Spare Wheel Query

[retrocop]

I have had from new a Skoda Superb estate (2017). Thankfully I have never needed to use the spare wheel. Although the road wheels are all alloys with conventional tyres the spare wheel I note is a steel one. The tyre on it is not a skinny space saver type tyre but looks like a full size road tyre. There are warning stickers stating that if used the car should not be driven over a certain speed and for a limited distance. I have seen that on the skinnys but this looks like a conventional tyre like the others.  Could a matching road tyre be put on this steel rim so that in an emergency I could continue to drive at unrestricted speed limits and distance.? Is the composition of the spare tyre different to a conventional road tyre? Any thoughts.

[bhg481]

All the information about the tyre should be on the tyre wall. If it matches exactly that on your other tyres I don't see why you shouldn't treat it like them. I've only had 3 punctures in 200,000 miles and 16 years on my current car; I wouldn't waste my money buying a tyre that would let me drive 20mph faster than the spare for the short time between getting a puncture and having it repaired.

[retrocop]

Well should I have occasion to use the spare wheel and for some reason,at a later date,it may need replacing I am wondering if it is a special rim or can accomodate a conventional tyre like the road tyres

[ToraToraTora]

if it's a directional tyre then it's possible that the wheel you put it on may be the wrong side. If it's an outside/inside tyre then that should not matter. I suspect it's the former so they are covering themselves if the tyre ends up on the wrong side of the car for the direction then it would not disperse water anything like it would if it was going in the correct direction. I had the very same issue on a car I owned once and that was the reason.

[retrocop]

Thank you both for your answers. Your explanation TTT does make sense. I see what you mean.

[ToraToraTora]

....Check the tyre to confirm the theory.

[retrocop]

There is generally a small directional arrow embossed on the tyre wall I seem to recall.

[bhg481]

The wheel itself should also have its size stamped on it which should confirm/deny that its the same as the alloys.

TTT has a valid point about directional tyres. 

[ToraToraTora]

....also the tyre can be different depending on the wheel size, adjusted so the rolling circumference matches that on the main wheels. The Steel wheel is usually 15 inch but the alloys will probably be 18 inch+ so the tyre spec willl need to be different to create the same rolling cirumference on the spare. Hope that makes sense.

[ToraToraTora]

15:11 that will be the reason, so you can ignore the warning if the spare goes on the side of the car that makes it roll the correct way. To alleviate any issues replace it with an outside/inside tyre then it wont matter.

[retrocop]

Yes. Understood. Thanks TTT.

[bhg481]

A point for debate about the amount of rubber on a spare tyre. In the days when cars came with 5 identical wheels I used to bring the spare into use and put one of the other wheels as spare which was just legal, thinking I was getting best vaue for money out of my tyres. A colleague pointed out that you are more likely to get a puncture in a worn tyre than you are in a newish one and that means putting on a worn spare after a puncture leaves you more vulnerable to another puncture and you (temporarily) haven't got a spare to use. Thoughts?

[ToraToraTora]

well in the old days with 5 all the same you'd put the spare on as brand new then the punctured tyre would be replaced and become the spare so the spare was always a new tyre. Now days the steel spare would only be used to get you to the tyre shopp so minimal wear would occur.

[bhg481]

//the punctured tyre would be replaced and become the spare//

In my car the punctured tyre would be REPAIRED (if possible), not rerplaced. so the spare would not be new.

[retrocop]

TTT @ 1517

I just pulled the unused spare out of the wheel well and was surprised to see the tyre on the steel rim was 18" and the same as those on the alloys in circumference.

[William51]

 Yes, a matching tyre of the same size would be fine to have on the car. If you want to be cautious do not speed with the tyre.