why would you want to ditch the spare? i did it for more stereo amps but for weight savings?

Josh i guess the question is - can you drive the S to it's limit with the spare (i doubt many of us can) and how much more do you expect to get out of the car by dumping the spare? -

don't see any benefits

 

Steve if I did this, I'd probably relocate my amp to the empty spare area.

 

The mechanics at work plug the tires on the cruisers and leave it as permanent. They never leak afterward and are not heavy enough to throw the balance off. Of course just because they do that, doesn't necessarily mean it's right (because they do hack some stuff), but the plugs do last FWIW.

 

guess you missed the YMMV in my post

 

Nope...I saw it...I just think you are wrong.

 

Dump the spare and get the above supplies to be on the "safe" side. You wont notice a difference with just dumping the spare, but its a 40lb start and things do add up fast once you start the shaving process.

 

no sense arguing let me spell it out


YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has a nice web site on automotive tires, including a page on plugs:

A plug by itself is not an acceptable repair.

The proper repair of a punctured tire requires a plug for the hole and a patch for the area inside the tire that surrounds the puncture hole. The repair material used – for example, a "combination patch and plug" repair – must seal the inner liner and fill the injury to be considered a permanent repair.

Punctures through the tread can be repaired if they are not too large, but punctures to the sidewall should not be repaired.

Tires must be removed from the rim to be properly inspected before being plugged and patched.




So in closing we were discussing a self installed plug from a flat on the side of the road. Sure it may fix your issue there, but it IS NOT a long term fix. The long term fix is removing the tire from the rim and patching it along with the plug. Maybe the NHSTA is incorrect also.

 

i think they are giving ridiculously over cautious advice....in the Cubs2k real world test lab. I've plugged dozens of tires and subjected them to near destructive testing. (read mega burnout) with never a problem

as far as removing the spare......i did. there was no point. pretty sure the OZ would not fit in the trunk especially with my sub box. fyi....if you get a flat in the rear. the spare goes on the front....the front goes on the rear.

 

We've had tires that have been plugged and we drove on them for YEARS!!!

I work near a tire recycling place, little bits of steel are often on the streets, I've had MANY flat tires over the years due to those ##$$ things. Tires got plugged, not patched.

 

Josh, when I autocrossed I just removed the spare at the track. No big deal at all. Are you saying that removing it and reinstalling it in the trunk would put a strain on your leg? I guess if that is the issue, then you have a good reason for thinking about taking it out. That said, if you are racing SCCA then the guys with Hoosiers are going to clean your clock no matter how much weight you take out of the trunk.