Full Size Spare Tire - everything I learned after 3 months of research

[nj_driver]

I just spent a ridiculous amount of time researching all of the options for a spare tire for my Tesla Model 3, so I wanted to share my experience in case it benefited anyone else.

What I'll cover:
1. The options for getting a spare tire for a Tesla Model 3. (this is mostly applicable to other models too.) I'll share the full-size spare I got and what I paid.
3. The jack that I ended up buying.

Okay, here is what I found in 3 months of research. Oh, and I'll say this up front: I have never changed a spare tire. Everything I share here is from internet research. Anything you don't agree with, please feel free to correct me. I am not an expert, I'm not even an amateur.

My goals for wanting a spare tire: I wanted to know that any trip I take would have a minimal (less than 30 minutes) interruption if I got a flat, and that I could safely drive in any condition afterwards. Meaning: if I got a flat tire in the snow in 8 degree weather, that I would feel safe driving after I changed the tire.

PART 1: SPARE TIRE OPTIONS FOR A TESLA MODEL 3
So the five options for a spare tire seem to be:

1. Don't bother with a spare tire. Rely on Tesla's roadside assistance, AAA, or a quick fix like a plug.
2. The Modern Spare product, which seems to cost between $400-500 with shipping. This is basically a large donut. Comes as a nice kit.
3. Buy a full-sized wheel from Tesla. Cost with tire and TPS sensor: around $800.
4. Buy a set of winter tires (or summer tires) and use one of them as a full-sized spare. That is about $2,000 minimum if you buy from Tesla. There are other options if you buy other brands.
5. Buy a second-hand wheel (rim) and get a tire put on it.

I opted for the fifth option, getting a second hand rim and having a tire put on it. The total cost for this was $80 for the wheel and $175 for the tire, installed. I didn't bother with a TPS sensor. I found the wheel on Facebook Marketplace. There were a few options there, ranging from what I paid to about $200 for the rim. Of course, there were more expensive options too. For the tire, I had a local tire shop put it on.

I went this route because I didn't want a band-aid. If I'm taking a 400 mile roundtrip drive, and I get a spare on mile 80, I don't want to have to wait for the tow truck, be out of the service area for a Tesla service vehicle, or worry that a donut would not perform well for the next 320 miles at high speeds on a highway.

All of the other options above are fine. Each of us gets to choose what feels best.

I called several places to see if they could get me a wheel and tire, but many were going to source these through Tesla. Online searches seemed to show options of ordering from different retailers, but I didn't pursue those. The cost would have been less than Tesla's $800 wheel/tire, but more than what I paid.

PART 2: The Jack That I Purchased
The other challenge besides sourcing the wheel was what jack to use. Modern Spare comes with a scissor jack that you can also buy on Amazon for around $40. I don't love the idea of scissor jacks because it has such a small footprint, the car is so heavy, and I worry about less than ideal situations, such as it being used on ground that isn't perfectly flat, or muddy, etc.

Through my research here on the forum and through YouTube videos, it seems that Tesla's service tech's use: an OTC 2-ton jack (Listing title on Amazon: "OTC LDJA2 Aluminum Racing Jack - 2 Ton"). It's a floor jack, that is light (for a floor jack.) Around 43 pounds. So I bought that. It cost $350 through Amazon.

Of course, there are many other jack options. But again, I wanted the solution get me on the road as quickly as possible if I got a flat.

For the jack pucks that people tend to use, I ended up buying actual hockey pucks and little rubber doorstoppers and drilling those together. There are multiple people who shared this recipe on YouTube and here in the forum. The pre-made pucks that are available on Amazon all seemed to have some horrible smell to them. I returned the set that I purchased.

So that's it. Not sure if this will be useful to anyone, but it took me awhile to research it all. Do what feels right to you, this is simply what I chose.

Thanks to everyone in the forum for all the supportive advice along the way!

 

[afadeev]

Don't forget to add a 21mm deep socket, a torque wrench, and a air pump to your travel kit,

FWIW, I have #4 solution sitting in my garage, but travel with just a DynaPlug repair kit and an air compressor (in all my cars).
They take way less space, and after decades of driving, there was exactly one (1) time when something more was needed.

Amazon.com

HTH,
YMMV,
a

 

[nj_driver]

Don't forget to add a 21mm deep socket, a torque wrench, and a air pump to your travel kit,

FWIW, I have #4 solution sitting in my garage, but travel with just a DynaPlug repair kit and an air compressor (in all my cars).
They take way less space, and after decades of driving, there was exactly one (1) time when something more was needed.

