A large part of why I'm fixing the AWD 2000 CRV is its very conveniently rear hatch mounted full sized spare tire, like its twin the Gen 1 Land
Rover Freelander. I made a backup camera mount that the spare tire
slides onto, simplifying putting it on. A yearly 5 tire rotation
requires jacking each wheel only once, spare to right rear, RR moves to
RF, RF moves to LR, LR moves to LF, LF becomes the spare. While the
wheel is off I check the brakes and spray LPS-3 rust inhibitor underneath.
I drive over 100 miles for winter holidays and tax filing, too often in
New England snowy or icy weather. That exceeds the distance rating for a donut spare and I think one could make the car swerve when braking on slippery pavement. I learned not to have good winter tires on only the
front of a FWD car in winter when I went all around a cloverleaf loop
almost sideways.
What do you do about the lack of a decent spare on new cars? I've been looking at new ones in case I can't buy or make parts to fix the CRV. It isn't always evident if the tire storage area is big enough or can be modified to take a full sized tire. My last flat tire was on the day
before the 2025 Thanksgiving trip.
On 9/19/2026 7:27 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
A large part of why I'm fixing the AWD 2000 CRV is its very conveniently rear hatch mounted full sized spare tire, like its twin the Gen 1 Land Rover Freelander. I made a backup camera mount that the spare tire
slides onto, simplifying putting it on. A yearly 5 tire rotation
requires jacking each wheel only once, spare to right rear, RR moves to RF, RF moves to LR, LR moves to LF, LF becomes the spare. While the
wheel is off I check the brakes and spray LPS-3 rust inhibitor underneath.
I drive over 100 miles for winter holidays and tax filing, too often in New England snowy or icy weather. That exceeds the distance rating for a donut spare and I think one could make the car swerve when braking on slippery pavement. I learned not to have good winter tires on only the front of a FWD car in winter when I went all around a cloverleaf loop almost sideways.
What do you do about the lack of a decent spare on new cars? I've been looking at new ones in case I can't buy or make parts to fix the CRV. It isn't always evident if the tire storage area is big enough or can be modified to take a full sized tire. My last flat tire was on the day before the 2025 Thanksgiving trip.
I drive a 27 year old 4Runner , the spare has never touched the
ground AFAIK . It's 4X4 with A/T tires and if it's icy and I HAVE to get
out of The Holler - uphill almost all the way and steep in sections - I
have chains for all 4 wheels . Got 'em for the '86 GMC pickup too ,
though it's so light in the back it could be dicey - this truck was not "built" for slick roads .
What do you do about the lack of a decent spare on new cars? ...
My last flat tire was on the day before the 2025 Thanksgiving trip.
"Snag" wrote in message news:118nn6d$2qvge$1@dont-email.me...
On 9/19/2026 7:27 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
What do you do about the lack of a decent spare on new cars? ...
My last flat tire was on the day before the 2025 Thanksgiving trip.
I drive a 27 year old 4Runner , the spare has never touched the
ground AFAIK . It's 4X4 with A/T tires and if it's icy and I HAVE to get
out of The Holler - uphill almost all the way and steep in sections - I
have chains for all 4 wheels . Got 'em for the '86 GMC pickup too ,
though it's so light in the back it could be dicey - this truck was not "built" for slick roads .
Snag
------------------------------
The spare on my 91 Ranger is also original and unused. I've had a few punctures and a sidewall bubble on the CRV. Springtime day thawing and night freezing causes a lot of potholes that bounce vehicles around and can't be properly repaired until warmer weather. I find lost car parts and tools at the front edge of my yard, mostly plastic but some metal.
The most recent puncture appears to be from a staple on a phone pole poster. I didn't see it against oncoming headlights but heard the brief flapping after passing over a depressed manhole cover. The repair shop had to demount the tire to find the wire on the inside, soap didn't accurately locate it from outside.
Here the risk may be low but the consequences high on a cold winter holiday night with nothing open. My one experience with AAA wasn't encouraging, no one was available locally and the eventual unhappy responder came from 40 miles away. I hope the blankets and orange winter hunting coat and coveralls I keep in the car will be enough to sleep in it overnight. The seats fold down into a bed, another practical feature dropped on newer models, along with a roof high enough to not bump my head getting in and out and untinted side windows that show traffic alongside in poor light.
I bought the factory shop manuals for my vehicles and can perform the operations in it without a computer's permission. That's another large factor.
My wife ordered a Tesla long range model 3 AWD, but it isn't here yet. I have no idea what type of spair its going to have.
It's actually got lower miles than the one I sold. But the big difference is it instead of two doors *** IT HAS FOUR DOORS ***. It's not quite as capable being longer off highway, but it's more capable for mall crawling with the family.
My wife ordered a Tesla long range model 3 AWD, but it isn't here yet. I have no idea what type of spair its going to have.
It's actually got lower miles than the one I sold. But the big difference
is it instead of two doors *** IT HAS FOUR DOORS ***. It's not quite as capable being longer off highway, but it's more capable for mall crawling with the family.
Snag <Snag_one@msn.com> posted:
On 9/19/2026 7:27 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
A large part of why I'm fixing the AWD 2000 CRV is its very conveniently >>> rear hatch mounted full sized spare tire, like its twin the Gen 1 Land
Rover Freelander. I made a backup camera mount that the spare tire
slides onto, simplifying putting it on. A yearly 5 tire rotation
requires jacking each wheel only once, spare to right rear, RR moves to
RF, RF moves to LR, LR moves to LF, LF becomes the spare. While the
wheel is off I check the brakes and spray LPS-3 rust inhibitor underneath. >>>
I drive over 100 miles for winter holidays and tax filing, too often in
New England snowy or icy weather. That exceeds the distance rating for a >>> donut spare and I think one could make the car swerve when braking on
slippery pavement. I learned not to have good winter tires on only the
front of a FWD car in winter when I went all around a cloverleaf loop
almost sideways.
