Anyone using donut spares?

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Wvbuzzmaster

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When I bought my 1972 Duster it only came with 4 wheels and tires, all 5x4 bolt pattern rally, and a B body 8-3/4 axle under the car... so two wheels didn’t fit... lol so fast forward a month now and I have bought enough parts to make a whole new car out of it, including what it takes to put power disc brakes on the front, which gets me to 5x4.5 all the way around. I am running 255/60R15 on 15x8 rims out back and 215/65R15 on 15x7 Zero offset rims up front once I convert to discs (tires are bought and mounted on new rims already). My car is equipped with Sure grip and I was told that if carry a spare match the rear tire height, which is 27.05”, The front tires are 25.99” and what I read is anything over 26” up front and you will have rubbing. So how do I do this spare thing right? I thought about it and these modern Mopars have donut spares in all kinds of sizes and a quick search yielded a great option, a 145/80R18 at 27.13”, definitely close enough for the rear height and narrow so maybe be ok up front with no rubbing? I mean the goal of the spare is to get the car home, and with it being a 340 car with 4.10 rear gears I am not going on any long hauls! Any opinions before I buy a donut?
 
Living in NY I got a flat in Manhattan. I put the donut on a Honda and had to drive 50 miles to home on the Long Island distress way. Try doing 55 mph on any major road and everybody is up your rear. It was the most stress full ride, except for snow or a heavy down pour of rain.
 
I did a brake conversion and big bolt rear in a 63 Valiant. I got a spare from a 88 Dodge Diplomat or any RWD Chrysler from the 80's.
No I did not have a sure grip so my concern with height/size was not a problem.
Others have stated that the Ford RWD of the 90's work.
Honest I can't remember the last time I ever needed to put a spare on,BUT it is piece of mind.
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I recently needed spares on a trip home from Arizona. Just go full size. If road racing weight is your concern, pull it out and leave it in the pits.
If drag racing weight is your concern, move it to the back of the trunk for traction.

If you run mismatched, you're just kind of hosed if your rear won't fit the front
 
jos51700 said:
I recently needed spares on a trip home from Arizona. Just go full size. If road racing weight is your concern, pull it out and leave it in the pits.
If drag racing weight is your concern, move it to the back of the trunk for traction.

If you run mismatched, you're just kind of hosed if your rear won't fit the front
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Thanks for the feedback.

Weight is not a concern, just ability to get it either home or to the nearest cell phone signal to call AAA. I am not leaving this car anywhere, even though the crime rate in this small town is low, there’s still low life drug activity, but that is everywhere this day and age. Living in WV there are enough cell phone dead zones that you are guaranteed to be on your own for a little while to sort things out yourself.

I have no choice but to run mismatched tires front and rear, I’m going for that late 70s, early 80s look and feel out of my 1972 Duster. With my B body axle I am running 5.5” of backspace out back, so thinking smartly if I run a modern donut those have lots of backspace which move the tire in, if I run an 18” it will probably clear the caliper and the fender if needed on the front, but still be tall enough for Sure Grip rear...

Luckily I don’t wouldn’t to go anywhere faster than 55 to get home. Mostly just back roading the car anyway.
 
Will be running 25" tall tires 225-60R15s with an 8.8 exploder rear with locker, and 4 wheel discs. Fronts are 79 cordoba big brakes.

Wanted something that lays flat, and will clear the brakes at both ends. Without further Adieu, I give you the 2002 lincoln town car donut spare solution. It's about 5" wide, BBP, 25" diameter, and bonus the rim itself is aluminum for light weight. I got 2 of em. One for each cuda. $10 each at the boneyard. Both were brand new grandma fresh unused. Fits perfectly flat in the spare well.

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I used to carry a 17" spare from a '07/08 Infiniti G35 before I removed my spare tire well. It fits in the well, clears my DoctorDiff 13" cobra style brake kit in the front too. It has a 145/80/17 on it (~26" tall), which is the tallest tire that will fit in the spare tire well. You won't be able to do anything about fitting a spare for the rear wheels in the well if they're taller than 26". In the front a 27" tall spare may work because it's so narrow, but that will depend on its offset/backspace.

I did a little dremel work on the hub bore on the G35 spare, it was a couple mm's too small for the DoctorDiff hubs which are about the same as the 73+ mopar disks. Nothing major though, especially for a spare. It doesn't sit perfectly even with the trunk floor, the center of the rim sticks up just a little because of the curvature on the spokes.