Amazon.com

HTH,
YMMV,
a

Thanks! Yes, I had already purchased all the other accessories awhile back. I went... overboard with it all. But, I learned a lot in the research process, and now I'm prepared! The plug kit is something I have too. I just have a hard time envisioning me trying to plug a tire on the side of the road in 100 degree heat, or 10 degree cold, or if the tire has a tear on the sidewall, etc. Agreed with all your points though! Thank you.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Yeah, I think the biggest question (applies to those that went with a modern spare also) is how to store all that for a trip. Model 3 doesn't have a very good place to put it (for the Y, I believe there is way to fit a modern spare under floor of rear trunk).

 

[3sr+buyer]

Regarding jacks, it seems like all possible jacks have their disadvantages for carrying in the car for emergency use:

• Trolley jacks: bulky and heavy (consume cargo space and weight). Good for home garage use, though.
• Scissor jacks: poor reputation for reliability and safety (easier to tip over, or mechanism failure). Main advantage is small size and light weight for storage in the car.
• Bottle jacks: minimum height too high to fit under a Model 3. One model has a built in jack stand, would be a good choice if it were not too tall to fit under a Model 3.

Are there any good (a) trolley jacks that are not too bulky and heavy, (b) scissor jacks that are reasonably safe to use, or (c) bottle jacks that fit under a Model 3 (with jack pads or hockey pucks under the jack points)?

 

[Lindenwood]

Regarding jacks, it seems like all possible jacks have their disadvantages for carrying in the car for emergency use:

• Trolley jacks: bulky and heavy (consume cargo space and weight). Good for home garage use, though.
• Scissor jacks: poor reputation for reliability and safety (easier to tip over, or mechanism failure). Main advantage is small size and light weight for storage in the car.
• Bottle jacks: minimum height too high to fit under a Model 3. One model has a built in jack stand, would be a good choice if it were not too tall to fit under a Model 3.

Are there any good (a) trolley jacks that are not too bulky and heavy, (b) scissor jacks that are reasonably safe to use, or (c) bottle jacks that fit under a Model 3 (with jack pads or hockey pucks under the jack points)?

1.5 Ton Low-Profile Aluminum Racing Floor Jack with RAPID PUMP

Amazing deals on this 1.5T Aluminum Racing Jack W/ Rapid Pump at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

This one weighs 33lb.

Of note, I actually purchased a Modern Spare and am returning it. I work a lot and once had a special day with my kid ruined by a flat tire (that I ended up having to fix by buying a repair kit), so I have since been conservative with my spare options. With this Modern Spare, I only planned to take it on remote trips, but it just takes up too much space in the Model 3. So, I will be hedging my bets with a compact compressor, repair kit, and Slime to get me where I am going.

But yes, time is precious and having the first 2 days of a 4-day vacation ruined by a flat tire sounds really painful to me.

 

[nj_driver]

Yeah, I think the biggest question (applies to those that went with a modern spare also) is how to store all that for a trip. Model 3 doesn't have a very good place to put it (for the Y, I believe there is way to fit a modern spare under floor of rear trunk).

Yes, very good point. For the trips I take with the Tesla, they aren't vacations that require luggage. So I would put the floor jack in the lower trunk, and the tire in the main trunk area. Still enough room around that for a couple boxes or backpacks. Plus the frunk and rear seats (if unoccupied.)

 

[nj_driver]

Regarding jacks, it seems like all possible jacks have their disadvantages for carrying in the car for emergency use:

• Trolley jacks: bulky and heavy (consume cargo space and weight). Good for home garage use, though.
• Scissor jacks: poor reputation for reliability and safety (easier to tip over, or mechanism failure). Main advantage is small size and light weight for storage in the car.
• Bottle jacks: minimum height too high to fit under a Model 3. One model has a built in jack stand, would be a good choice if it were not too tall to fit under a Model 3.

Are there any good (a) trolley jacks that are not too bulky and heavy, (b) scissor jacks that are reasonably safe to use, or (c) bottle jacks that fit under a Model 3 (with jack pads or hockey pucks under the jack points)?

Great points! This is what I was struggling with as I tried to decide the best path forward. I've seen threads in the forum here on higher quality jacks that came OEM from cars like Porsche, Audi, etc. Some of them even have a little dimple on the top that can be modified for the Tesla Model 3 jack point hole. But even some of those are expensive on eBay. And I still worried that they have such a tiny footprint for the entire weight of the vehicle to rest on. Which gets into the hole conversation of how complicated it is to try to use jack stands with a Tesla.

