Ever wonder if a 30 year old spare works?

[rush91]

Originally Posted by ZWILD1

I have really had good luck and never used the spare in any of my Corvettes. This includes trips to Bowling Green with the cars. My 96 was a daily driver for at least 3 years. I removed my spare and cleaned it up with car wash preserving the markings and installed it back just the way it was. I took detailed picks of it when I removed it so I could reinstall the jack just the way it was placed at the factory. The Michelin PS'2 I purchased from Tire Rack actually come with a road hazard policy. The T155/70D17 is still available as it is used on new Toyotas and Lincolns.

I worked for an independent tire dealer from late 82 until 1990. I saw some crazy stuff pulled from tires drivers ran over. Things like 2x4's, large portions of lawn mower blades, large bolts that went in head first, sections of glass bottles, and just about anything you can think of. I prefer to patch a tire when it's in the center section of the tread. We used a cone shaped plug installed with a gun. Although I have seen the plugs cut by the tires steal belts over time. Also with a puncture that breaks the tires steal belts a separation may develop. When you strike a curb with the side wall a bubble or bulge may develop. This is caused by the inside layer of the tire breaking. We call that an impact abrasion which voids the warranty as does any puncture. I highly recommend getting a road hazard policy especially for tires that cost a couple hundred dollars.

I've never had a flat tire in 30 years of driving, until I got my ZR-1....Since owning it, I have picked up more bolts, screws, and metal strips than one would imagine. And I had no idea that is where the jack bag went, mine was in one of the storage bins.