A spare tyre was once a mandatory part of every vehicle sold in the United Kingdom. Every vehicle has a full-size or space-saver wheel fitted in the boot or beneath the vehicle, which the driver can use if they ever have to replace a punctured or damaged one. For a long time, a spare tyre was a part that came with the car, and the ability to change a wheel on the roadside was a basic skill that every driver had. But over time, everything has changed, and with that, many modern vehicles come without a spare tyre.

To replace that, most modern vehicles have a tyre inflation kit, or they might come fitted with run-flat tyres or have nothing apart from the four tyres already fitted to the wheels. This blog post will provide a detailed breakdown of how crucial spare tyres are and how they can help keep drivers safe against a tyre failure on the road.

Importance of a Spare Tyre

Most drivers understand the importance of spare tyres Huntington when a tyre deflates suddenly at the roadside, when a blowout occurs or when there is a slow puncture. All of these issues can make a vehicle unsafe to drive and also impact its performance. Such situations require drivers to immediately change the tyres with the issue with the spare one available. By replacing the damaged tyre with the spare, drivers can resume their journey and get the damaged tyre repaired or replaced at their earliest convenience. The process was quite popular and a practical step for most drivers, as it requires only basic knowledge and only a few pieces of equipment that mostly come with spare tyres. 

If a driver doesn’t have a spare tyre, they might end up facing a difficult and stressful situation. Without a means to continue their journey, drivers have to rely on external assistance, whether it's a breakdown recovery service, a roadside assistance provider, or a mobile tyre-fitting technician. All of this will take a lot of time, especially if the driver encounters issues in rural areas or during periods of high demand. Such an inconvenience can be a major safety risk, which could be resolved in minutes if only the driver had a spare tyre.

Why Do Modern Vehicles Have No Spare Tyre?

Most modern vehicles don’t come with spare tyres because of the pressure on manufacturers to consider other options instead of the traditional spare tyre. One of the primary issues that the removal of the spare tyre solved is weight reduction. Having a full-size spare tyre and a wheel can add around 15 to 20 kg to a vehicle’s kerb weight. This will directly impact the vehicle’s fuel consumption because tyres have to carry more load, which increases rolling resistance. With vehicle manufacturers facing more pressure to make their vehicles more efficient, they have to cut down on weight somewhere, and one thing they have decided to remove is the spare tyre. 

The next factor leading to the removal of the spare tyre is space. Being a full-size tyre with a wheel means it takes up a lot of space in the bonnet. Along with that, drivers need tools like a jack and screwdrivers, which require some space. Nowadays, drivers require more space in the trunk, which can be achieved by removing the spare tyre. With increasing demand for boot space, manufacturers are increasingly opting for solutions like run-flat tyres and inflation kits instead of a spare tyre. 

Steps to Follow If a Vehicle Has No Spare Tyre

Drivers whose vehicles do not come with a spare tyre have a few options to manage the risk of a tyre failure. The solution that they go for depends on the vehicle, the journeys it is used for, and how much inconvenience a driver can handle. One of the best solutions is to purchase and carry a spare tyre, especially for the vehicle. There are many suppliers in the tyre industry that offer small spare wheels that are quite light. They can be easily stored compared to a full-size spare tyre. Another excellent solution for drivers who don’t have an extra tyre is to have a good-quality tyre inflation kit in the vehicle. It can help keep the tyres Oldbury properly inflated at all times, which greatly reduces the risk of sudden tyre failure.
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