MODERN spare tires in cars are small and designed for short temporary use, but rewinding the clock has revealed that this driving essential’s size and capability wasn’t always so limited.
Motorists used to travel around with a spare the same size as their vehicle’s stock wheels.
4
4
4
It wasn’t until the early 1980s that auto manufacturers began decreasing spare tire sizes, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.
These compact spare tires, or donuts, were made smaller to save space, lower vehicle weights, and increase fuel efficiency.
A smaller spare allows auto manufacturers to create vehicles with more compact dimensions while maximizing interior space.
But some feel the change was unnecessary, especially since a donut significantly limits how fast and far drivers can travel.
READ MORE ON WHAT DRIVERS ARE JUST REALIZING
London, England-based auto enthusiast Alex Kersten wrote: “Your thin and pathetic-looking space-saver [donut spare] probably meant that you were limited to a top speed of 50mph.
“Or worse still, did you pop the carpet up in the rear to find a pressurized can of Tire Weld that you emptied into the damaged rubber? (Good luck getting the tire repaired with all that nasty stuff inside).
Kersten added: “Older cars don’t suffer with either of these problems because space-savers weren’t needlessly invented back then.
“As long as you had a foot pump handy, or if you were on top of spare tire maintenance, simply replace the wheel and get on with your life.”
Most read in Motors
Spare tires were larger when roadside service was less accessible, so their bigger size allowed drivers to continue their journeys for longer distances after suffering a flat or blowout.
4
