Don't Forget Your Spare — The Tire You Never Check

Q: How often should I check my spare tire?

A good habit is to check your spare tire's air pressure and condition about every month when you check your regular tires, and definitely before any long road trip. Spares lose air over time just like any tire, roughly one to two pounds per month even when never used, so a spare that was fine a year ago may be too soft to drive on when you finally need it. This matters even more in West Texas, where our heat accelerates pressure changes and where a breakdown can happen on a remote stretch of highway far from help. Checking the spare takes only a minute once you know where it is, and it is the difference between a quick tire change and being stranded. Many drivers go years without ever looking at their spare and discover it is flat or rotted at the worst possible moment. Lubbock Tire Shop can inspect your spare and the rest of your tires for free — call (806) 450-8401.

Q: What is a donut spare and how far can I drive on it?

A donut, or temporary compact spare, is the small, narrow spare tire many vehicles carry to save space and weight. It is not a full-size tire and is designed only to get you to a repair shop, not for extended driving. Most donut spares are rated for a maximum speed of around fifty miles per hour and for a limited distance, often around fifty to seventy miles, though you should check the sidewall and your owner's manual for the specific limits on yours. Driving faster or farther than the rating risks the spare failing and can also stress your vehicle's differential, since the smaller tire spins at a different speed than the others. Donut spares also usually require a higher air pressure, commonly around sixty pounds, than a normal tire, which is another reason to check it before you need it. Treat a donut as a get-to-the-shop tire and replace your damaged full-size tire promptly. Lubbock Tire Shop can get you back on a proper tire fast — call (806) 450-8401.

Q: Do spare tires expire?

Yes, spare tires age and effectively expire even if they have never touched the road. Tire rubber degrades over time from oxidation and, in a climate like West Texas, from heat, and a spare mounted under a vehicle or in a trunk is exposed to those forces for years. Most tire manufacturers suggest that tires be replaced somewhere around six to ten years from their manufacture date regardless of tread wear, and a spare that has sat untouched for a decade may be dry-rotted and unsafe even though it looks unused. You can find the tire's age from the DOT date code on the sidewall, which gives the week and year it was made. Because a spare is your backup for exactly the moment you are stranded, an old, cracked spare defeats the purpose. It is worth checking your spare's age and condition, especially on an older vehicle. Lubbock Tire Shop can check your spare's date code and condition — call (806) 450-8401.

There's a particular kind of West Texas bad day: you pick up a blowout on a rural stretch of highway, miles from the nearest town, you pull out the spare — and it's flat, rotted, or missing the tools to install it. A spare only does its job if it's ready, and because we never look at it, it's the tire most likely to let us down at the worst moment. Let's make sure yours is ready.

First: Know What Kind of Spare You Have

Not all spares are the same, and how you treat yours depends on which you've got:

Full-size spare: a normal tire, often on a matching wheel. Best case — you can drive on it normally once installed. Still needs checking, and ideally rotated in with your others so it doesn't age out.
Donut (compact temporary) spare: the small, narrow spare many cars carry to save space. Get-to-the-shop only — more on its limits below.
No spare at all: increasingly common on newer vehicles, which may instead have a tire inflator/sealant kit or run-flat tires. If that's you, know it before you're stranded — a sealant kit won't fix a blowout, and we covered the trade-offs in run-flat tires.

Pop your trunk or look under the truck this week and find out which you have. A surprising number of drivers don't actually know.

What to Check — It Takes Two Minutes

Air pressureThe big one. Spares lose 1–2 PSI a month even sitting unused, so a spare that was fine last year may be too soft to drive on now. Donut spares often need a higher pressure (commonly ~60 PSI) than regular tires — check the sidewall.
Condition & ageLook for dry rot cracking, which our West Texas sun and heat cause even on a tire that's never been driven. Check the DOT date code for age (more below).
That it's actually there and securedSpares go missing after tire service or come loose. Confirm it's present and properly mounted.
The tools to install itJack, lug wrench, and wheel lock key (if your car has locking lugs). A perfect spare is useless without the tools — and the lock key is the one people lose.