So the solutions I seriously considered were the Porsche scissor jack that others mention here in the forum, then the OTC trolley jack that I ended up buying. YES, it's big. YES it's heavy. But at 43 lbs, it's much lighter than most other jacks. I agree with you: this solution is not ideal though, there are lots of compromises.

 

[nj_driver]

1.5 Ton Low-Profile Aluminum Racing Floor Jack with RAPID PUMP

Amazing deals on this 1.5T Aluminum Racing Jack W/ Rapid Pump at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

This one weighs 33lb.

Of note, I actually purchased a Modern Spare and am returning it. I work a lot and once had a special day with my kid ruined by a flat tire (that I ended up having to fix by buying a repair kit), so I have since been conservative with my spare options. With this Modern Spare, I only planned to take it on remote trips, but it just takes up too much space in the Model 3. So, I will be hedging my bets with a compact compressor, repair kit, and Slime to get me where I am going.

But yes, time is precious and having the first 2 days of a 4-day vacation ruined by a flat tire sounds really painful to me.

Than you for sharing all of this! Yes, I considered that Pittsburgh jack for awhile, before finally just saying: "let me get the jack that Tesla service techs use, and be done with it." Agreed, 10 lbs lighter (and less bulky) is a huge advantage of the Pittsburgh jack.
Sorry to hear about the flat you had. Interesting to hear you are returning the Modern Spare!

 

[Lindenwood]

Yes, very good point. For the trips I take with the Tesla, they aren't vacations that require luggage. So I would put the floor jack in the lower trunk, and the tire in the main trunk area. Still enough room around that for a couple boxes or backpacks. Plus the frunk and rear seats (if unoccupied.)

And that, to me, indeed makes the difference. All of my road trips are AT LEAST with my wife and son, and we pretty regularly might take a friend, or grab her sister and niece. Even with just my wife and son and our pretty mid-sized ~11x16x22 suitcase, there is only ONE way to fit the suitcase with the spare (and it requires helping the trunk close with some hand pressure). There is then only only enough space for maybe a few backpacks in the main trunk area (note: the sub trunk is not accessible without removing the spare).

Yes, with half a dozen backpacks or small duffels, you could certainly get a lot in the trunk (+1 or 2 up front) around a spare.

But, the marital strain of getting my wife to pack our stuff in 3 or 4 small bags instead of her cherished suitcase would have ruined the trip . More practically, as described above, even dropping the suitcase it doesn’t leave much room for guest gear.

(Btw, I am writing this mostly to add informed perspective to future searchers).

 

[afadeev]

Yeah, I think the biggest question (applies to those that went with a modern spare also) is how to store all that for a trip. Model 3 doesn't have a very good place to put it (for the Y, I believe there is way to fit a modern spare under floor of rear trunk).

That is a very valid concern, and what primarily drove me to optimize on Dynaplug and tire inflator kit for the cars that don't have factory provided and packaged full size spares (and accompanying supplies to put it to proper use). I have one car left in the garage with a full sized spare, and all my cars have sets of winter wheels and tires. But I don't carry those on my trips for the reasons stated above.

The plug kit is something I have too. I just have a hard time envisioning me trying to plug a tire on the side of the road in 100 degree heat, or 10 degree cold,

I did just that the last time we drove to Florida - got a puncture in driver-side rear tire on I-95 outside of Miami.
Pulled over on the shoulder, had my wife drive slowly forward until I saw the offending screw in the thread, pulled it out, plugged with two DynaPlugs, re-inflated, and was back on the road in under 15 minutes start to finish. Kept an eye on pressure readings - all good all the way home (1+K miles).
Granted, those were exciting 15 minutes on the shoulder, but for me, that sure beats sitting and waiting for a two truck hours on end. In either 100 degree heat or 10 degree cold.

BTW, my wife could have done the same on her own as well!

A full size spare is the best, but very few car companies package those inside modern cars theses days.
A donut is least useful and borderline worthless to me, since donuts come with speed and total range limitations (usually under 60mph for fewer than 300 miles, then done).

or if the tire has a tear on the sidewall, etc.

That is a super rare corner case that I don't worry about anymore.
The most common tire puncture scenario is you drive over a nail with the front tire, kick it up, and (occasionally) it bounces just right to penetrate the rear tire. There is no feasible scenario for it to bounce into the sidewall.

