Question on Space Saver Spare

[lhtexas]

What is the shelf life of the F78X14 space saver spare tire? I have the original in my 72 Vert along with an equally old inflation can. I never plan on using it but just wondered if they would still work over 50 years later.

 

[Sheriff41]

I still have my SS spare and bottle in the trunk. I inflate it to about 10 psi every year or so to wash the dust off and add new rubber dressing on it. It would be a huge risk to inflate and drive on an original SS spare. They are good for show purposes only now days. They do go for a premium price for those that want the restored-to-original look.

If you want to keep the spare for originality's sake, it would be best to pick up a modern inflater kit out of a newer Ford product to carry in case of a flat. These kits have a sealant and pump to repair a flat without removing the wheel/tire from the car. You can find them on the online market sites, local wrecking yards, auto parts stores and the dealer parts shops.

Another alternative would be to replace the original SS spare with a modern SS spare sourced from a newer Ford.

 

[Retired2014]

My space saver tire was used twice back in the late 70’s mid 80’s and never used again for 30+ years. I decided to inflate it to have it removed from the rim to mount a smaller 14” tire to use as a reliable spare. About by an hour or two after inflating it at home prior to a trip to the tire shop, I heard a muffled explosion in my detached garage. The tire had self destructed in the back of my pickup bed beneath a rigid tonneau cover. Wasn’t pretty…