Do you perform regular safety checks of your car(s) or truck(s)? You should. And when you do, do you also check your spare tire?
One common area missed during regular vehicle inspections is the spare tire (and the jacking equipment). Most important is to make sure it is properly inflated. If you have a full-sized spare, then the proper inflation should be the same as the other tires currently mounted on your vehicle, usually 35psi. But if you are as unlucky as I am and have one of those “doughnuts”, then the required pressure is what is indicated on the side of the tire, in this case, usually 60psi.
You should also make sure you can actually get at your spare. On my pickup, the spare is carried underneath, it is held in place by a small winch (sometimes referred to as a spare tire lifter, hoist, etc.) that is turned by hand using the lug wrench as the crank handle. Place the long-end (the end shaped like a screwdriver) of the lug wrench in a small hole in the back of the truck near the license plate and start turning the wrench. The tire will drop to the ground where you can reach under the truck and pull it out (don’t forget to crank the empty wench cable back up!).
The other day, I experienced a flat tire. Normally that in itself wouldn’t be too bad. But there was a malfunction in the workings of the hoist. The end of the tube that the lug wrench engages to turn the winch. This tube (or crankshaft) had come out of the access hole—how, I do not know. Fortunately, I was not far from home and could get someone to bring me an air tank, so I could get home and work on the truck, there.
When I finally got the spare tire out, I discovered it only had twenty pound of pressure in it! This doughnut is supposed to have sixty pounds of pressure. This is why you should always have your spare tire checked. After twelve years, my spare finally got put to use.
Also, don’t forget to check you jacking equipment. Do you know where it is? Is everything—jack, lug wrench, etc.—there like it is supposed to be? Do you know how to use it?
If you do not know the answer to these questions, ask your mechanic. If your mechanic is unwilling to demonstrate to you how to change your tire, even for a fee, then you should get a new mechanic.