To damage the sidewall, you really need to hit something (a curb) hard enough, or run over a huge pile of rebar or metal planks. Not impossible, but not likely either.

The one time I needed more than a Dynaplug was when I ran over a huge pothole on a rural road, at night, not far from home. Both passenger side wheels were bent badly (boo on Tesla soft 20" wheels), to the point of tires getting fully deflated. I had to leave the car, get a ride home, then come back to swap out the bent wheels for winter wheels and tires. Then had the wheels repaired and ready for the next season.

HTH,
a

 

[nj_driver]

That is a very valid concern, and what primarily drove me to optimize on Dynaplug and tire inflator kit for the cars that don't have factory provided and packaged full size spares (and accompanying supplies to put it to proper use). I have one car left in the garage with a full sized spare, and all my cars have sets of winter wheels and tires. But I don't carry those on my trips for the reasons stated above.



I did just that the last time we drove to Florida - got a puncture in driver-side rear tire on I-95 outside of Miami.
Pulled over on the shoulder, had my wife drive slowly forward until I saw the offending screw in the thread, pulled it out, plugged with two DynaPlugs, re-inflated, and was back on the road in under 15 minutes start to finish. Kept an eye on pressure readings - all good all the way home (1+K miles).
Granted, those were exciting 15 minutes on the shoulder, but for me, that sure beats sitting and waiting for a two truck hours on end. In either 100 degree heat or 10 degree cold.

BTW, my wife could have done the same on her own as well!

A full size spare is the best, but very few car companies package those inside modern cars theses days.
A donut is least useful and borderline worthless to me, since donuts come with speed and total range limitations (usually under 60mph for fewer than 300 miles, then done).



That is a super rare corner case that I don't worry about anymore.
The most common tire puncture scenario is you drive over a nail with the front tire, kick it up, and (occasionally) it bounces just right to penetrate the rear tire. There is no feasible scenario for it to bounce into the sidewall.

To damage the sidewall, you really need to hit something (a curb) hard enough, or run over a huge pile of rebar or metal planks. Not impossible, but not likely either.

The one time I needed more than a Dynaplug was when I ran over a huge pothole on a rural road, at night, not far from home. Both passenger side wheels were bent badly (boo on Tesla soft 20" wheels), to the point of tires getting fully deflated. I had to leave the car, get a ride home, then come back to swap out the bent wheels for winter wheels and tires. Then had the wheels repaired and ready for the next season.

HTH,
a

Wow, that's amazing how bad the pothole damaged two wheels! Sorry to hear that. Thanks for all the feedback here, I appreciate it.

 

[android04]

Just wanted to point out that the trolley jack that you purchased is not going to fare much better than the scissor jack in muddy or sandy or any soft ground. It probably has less surface area contacting the ground with its 2 small wheels and large roller than the scissor jack with its small, flat plate. If you want it to be useable in soft surfaces, you will need to carry a metal or wood plate to set the jack on (preferably with indentions made into it for the jack wheels to keep it from rolling).

Something like this looks like it will work RB Components Aluminum Floor Mount Aluminum Racing Floor Jack Bracket 2251 | eBay

 

[nj_driver]

Just wanted to point out that the trolley jack that you purchased is not going to fare much better than the scissor jack in muddy or sandy or any soft ground. It probably has less surface area contacting the ground with its 2 small wheels and large roller than the scissor jack with its small, flat plate. If you want it to be useable in soft surfaces, you will need to carry a metal or wood plate to set the jack on (preferably with indentions made into it for the jack wheels to keep it from rolling).

Something like this looks like it will work RB Components Aluminum Floor Mount Aluminum Racing Floor Jack Bracket 2251 | eBay

Yes, great points! Thank you so much.

 

[kiwi]

Late to the party... but I'm looking into this myself now.
We have had 5 flats in the past 2 years in our EVs, 2 of which required a tow and a multi-day wait for a replacement tyre. Both of these really screwed up the respective trips, and fortunately the other holes could be fixed with goo.
Bad luck? An indictment on the roads in NZ? Likely yes to both.

The problem is that there are lots of places where you are outside of cell coverage or a long way from civilization, and a flat tyre creates a major problem. The modern trend of removing spare tyres from cars is, IMHO, problematic. Only manufacturers can create space in the car under the boot for a tyre, and by removing that space they are outsourcing the problem to us, and there are no good solutions.

