Directional Tires and the 'Spare'

[ibmiked]

Like many here I run directional tires on my car. The time has come to get a new spare tire, and I'm tempted to buy a matched directional tire instead of stepping down to a different model tire altogether. My question is, I'd have a 50/50 chance that a flat would occur on the 'wrong' side. Is it worse to run a properly matched directional tire in the opposite direction than it was intended, or run a lesser model non-directional tire?

The easy answer is run a non-directional, but I'd appreciate well considered answers.

Thanks for any input.

Mike

[hoffman912]

Just run racing slicks. then it wont matter. :P

sorry.. I am interested in this one too. My spare is probably 20 years old.. i need a new one.

[Reza]

any spare will get you to the next garage.

[davewadd]

I think I'm with Reza.... buy the cheapest spare possible and only putting it on for a short period of time until you can get the correct tire repaired/replaced.

[blucille]

It becomes mre fun with staggered rims most of us run with lared cars....but, yes, any tire safe at speed is better than most of the spares in modern cars.....so, go with a quality non directional tire

[Todsimpson]

Some have said directionality is only to evacuate water in the rain and that tires can safely be run "backwards" in the dry. That's certainly true of tires like the Hoosier R6 or the Toyo RA1.

For a spare I wouldn't worry about it, but I would not drive in the rain using a tire in the wrong direction.

[ibmiked]

I appreciate the input, but if I am carrying around a full size spare tire 100% of the time on the slim chance that I might need it, I prefer it to be a well considered option. For the type of driving we do around here along with some longer trips I would like to do, I'd prefer that a spare do more than just get me to the nearest tire shop which may or may not have the exact model and size of tire I need.

With a directional spare it's either going to be for the 'right' side or it can get me to ANY tire shop and then be remounted to be 'correct'. On a cross country trip this can save me money and keep the car riding on matched tires.

Thoughts?
Mike

[Todsimpson]

Roof rack, two spares. :-)

[jeff eelkema]

+1 very good advice

Some have said directionality is only to evacuate water in the rain and that tires can safely be run "backwards" in the dry. That's certainly true of tires like the Hoosier R6 or the Toyo RA1.

For a spare I wouldn't worry about it, but I would not drive in the rain using a tire in the wrong direction.

[304065]

Why not the vredestein space saver spare on an aluminum wheel and a compressor? Lighter weight, smaller form factor and you can inflate your floating lounge chair into the bargain!