35K on them
> and one spare that has never been on the ground, until the other day that is. I
> picked up a nail some place and my only option was to, Oh horrors, use the spare
> tire. <lol>
>
> So now what? Am I going to hurt anything by driving with one tire that is
> substantially larger than the one on the other side of the axle? Does it matter
> front or rear axle? How about off road with an ARB locker in the rear? I am a
> confesses non-tire rotator, and I promise to begin rotating tires on a regular
> basis, just as soon as I start that regular exercise program. ;-)

If the front is open, why not just move the bigger one up there -
assuming it's been balanced (a whole lot of spares aren't)? Ever
figure the actual difference in circumference? Figure a nominal 33
with a quarter inch of tread gone, which is pretty well worn, and
you're still at 98.4% of the new circumference so even on the locked
axle it would be workable in virtually any real usage. Just my guess.

--
Will Honea

Re: Using the Spare Tire ?
 

On Fri, 3 Oct 2003 05:10:05 UTC Dean
<do.not.email.me@post.it.to.the.group.com> wrote:

> First let me confess my sin, I did not rotate the tires on my TJ according to
> the owners manual. <:-( So I have four 33" BFG AT tires with about 35K on them
> and one spare that has never been on the ground, until the other day that is. I
> picked up a nail some place and my only option was to, Oh horrors, use the spare
> tire. <lol>
>
> So now what? Am I going to hurt anything by driving with one tire that is
> substantially larger than the one on the other side of the axle? Does it matter
> front or rear axle? How about off road with an ARB locker in the rear? I am a
> confesses non-tire rotator, and I promise to begin rotating tires on a regular
> basis, just as soon as I start that regular exercise program. ;-)

If the front is open, why not just move the bigger one up there -
assuming it's been balanced (a whole lot of spares aren't)? Ever
figure the actual difference in circumference? Figure a nominal 33
with a quarter inch of tread gone, which is pretty well worn, and
you're still at 98.4% of the new circumference so even on the locked
axle it would be workable in virtually any real usage. Just my guess.

--
Will Honea

Re: Using the Spare Tire ?
 

On Fri, 3 Oct 2003 05:10:05 UTC Dean
<do.not.email.me@post.it.to.the.group.com> wrote:

> First let me confess my sin, I did not rotate the tires on my TJ according to
> the owners manual. <:-( So I have four 33" BFG AT tires with about 35K on them
> and one spare that has never been on the ground, until the other day that is. I
> picked up a nail some place and my only option was to, Oh horrors, use the spare
> tire. <lol>
>
> So now what? Am I going to hurt anything by driving with one tire that is
> substantially larger than the one on the other side of the axle? Does it matter
> front or rear axle? How about off road with an ARB locker in the rear? I am a
> confesses non-tire rotator, and I promise to begin rotating tires on a regular
> basis, just as soon as I start that regular exercise program. ;-)

If the front is open, why not just move the bigger one up there -
assuming it's been balanced (a whole lot of spares aren't)? Ever
figure the actual difference in circumference? Figure a nominal 33
with a quarter inch of tread gone, which is pretty well worn, and
you're still at 98.4% of the new circumference so even on the locked
axle it would be workable in virtually any real usage. Just my guess.

--
Will Honea

Re: Using the Spare Tire ?
 

"Dean" <do.not.email.me@post.it.to.the.group.com> wrote in message
news:390qnvk7usqknju7qfjeun18ntk8odv7jb@4ax.com...
> First let me confess my sin, I did not rotate the tires on my TJ according
to
> the owners manual. <:-( So I have four 33" BFG AT tires with about 35K
on them
> and one spare that has never been on the ground, until the other day that
is. I
> picked up a nail some place and my only option was to, Oh horrors, use the
spare
> tire. <lol>
>
> So now what? Am I going to hurt anything by driving with one tire that is
> substantially larger than the one on the other side of the axle? Does it
matter
> front or rear axle? How about off road with an ARB locker in the rear?

You should get your other tire fixed at the next opportunity...
this would be worse with a trac-loc diff, since you have a
manually-controllable locker, just don't lock it until you get
the tire fixed. Keep the bigger tire for a spare until you get
a new set of tires, then pull your best old tire for the spare
and put the new one on the ground (buy 3 new tires, cheaper!).
Then when you need to use the spare, chances are it will
match the rest of them better.
__
Steve
..

Re: Using the Spare Tire ?
 

"Dean" <do.not.email.me@post.it.to.the.group.com> wrote in message
news:390qnvk7usqknju7qfjeun18ntk8odv7jb@4ax.com...
> First let me confess my sin, I did not rotate the tires on my TJ according
to
> the owners manual. <:-( So I have four 33" BFG AT tires with about 35K
on them
> and one spare that has never been on the ground, until the other day that
is. I
> picked up a nail some place and my only option was to, Oh horrors, use the
spare
> tire. <lol>
>
> So now what? Am I going to hurt anything by driving with one tire that is
> substantially larger than the one on the other side of the axle? Does it
matter
> front or rear axle? How about off road with an ARB locker in the rear?