IMHO Option 2 above (with a repair kit) is the best tradeoff of minimal space, but yet will handle most problems.
So I'm looking to put a space saver + repair kit into whichever car will be travelling long distance.
These are very hard to come by! I've been told my best bet is a wreckers yard.
Online, ModernSpare has a good option with a tidy cover, but the shipping costs are fierce (nearly $400 USD).

So I'm still looking...

 

[stopcrazypp]

Late to the party... but I'm looking into this myself now.
We have had 5 flats in the past 2 years in our EVs, 2 of which required a tow and a multi-day wait for a replacement tyre. Both of these really screwed up the respective trips, and fortunately the other holes could be fixed with goo.
Bad luck? An indictment on the roads in NZ? Likely yes to both.

The problem is that there are lots of places where you are outside of cell coverage or a long way from civilization, and a flat tyre creates a major problem. The modern trend of removing spare tyres from cars is, IMHO, problematic. Only manufacturers can create space in the car under the boot for a tyre, and by removing that space they are outsourcing the problem to us, and there are no good solutions.

IMHO Option 2 above (with a repair kit) is the best tradeoff of minimal space, but yet will handle most problems.
So I'm looking to put a space saver + repair kit into whichever car will be travelling long distance.
These are very hard to come by! I've been told my best bet is a wreckers yard.
Online, ModernSpare has a good option with a tidy cover, but the shipping costs are fierce (nearly $400 USD).

So I'm still looking...

Note people have reported the Hyundai Genesis 18" space saver spare works for the Model 3 (non Performance):
Mini Spare For Model 3, Hyundai Genesis 18" works

If you find 18" spares from other manufacturers with the same bolt pattern, it may work. May be able to find used copies for much cheaper or maybe even order new ones from a local dealer in your area. Certainly would save from shipping costs. Note there is a 50 mph max limit for the Genesis one. There is also talk about needing a hub-centric ring and some versions the lug type is different (M12 instead of M14 the Model 3 uses), so look through that thread for the details.

This post has more details, says all Genesis wheels actually require enlarging the bolt holes, only a few options from other manufacturers don't (Maserati and Bimmerzone Spare).
Mini Spare For Model 3, Hyundai Genesis 18" works

 

[ColoradoMike]

Really good discussion. I can attest that a Porsche scissor jack works fine when the driver rear tire on my 996 TT essentially exploded on me 2 years ago. The supplied wheel and air pump/jack worked fine. Now, was it the most stable? Not like my race jacks at the house but worked fine. Limited on speed on the Porsche spare but I was only 20 miles from home so I was able to get the job done.

I will most likely go with the Modern Spare kit or a full size....still debating. But again the issue with space comes up.

For us, we won't be taking the Model 3 on long road trips. I have my truck or my wife's Macan for that. Additionally, she is within cell phone coverage for her use (80 mile round trip to and from work). If we do elect to use the M3LR for road trips...the spare would be beneficial. Hell we might just leave the spare in the car.

I would love to take the M3LR on long trips but seeing that I do not own one (gets delivered Aug 13), I still have the same thing most of you had ..."range anxiety"....LOL! I am sure with time I will get over the "range anxiety".

We have had our fair share of flat tires over the years so having a spare is something we are looking at.

 

[kiwi]

Note people have reported the Hyundai Genesis 18" space saver spare works for the Model 3 (non Performance):
Mini Spare For Model 3, Hyundai Genesis 18" works

If you find 18" spares from other manufacturers with the same bolt pattern, it may work. May be able to find used copies for much cheaper or maybe even order new ones from a local dealer in your area. Certainly would save from shipping costs. Note there is a 50 mph max limit for the Genesis one. There is also talk about needing a hub-centric ring and some versions the lug type is different (M12 instead of M14 the Model 3 uses), so look through that thread for the details.

This post has more details, says all Genesis wheels actually require enlarging the bolt holes, only a few options from other manufacturers don't (Maserati and Bimmerzone Spare).
Mini Spare For Model 3, Hyundai Genesis 18" works

Thanks for the links. Unfortunately I'm looking for an MX spare, which I think is bigger than the M3.

 

[cmy4x4]

Another option not mentioned yet is run flat tires. I would definitely NOT recommend them. Had them on a BMW and the ride was horrible. The one flat I did have, ended up replacing the tire anyway.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Thanks for the links. Unfortunately I'm looking for an MX spare, which I think is bigger than the M3.

For Model X, you should probably look in the Model X subforum for alternative spares. This is the Model 3 forum, so I presumed you were looking for one for Model 3.