For a Ranger Spare?? Trailer Radial with white steel wheel

[sgjii]

I have a 2004 2wd ranger with street tires and mostly highway driving to and from work.

My spare is an older donut style under the bed and it is so rusted and crusted I serious doubt it is serviceable at all. I tried checking pressure and I think the bead is so rusted it won't hold air.

The trailer spares from places like Tractor Supply, Rural King, Northern Tool, etc. are on the old school white steel wheels that look like I remember my Dad running in the 80's on F150s.

I know I shouldn't mix Bias and Radial and there are plenty of 205/75/R15 5x4.5 lug pattern Radial Tire complete tire/wheel units for around $100/$110. I run stock 225/70/15 tires now and the two sizes are considered compatible with only a small percentage of difference in circumference.

Is there any reason I couldn't choose one of these pre-mounted, ready to go, brand new options for a spare? Will the spare tire cable winch fit the center hub bore of the trailer type wheel and secure it in place?

Thoughts and opinions?

 

[don4331]

If the spare tire cable winch doesn't fit the center bore, then the wheel won't go on the hub. And that would basically useless as a spare.

Using a 205/75R15 as a spare wouldn't be issue short term. If you have a limited slip/locker, you might want to put it on the front should you have a flat in the back and then the front on the rear, but that is being anal (assumes you aren't getting it fixed same day).

Using a trailer tire as a spare is completely different discussion. A trailer has very different characteristics (cornering, braking, compliance). And running trailer tire under truck would be emergency only thing. Converse is also true - p series tire only hold ~80% of load of trailer tire.

I personally run a donut spare - the number of flats I have had recently is very small (knock wood) and so I don't see the need to lug a full size spare around.

My $0.02.

 

[pjtoledo]

I would hit a salvage yard for used wheels, Craig's list, Ebay, whatever. a 4-6 year old tire should be OK for a spare.

 

[sgjii]

If the spare tire cable winch doesn't fit the center bore, then the wheel won't go on the hub. And that would basically useless as a spare.

Using a 205/75R15 as a spare wouldn't be issue short term. If you have a limited slip/locker, you might want to put it on the front should you have a flat in the back and then the front on the rear, but that is being anal (assumes you aren't getting it fixed same day).

Using a trailer tire as a spare is completely different discussion. A trailer has very different characteristics (cornering, braking, compliance). And running trailer tire under truck would be emergency only thing. Converse is also true - p series tire only hold ~80% of load of trailer tire.

I personally run a donut spare - the number of flats I have had recently is very small (knock wood) and so I don't see the need to lug a full size spare around.

My $0.02.

My concern with center bore was that the spare may have a larger center bore and that the cleat on the cable winch might not catch and hold.

Tire size: 2WD, no limited slip or anything special. Just a basic Ranger with 4cyl, Automatic and AC but nothing else...

Cornering, stability, driving characteristics: A Donut is going to also have poor characteristics and performance. I could see a potential handling concern if I mixed radial passenger tires with a bias ply trailer tire. Since I plan to use a radial trailer tire, the tread squirm and wobbly handling problems of mixed tire types is eliminated.

Any spare would just be temporary, get me home or to the tire shop for proper repair. Emergency use only, not to exceed 50MPH or 50miles as stated on donuts

I believe I am going forward with it. I plan to bolt it on and take a short trip around the neighborhood and evaluate its function. I will give proper notice to children and pets if I try 100MPH cornering tests, LOL.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I would hit a salvage yard for used wheels, Craig's list, Ebay, whatever. a 4-6 year old tire should be OK for a spare.

Brand new donut is $10 a pop at the local JY.

Snagged two never been on the road ones for a homemade yard/food plot sprayer earlier this year.

Only thing about a trailer wheel is they won't really see any cornering on a trailer. Like on the front of a truck they would see a lot of side loading.

I have thought about it and that part of it kind of threw a big ?? in its face. The center seems more "flat" than most truck wagon wheels.

 

[sgjii]

I would hit a salvage yard for used wheels, Craig's list, Ebay, whatever. a 4-6 year old tire should be OK for a spare.

Was my first thought. $80 for a crusty Ranger steel wheel (I live in the salt belt), then another $25 for some out of date, worn, bald shoulder, dry rotten old tire plus yet another $25 for mount balance... $130 for a spare that I may not be able to trust if the need arises.

I am going to move forward with the trailer spare in Radial tire format. Brand new with a fresh Mfg Date, I should be golden for another 9yrs which will likely outlast my ownership of this Ranger.

I will update with results but it may be a while, my employer is sending me out of town on a large project.

 

[Dirtman]

$80 for a crusty Ranger steel wheel

You need to fund a new junkyard...

 

[sgjii]

Brand new donut is $10 a pop at the local JY.

Snagged two never been on the road ones for a homemade yard/food plot sprayer earlier this year.

Only thing about a trailer wheel is they won't really see any cornering on a trailer. Like on the front of a truck they would see a lot of side loading.

I have thought about it and that part of it kind of threw a big ?? in its face. The center seems more "flat" than most truck wagon wheels.

I get your point about cornering and yes it would be even more strain on the front of a Ranger, than on a trailer but Trailer tires do indeed take lateral load.

I think the point of any spare is "Emergency Use" to get you to a service option. Put it on, drive like a rational human being instead of a Nascar Rookie hopped up on a case of Mountain Dew, take it easy and get things fixed in short order; Unlike the idiots I see on my morning commute that have been driving on the same donut since October (maybe even October last year) and make lane changes that would make a stunt driver cringe.

It was some years back, as evidenced by it being a Chevrolet Chevette story; I say a guy driving down the freeway, passed me at over 80MPH on 3 donuts and I would bet the fourth tire was sketchy at best. The crash that followed was quite spectacular, I think he rolled it at least 3 times, maybe 4 but I lost count! News report indicated he even survived... No Darwin Award given but I thought he should have earned honorable mention.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I get your point about cornering and yes it would be even more strain on the front of a Ranger, than on a trailer but Trailer tires do indeed take lateral load.

They do but not like a steer tire.

I just thought I would mention it because as far as a if it would work or fold up going around to the drive thru window at mcdonalds... you will be among the first to know.

 

[91stranger]

I work at an RV dealership and I know quite a bit about trailer tires. Trailer tires actually have a HARDER sidewall than passenger tires like on most 2wd rangers. We had a tech that actually put 4 Carlisle trailer tires on his astro van and he drove that thing for about a year until the motor blew up. Yes, trailer tires aren't made for steering but that is because of the hard sidewall. As long as you inflate the tire to 50-60 psi (standard psi rating for trailer tires that size) then you will be fine since you are only using this as a spare for a short distance. Just don't drive like Mario Andretti and you will be fine. These tires are rated for highway speeds so going 65-70 mph wouldn't be an issue. I would keep it on the rear if you can. Most flats are on the passenger rear anyway. Like everyone else said you can easily find a spare ranger wheel at a good junkyard for $20-30. There's no way in heck I would pay $80-100+ for a spare.... I would drive to a better junkyard or start hitting up craigslist. I made a wanted ad on craigslist for ranger wheels and my phone started blowing up with people wanting to sell me their wheels.

 

[donaldcon]

The really short answer is you're not going to hurt a thing by running a tractor supply trailer tire and wheel as a spare

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