The West Texas angle: our heat both speeds up pressure loss and accelerates dry rot, so a neglected spare degrades faster here than in a mild climate. And our long, remote highway stretches mean a failed spare strands you farther from help. Checking it monthly matters more here, not less.

The Donut Spare: Know Its Limits

If you've got a donut, treat it as an emergency get-me-to-the-shop tire, not a tire you drive on for days:

Speed: most are rated to about 50 mph max. Don't exceed it.
Distance: typically good for a limited range, often around 50–70 miles — check your sidewall and owner's manual.
Why the limits: the donut is smaller and spins at a different speed than your other tires, which stresses the drivetrain over distance — and it has minimal tread and grip.
Pressure: usually higher than a normal tire (commonly ~60 PSI).

The donut buys you a safe, slow trip to get the real tire fixed — nothing more. Once you're on it, head straight for a shop and get your full-size tire repaired or replaced.

Yes, Spares Expire — Even Unused Ones

This surprises people: a spare that's never touched the road still ages out. Tire rubber degrades from oxidation and heat over the years, so a spare bolted under your vehicle for a decade may be dry-rotted and unsafe despite looking brand new. Most manufacturers suggest replacing tires somewhere around 6–10 years from their manufacture date regardless of tread. You can read that date from the DOT code on the sidewall (the last four digits are the week and year) — our guide on reading your tire sidewall shows exactly where. On an older vehicle especially, it's worth checking your spare's age.

Free Spare Tire Check in Lubbock

Not sure your spare is road-ready? Bring it by — Lubbock Tire Shop will check its pressure, age, and condition (and the rest of your tires) so you're actually ready for a flat, not just hoping.

📞 Call (806) 450-8401 Tire Repair

A Word for Road Trippers

Heading out on a long West Texas drive — Lubbock to the Hill Country, up to Amarillo, or out west toward New Mexico? The spare check jumps from "good habit" to "do it before you leave." Long, empty highways are exactly where a flat is most likely and help is farthest away. Add the spare to your pre-trip checklist alongside your regular tire pressures and tread.

The Bottom Line for Lubbock Drivers

Your spare is insurance you've already paid for — but only if it works when you need it. Spend two minutes this week: find it, check its pressure and condition, confirm the tools are there, and know its limits if it's a donut. In a place with the heat and the wide-open distances of West Texas, a ready spare is the difference between a minor delay and a long wait on the shoulder. Don't let the one tire you never check be the one that lets you down.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I check my spare tire?

Check your spare's pressure and condition about monthly, when you check your regular tires, and always before a long road trip. Spares lose 1–2 PSI a month even unused, so one that was fine a year ago may be too soft when you need it. It matters more in West Texas, where heat speeds pressure changes and breakdowns can happen far from help. It takes a minute once you know where it is — and many drivers discover a flat or rotted spare at the worst possible moment. Free inspections at Lubbock Tire Shop — call (806) 450-8401.

What is a donut spare and how far can I drive on it?

A donut (compact temporary spare) is the small, narrow spare many cars carry to save space. It's designed only to get you to a shop — most are rated to about 50 mph and a limited distance, often ~50–70 miles (check the sidewall and owner's manual). Going faster or farther risks failure and stresses the drivetrain, since the smaller tire spins at a different speed. Donuts also usually need higher pressure (~60 PSI). Treat it as a get-to-the-shop tire and replace your full-size tire promptly. We'll get you back on a proper tire fast — call (806) 450-8401.

Do spare tires expire?

Yes — spares age out even if never driven. Rubber degrades from oxidation and, in West Texas, heat, and a spare stored for years is exposed to both. Most manufacturers suggest replacing tires around 6–10 years from the manufacture date regardless of tread, so a decade-old spare may be dry-rotted and unsafe despite looking unused. You can find its age from the DOT date code on the sidewall (week and year). Since a spare is your backup for exactly when you're stranded, an old cracked one defeats the purpose. We can check your spare's date code and condition — call (806) 450-8401.