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moparmat2000 said:
Will be running 25" tall tires 225-60R15s with an 8.8 exploder rear with locker, and 4 wheel discs. Fronts are 79 cordoba big brakes.

Wanted something that lays flat, and will clear the brakes at both ends. Without further Adieu, I give you the 2002 lincoln town car donut spare solution. It's about 5" wide, BBP, 25" diameter, and bonus the rim itself is aluminum for light weight. I got 2 of em. One for each cuda. $10 each at the boneyard. Both were brand new grandma fresh unused. Fits perfectly flat in the spare well.

View attachment 1715656188
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Seeing that picture reminds me of the spares in chargers and 300's. Op might check out those.
 
jos51700 said:
Seeing that picture reminds me of the spares in chargers and 300's. Op might check out those.
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That’s what I was looking at spares from to find the 145/80-18 option.

72blunblu, You said the spare tire well won’t fit a 27” donut spare? Man this is the part I wish I could try before I buy one... really like what I found, even thought about getting the lug wrench and jack too so I would have all those too.

Anyone have any pics showing their donuts in mock up while making sure your backup plan fit the car?
 
Wvbuzzmaster said:
That’s what I was looking at spares from to find the 145/80-18 option.

72blunblu, You said the spare tire well won’t fit a 27” donut spare? Man this is the part I wish I could try before I buy one... really like what I found, even thought about getting the lug wrench and jack too so I would have all those too.

Anyone have any pics showing their donuts in mock up while making sure your backup plan fit the car?
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Nope, nothing much taller than 26” will fit in the well. Just measure the diameter of the well if you want, it’s not 27”. Just go about half way down the wall and run a tape measure. I can double check the spare I have, but I’m almost positive it’s a 145/80/17, which makes it like 26.1” tall. It basically wedges into the well. It made light contact all the way around the inner wall of the tire well. It sat all the way down, but it was definitely the tallest tire that would.
 
Wvbuzzmaster said:
That’s what I was looking at spares from to find the 145/80-18 option.

72blunblu, You said the spare tire well won’t fit a 27” donut spare? Man this is the part I wish I could try before I buy one... really like what I found, even thought about getting the lug wrench and jack too so I would have all those too.

Anyone have any pics showing their donuts in mock up while making sure your backup plan fit the car?
Click to expand...
Nope. I test fit on the explorer 8.8. It cleared the brakes with room to spare, did not offset backso far as to hit the leafs. In the front, it cleared the cordoba brakes just fine. Center is wide open enough to clear everything.
 
Anybody know of a donut spare for small bolt pattern?

I bought a metric one awhile back off of a small dodge I think. It was close, but not close enough.
 
Mike69cuda said:
Anybody know of a donut spare for small bolt pattern?

I bought a metric one awhile back off of a small dodge I think. It was close, but not close enough.
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Nah. Nothing even remotely modern enough to have a donut spare is 5x4”. And while 5x100mm is close, it is not close enough. Not IMO anyway.

I gave up carrying a spare locally. If I end up with a flat in a safe enough spot to change a tire I can just wait for my AAA tow. And if I’m not in a safe enough spot to stay and wait, I’m definitely not in a spot where I’m gonna get out and change a tire. Worst case I have to limp it along for a bit and ruin a rim. Well, rims are easy enough to replace. So many people and good samaritans get hit by cars doing things like that it’s not worth it anymore. Hang out on the side of a highway with cars whizzing by changing a tire with a sketchy jack on uneven ground? No thanks. I’ll just sit and chill in my car, listen to music and wait for the tow. The freeways I drive would be the worst spots for a flat, but most of the time on them the tow will be just as fast, if not faster, than changing the tire because of the freeway patrol rigs they run during commute time.

And that’s all a donut spare is good for anyway, get you off the freeway to a tire shop. So many insurance policies have some kind of emergency towing now it’s not even worth it. Heck I think I payed $100 for my spare, that alone would cover the tow most of the time.
 
72blunblu,
I agree with the safety thing of changing tires and ruining rims. My only reason for considering it is being in a rural area AAA is not as fast, if you even have cell service, best bet is to call Dad to get trailer or one of the local tow guys. Most likely end up pulled off in someone’s driveway if do have an issue. Other thing is, if the issue is on the four lane here... I will be driving to next turn off, ruin a rim is cheap compared to the risk of highway tire changes these days. I have no spare now but always have trailer spare wheels and tires around... only have like 10 trailers... lol. My first drive around my block I had trailer wheels and tires on. The back of the Duster. Yes they were wagon wheel style, but necessary evil while figuring out what I wanted on the car, especially since I had them already lol. But regardless, rather carry a donut or something... just to add options. Even if it’s just to make it easier to load on a trailer.
 