What do you do about the lack of a decent spare on new cars? I've been
looking at new ones in case I can't buy or make parts to fix the CRV. It >>> isn't always evident if the tire storage area is big enough or can be
modified to take a full sized tire. My last flat tire was on the day
before the 2025 Thanksgiving trip.
I drive a 27 year old 4Runner , the spare has never touched the
ground AFAIK . It's 4X4 with A/T tires and if it's icy and I HAVE to get
out of The Holler - uphill almost all the way and steep in sections - I
have chains for all 4 wheels . Got 'em for the '86 GMC pickup too ,
though it's so light in the back it could be dicey - this truck was not
"built" for slick roads .
WHAT? You don't throw a couple of bags of sand in the bed in the wintertime? I thought that was old school country standard wintertime practice in snow country.
Maybe that's just something else. Desert dwellers learned driving in sand and accidentally discovered also works in snow.
Snag <Snag_one@msn.com> posted:In the case of the family car I learned to drive on (1931 model "A"
On 9/19/2026 7:27 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
A large part of why I'm fixing the AWD 2000 CRV is its very conveniently >> > rear hatch mounted full sized spare tire, like its twin the Gen 1 Land
Rover Freelander. I made a backup camera mount that the spare tire
slides onto, simplifying putting it on. A yearly 5 tire rotation
requires jacking each wheel only once, spare to right rear, RR moves to >> > RF, RF moves to LR, LR moves to LF, LF becomes the spare. While the
wheel is off I check the brakes and spray LPS-3 rust inhibitor underneath. >> >
I drive over 100 miles for winter holidays and tax filing, too often in >> > New England snowy or icy weather. That exceeds the distance rating for a >> > donut spare and I think one could make the car swerve when braking on
slippery pavement. I learned not to have good winter tires on only the
front of a FWD car in winter when I went all around a cloverleaf loop
almost sideways.
What do you do about the lack of a decent spare on new cars? I've been
looking at new ones in case I can't buy or make parts to fix the CRV. It >> > isn't always evident if the tire storage area is big enough or can be
modified to take a full sized tire. My last flat tire was on the day
before the 2025 Thanksgiving trip.
I drive a 27 year old 4Runner , the spare has never touched the
ground AFAIK . It's 4X4 with A/T tires and if it's icy and I HAVE to get
out of The Holler - uphill almost all the way and steep in sections - I
have chains for all 4 wheels . Got 'em for the '86 GMC pickup too ,
though it's so light in the back it could be dicey - this truck was not
"built" for slick roads .
WHAT? You don't throw a couple of bags of sand in the bed in the wintertime? I thought that was old school country standard wintertime practice in snow country.
Maybe that's just something else. Desert dwellers learned driving in sand and accidentally discovered also works in snow.
WHAT? You don't throw a couple of bags of sand in the bed in the >wintertime? I thought that was old school country standard wintertime >practice in snow country.In the case of the family car I learned to drive on (1931 model "A"
Maybe that's just something else. Desert dwellers learned driving in sand >and accidentally discovered also works in snow.
On Sun, 20 Sep 2026 11:44:47 GMT, Bob La Londe <user16941@newsgrouper.org.invalid> wrote:
In the case of the family car I learned to drive on (1931 model "A"
Snag <Snag_one@msn.com> posted:
On 9/19/2026 7:27 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
A large part of why I'm fixing the AWD 2000 CRV is its very conveniently >>>> rear hatch mounted full sized spare tire, like its twin the Gen 1 Land >>>> Rover Freelander. I made a backup camera mount that the spare tire
slides onto, simplifying putting it on. A yearly 5 tire rotation
requires jacking each wheel only once, spare to right rear, RR moves to >>>> RF, RF moves to LR, LR moves to LF, LF becomes the spare. While the
wheel is off I check the brakes and spray LPS-3 rust inhibitor underneath. >>>>
I drive over 100 miles for winter holidays and tax filing, too often in >>>> New England snowy or icy weather. That exceeds the distance rating for a >>>> donut spare and I think one could make the car swerve when braking on
slippery pavement. I learned not to have good winter tires on only the >>>> front of a FWD car in winter when I went all around a cloverleaf loop
almost sideways.
What do you do about the lack of a decent spare on new cars? I've been >>>> looking at new ones in case I can't buy or make parts to fix the CRV. It >>>> isn't always evident if the tire storage area is big enough or can be
modified to take a full sized tire. My last flat tire was on the day
before the 2025 Thanksgiving trip.
I drive a 27 year old 4Runner , the spare has never touched the
ground AFAIK . It's 4X4 with A/T tires and if it's icy and I HAVE to get >>> out of The Holler - uphill almost all the way and steep in sections - I
have chains for all 4 wheels . Got 'em for the '86 GMC pickup too ,
though it's so light in the back it could be dicey - this truck was not
"built" for slick roads .
WHAT? You don't throw a couple of bags of sand in the bed in the wintertime? I thought that was old school country standard wintertime practice in snow country.
Maybe that's just something else. Desert dwellers learned driving in sand and accidentally discovered also works in snow.
tudor), to get extra weight on the chained rear wheels, Dad would have
me stand on the bumperettes and hang onto a rope through the rear
windows. We could go pretty much anywhere!
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