On the Donut...

Don't have much time here, so I'll keep it short...

 

Hit a (massively deep) pothole with my blizzaks (215/45/18 - stock size) on and blew the tire. Put the spare donut on and I cannot get another tire until Wed. or Thur. I don't know how great the difference in tire circumference is from the other 3 tires and the donut, so I'm worried about driving it and burning out the diffs. Is it ok to drive? If so how long?

 

Additionally, I only have about 800-1000 miles on the blizzaks. When I order a new one, should I have Tire Rack shave it down, or is the difference negligible?

 

Thanks

I wouldn't drive on the donut.

And I wouldn't shave the tire until you establish a need to do that. My guess is when you measure the circumference there will not be much difference if any at all.

nothing wrong with driving on a the donut, though i wouldnt plan any long trips till you get your tire replaced.

They can shave the tire down? I got new tires this summer and hit a bad pothole on the way home from a day of skiing a couple weeks ago and blew a tire and cracked the rim.

Well, right...they can, but what I'm asking is whether it's necessary to do so. I just put the tires on in late November and only have like 800 miles or so on them.

Idealy, you should measure the ones on your car, and compare to the actual circumference of a new one, but in reality, you would probably be fine without shaving it down. 800-1000 miles isnt very much (though likely to produce more wear on a winter tire, especially the soft blizzaks)...Me personally, probably too lazy to actualy do the measuring. Plus, I think you can be off by as much as 1/4 inch? Can't remember for sure, but the number is out there.

Don't have much time here, so I'll keep it short...

 

Hit a (massively deep) pothole with my blizzaks (215/45/18 - stock size) on and blew the tire. Put the spare donut on and I cannot get another tire until Wed. or Thur. I don't know how great the difference in tire circumference is from the other 3 tires and the donut, so I'm worried about driving it and burning out the diffs. Is it ok to drive? If so how long?

 

Additionally, I only have about 800-1000 miles on the blizzaks. When I order a new one, should I have Tire Rack shave it down, or is the difference negligible?

 

Thanks

Use the donut only on the front axle. If the blow out is a rear tire, spend the extra time to transfer front to rear with putting donut front. It's an AWD Subie and that's one of the extra "costs" one must accept.

Always better to have donut on from axle. The diffs will like you better. But it probably won't hurt anything even under considerable driving on the rear.

 

With only 1000 miles on the other 3, you don't need to shave it. Just put the new one the front axle to keep the diffs as happy as possible.

Yep it was the front and it's on the front. For what it was and what happened, everything actually went pretty smoothly. The only thing I'm pissed about is the fact that the stupid jack in the trunk couldn't lift the car high enough to get the donut on! Which genius thought of that one? Luckily my friend was there and he had a bottle jack, but I'm glad to know now that if anything like this ever happens again I'm gonna be calling a tow truck...