72bluNblu said:
Nah. Nothing even remotely modern enough to have a donut spare is 5x4”. And while 5x100mm is close, it is not close enough. Not IMO anyway.

I gave up carrying a spare locally. If I end up with a flat in a safe enough spot to change a tire I can just wait for my AAA tow. And if I’m not in a safe enough spot to stay and wait, I’m definitely not in a spot where I’m gonna get out and change a tire. Worst case I have to limp it along for a bit and ruin a rim. Well, rims are easy enough to replace. So many people and good samaritans get hit by cars doing things like that it’s not worth it anymore. Hang out on the side of a highway with cars whizzing by changing a tire with a sketchy jack on uneven ground? No thanks. I’ll just sit and chill in my car, listen to music and wait for the tow. The freeways I drive would be the worst spots for a flat, but most of the time on them the tow will be just as fast, if not faster, than changing the tire because of the freeway patrol rigs they run during commute time.

And that’s all a donut spare is good for anyway, get you off the freeway to a tire shop. So many insurance policies have some kind of emergency towing now it’s not even worth it. Heck I think I payed $100 for my spare, that alone would cover the tow most of the time.
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Yeah, the one donut I tried was 5 x 100. Would have taken a lot of grinding, then still probably wouldn’t have worked well, so I pitched it. I put some blocks under my spare tire board to raise it a couple of inches so my 205 70 14 would fit. I think the spare tire wells on these cars were made for 13 inch tires.
 
My plan is to roll with the 4x4 scenario and get a 12 volt pump and a plug kit. I took out the well to make room for exhaust from mini tub. Im AAA'n it if I get a sidewall dinger, but with a Sure Grip and two different heights of tire, this is my solution. I can plug a tire pretty quick. and if the lead is long enough for the pump, I can do it 10' off the side of the road....if there is space of course. Or....AAA. Most times you feel the car getting mushy and you have a second or two to get off the road to a spot. I dont know if I have ever run down to the rim. I ran over a box of razor blades that was in the road once and still made it a couple blocks to a level safe place. Just got to pay attention to what you are doing.
 
I found a donut spare in a 90-something Jeep, 5x4.5 pattern. It fits, but just barely in the Dart. Measure carefully, I had a hard time getting a 27" tire in a 27" well.
 
Mike69cuda said:
Anybody know of a donut spare for small bolt pattern?

I bought a metric one awhile back off of a small dodge I think. It was close, but not close enough.
Click to expand...

When I bought my Dart GT it had a "temporary use" spare tire from a Neon (5 on 100mm bolt circle). Nope!!

I found and bought another 14" X 5 1/2" sbp Rallye wheel (had to be a Rallye to clear the SSBC front disc brakes) and put the same size tire I'm currently running on the rear, to protect the 8 3/4" sure-grip.

Since I run different sized tires (front vs. rear), is there a +/- tolerance to prevent damage to the 8 3/4" sure-grip?
 
I have not seen anyone come up with a tolerance. I assumed 1-2% would be good. That would be about 1/4 to 1/2 inch on a 26 inch tire.

I am not an expert, up I think the downside of an imperfect match ona sure grip is heat build up from slippage.
 
DartGTDan said:
When I bought my Dart GT it had a "temporary use" spare tire from a Neon (5 on 100mm bolt circle). Nope!!

I found and bought another 14" X 5 1/2" sbp Rallye wheel (had to be a Rallye to clear the SSBC front disc brakes) and put the same size tire I'm currently running on the rear, to protect the 8 3/4" sure-grip.

Since I run different sized tires (front vs. rear), is there a +/- tolerance to prevent damage to the 8 3/4" sure-grip?
Click to expand...

If you're using a "temporary " spare I would think you wouldn't be ridding on it very long and certainly not doing burnouts :eek:. Therefore I don't think you'll be hurting your rear end. My 65 has a pretty small well, so I'm using a Crown Vic aluminum temp like the one pictured above and fits nicely. I need one that was at least 15" because I have big brakes on the front.
 
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I have a donut spare on the rf of my LeSabre after blowing a tire headed to the Docs office this week.

Im feeling ghetto.,
 
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