If you live in the UK, you may have heard of space-saver tyres before. A space saver tyre is a type of tyre designed for specific vehicles and can be used in the event of a puncture. These tyres are designed to be significantly thinner than regular tyres, allowing more storage space in your vehicle’s trunk or interior. The downside to this, however, is that they provide reduced grip on wet roads and they are not as robust at protecting your car’s suspension and other parts from potholes.
This article will provide an overview of what a space saver tyre is and when should you consider using it instead of one of your regular tyres.
What is a space saver tyre?
A space saver tyre, also known as a temporary spare tyre or mini-spare tyre, has been around since the 1960s and is most commonly found in small vehicles such as hatchbacks and compact cars. The idea behind space-saver tyres is to make room for additional cargo or legroom within the vehicle. As such, these specialised tyres are usually made from less robust materials than regular car tyres which makes them much lighter than standard car tyres. On top of this, due to their smaller size, they also have a lower rolling resistance which helps improve fuel efficiency too – another plus point for smaller vehicles!
Space saver tyres can be easily identified by looking at the sidewall markings which will include either ‘Space Saver’ or ‘Temporary Spare’, followed by additional information about size and construction materials. Generally speaking, these specialised tyres come with an ‘S’ speed rating which indicates limited speed capabilities (just 50mph) when compared to ‘T’ rated or higher tyes (which can reach almost twice as fast).
Once fitted, it’s important that you only use your space-saver tyre as intended – meaning only as a temporary replacement while you get your punctured or worn-out regular tyre replaced. This should never be used regularly since over time it will begin to degrade; not to mention running out of tread very quickly due to its significantly reduced width. Similarly, if your existing regular tyre has low-pressure warning technology, bear in mind that this will likely not be active while using the temporary spare since its diameter/construction will not match up with the rest of your car’s set-up; if this occurs simply check pressure manually via a pressure gauge every 200 miles or so just to ensure safety & stability!
When should I use a space saver tyre?
So when should you consider using a space saver tyre? Generally speaking, there are three scenarios when using one may be beneficial:
- When you are travelling long distances where for any reason it’s deemed necessary for additional storage room (e.g., taking extra camping equipment with you)
- For emergency roadside repairs where you’ve discovered your existing tyre has become irreparably damaged and requires immediate replacing
- If you’ve recently bought/purchased/leased a new vehicle with these types of tyres already equipped – as opposed to having one installed later on down the line – because then you won’t need to worry about finding an appropriate replacement size etc.
Many times manufacturers choose these compact designs knowing full well customers may require them when doing longer trips abroad/in remote locations etc.
To conclude, this article has discussed what exactly constitutes a space saver tyre, provided some ideas on why manufacturers may have chosen them specifically and outlined various scenarios where using one could benefit you – especially during long trips away from home! However, keep in mind that these speciality tires must always be used sparingly since they lack grip on wet surfaces & could potentially damage other parts if driven on excessively so take proper precautions whenever switching between them!
