gomarlins3 Posted on Jan 12 2008, 05:58 AM
If this IS about a rear flat then and it puts more strain on the Torsen LSD.

 

I think you're supposed to limit speed to 55mph when the spare.
I don't know how many miles its good for.
If the tire can be plugged or patched, I'd do that. That's not an option if the sidewall's torn or such, however.
If you need a new front, just get something that's available in the right size.
If you need a new rear, get a matching pair. Sucks you'll have to throw away a perfectly good tire, but you really shouldn't subject the LSD to tires with different circumferences. You'll probably have to go with some all-season type tires depending on what sort of store you find.

 

I had a front get punctured on a trip in Northern Minnesota.

Could not find a replacement so I had to drive 450 miles home doing 55-60 on the back roads. No problems except I had to give away a nice cooler to make room in the trunk for the much larger wheel and tire.


Other than buying two new tires it was nice to get off the interstate and take the old route.

 

No donut on the freeway... please.

 

What was your gas mileage?

 

You could go the Miata way and keep a small compressor in the trunk a long with a can of fix-a-flat (but I don't like the idea of putting goo in the tire). I had a rear flat (~10 psig at gas station) some time back when I got off of work. Limped along for a couple miles to the nearest gas station to reinflate the tire for the final distance to the house. Most nail flats are some what slow leakers and can be delt with by keeping the tire inflated until one gets to a repare place. I've always plugged my own tires, so I pluged the tire when I got home. Now I keep a tire pressure guage and a small 12v compressor in the trunk (you can get them for ~$10) to reinflate the tire for getting back to the house if it is a slow nail leak.