You should get your other tire fixed at the next opportunity...
this would be worse with a trac-loc diff, since you have a
manually-controllable locker, just don't lock it until you get
the tire fixed. Keep the bigger tire for a spare until you get
a new set of tires, then pull your best old tire for the spare
and put the new one on the ground (buy 3 new tires, cheaper!).
Then when you need to use the spare, chances are it will
match the rest of them better.
__
Steve
..

Re: Using the Spare Tire ?
 

"Dean" <do.not.email.me@post.it.to.the.group.com> wrote in message
news:390qnvk7usqknju7qfjeun18ntk8odv7jb@4ax.com...
> First let me confess my sin, I did not rotate the tires on my TJ according
to
> the owners manual. <:-( So I have four 33" BFG AT tires with about 35K
on them
> and one spare that has never been on the ground, until the other day that
is. I
> picked up a nail some place and my only option was to, Oh horrors, use the
spare
> tire. <lol>
>
> So now what? Am I going to hurt anything by driving with one tire that is
> substantially larger than the one on the other side of the axle? Does it
matter
> front or rear axle? How about off road with an ARB locker in the rear?

You should get your other tire fixed at the next opportunity...
this would be worse with a trac-loc diff, since you have a
manually-controllable locker, just don't lock it until you get
the tire fixed. Keep the bigger tire for a spare until you get
a new set of tires, then pull your best old tire for the spare
and put the new one on the ground (buy 3 new tires, cheaper!).
Then when you need to use the spare, chances are it will
match the rest of them better.
__
Steve
..

Re: Using the Spare Tire ?
 

You _could_ fix the flat and hang the new tire back on the rack. Or, you
could buy another new tire if the old one is too far gone, then hang the
best of the tires on the ground on the rack. I have a brand new Mud Terrain
on my rack, and they don't even make them anymore.



"Dean" <do.not.email.me@post.it.to.the.group.com> wrote in message
news:390qnvk7usqknju7qfjeun18ntk8odv7jb@4ax.com...
> First let me confess my sin, I did not rotate the tires on my TJ according
to
> the owners manual. <:-( So I have four 33" BFG AT tires with about 35K
on them
> and one spare that has never been on the ground, until the other day that
is. I
> picked up a nail some place and my only option was to, Oh horrors, use the
spare
> tire. <lol>
>
> So now what? Am I going to hurt anything by driving with one tire that is
> substantially larger than the one on the other side of the axle? Does it
matter
> front or rear axle? How about off road with an ARB locker in the rear? I
am a
> confesses non-tire rotator, and I promise to begin rotating tires on a
regular
> basis, just as soon as I start that regular exercise program. ;-)
>
> Dean

Re: Using the Spare Tire ?
 

You _could_ fix the flat and hang the new tire back on the rack. Or, you
could buy another new tire if the old one is too far gone, then hang the
best of the tires on the ground on the rack. I have a brand new Mud Terrain
on my rack, and they don't even make them anymore.



"Dean" <do.not.email.me@post.it.to.the.group.com> wrote in message
news:390qnvk7usqknju7qfjeun18ntk8odv7jb@4ax.com...
> First let me confess my sin, I did not rotate the tires on my TJ according
to
> the owners manual. <:-( So I have four 33" BFG AT tires with about 35K
on them
> and one spare that has never been on the ground, until the other day that
is. I
> picked up a nail some place and my only option was to, Oh horrors, use the
spare
> tire. <lol>
>
> So now what? Am I going to hurt anything by driving with one tire that is
> substantially larger than the one on the other side of the axle? Does it
matter
> front or rear axle? How about off road with an ARB locker in the rear? I
am a
> confesses non-tire rotator, and I promise to begin rotating tires on a
regular
> basis, just as soon as I start that regular exercise program. ;-)
>
> Dean

Re: Using the Spare Tire ?
 

You _could_ fix the flat and hang the new tire back on the rack. Or, you
could buy another new tire if the old one is too far gone, then hang the
best of the tires on the ground on the rack. I have a brand new Mud Terrain
on my rack, and they don't even make them anymore.



"Dean" <do.not.email.me@post.it.to.the.group.com> wrote in message
news:390qnvk7usqknju7qfjeun18ntk8odv7jb@4ax.com...
> First let me confess my sin, I did not rotate the tires on my TJ according
to
> the owners manual. <:-( So I have four 33" BFG AT tires with about 35K
on them
> and one spare that has never been on the ground, until the other day that
is. I
> picked up a nail some place and my only option was to, Oh horrors, use the
spare
> tire. <lol>
>
> So now what? Am I going to hurt anything by driving with one tire that is
> substantially larger than the one on the other side of the axle? Does it
matter
> front or rear axle? How about off road with an ARB locker in the rear? I
am a
> confesses non-tire rotator, and I promise to begin rotating tires on a
regular
> basis, just as soon as I start that regular exercise program. ;-)
>
> Dean