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Hey, All. I've been an occasional forum participant for a while. I've retiring my 2013 Mustang GT (166K miles) for a 2024 GT (standard & not the performance version) next week. I know Ford (and others) don't provide a real, physical spare tire anymore but I'm going to want one. I've found some made by Modern Spare and Automotive Authority online. Has anyone had experience with these or other spare tire suppliers? Does Ford have an OEM? Thanks
OK, I'll go look there (nothing popped up when I did before. EDIT: there hasn't been an entry in almost 2 years. Also I was inquiring about 2024 Mustangs so I think info regarding 2010-2014 might not address my question.
Last edited by junkman9096; Jan 5, 2025 at 07:43 AM.
Gotta Have it Green Fanatic Official TMS Travel Guide
Joined: December 17, 2012
Posts: 2,558
Likes: 1,357
From: Western NC
Ever since the early 2000's we learned that spare tires are a waste of time, effort, and especially $$$. Not only do full size spares take up horrible space, they get old real quick, lose air all the time, and then you still have to be lucky enough to find a spot to safely change it if you physically can. How can you solve this? AAA or your favorite roadside service.
My wife and I have travelled all over the US/Canada during our 47 years together and we have had about 5 tire mishaps in those 47 years. In our early years we developed a broken belt (thump thump thump) and limped into a Montgomery Ward's store (remember those?) in Lakeland FL and bought new tires. They were all old and due to be replaced anyway but when young, who has the money? The other 4 times were nails/screws with loss of air overnight. Simple patches at local tire stores all over the country quickly solved the problem. $20 - $25 and on your way. The only serious one was in Roswell, NM when a tire went flat almost immediately with a large screw. AAA was called on a Saturday and arrived within about an hour. They checked for open shops and towed us there. About 3 hours down time and we were on our way again. All 3 of my current rides have no spares.
This is my take on it and now you can decide for yourself. You can say roadside services cost money, and you are right, but we have also utilized them for locked in car keys and dead batteries. We also save a lot on the discounts, especially motels and tourist attractions.
You might enjoy this photo. This was where we had to stop when we were towed back in 2021. The right rear was flat.
Thanks, NC14GT. I have a wife (been married almost as long a you) who doesn't like to "work without a net". We also live in a fairly rural area with VERY spotty cellphone coverage so its iffy that a call to AAA even would be possible. Thus the request for a physical spare tire-space saver is fine.
Last edited by junkman9096; Jan 5, 2025 at 07:44 AM.
I Got to Thinking. Ford Has Always Been Sketchy on How They List The Spare Tire Kits. I Went Through This At The Dealership All the Time. Anyhoo I Pulled Up The 2024 Owners Manual and They List a Spare With Instructions. If You Had a 2015+ Oem Ford Spare Kit I Would Not Be Surprised if It Would Work on a 2024+ As Long as it Did not Have Big Brakes. The Previous Kit Fit a Lot of Years although Not Listed For Past 2023. In Other Countries I Think The Spare is More Common Such as Canada But Simply Not Cataloged For The States. Just Food For Thought! Sorry Nothing Concrete at The Moment.
If Not For the Smaller Wheel Lugs on the Pre 2015 Cars The S-197 Kit Might Have Been a Player as Well!
After That I'm Sure as Time Goes On Other 24 Up Owners Will Come Up With Some Creative Piece By Piece Options. I Miss The Good Old Days When I Had a Lot Full Of Mustangs & a Cooperative Service Department Where I Could Have Got Some Hands on Side By Side Checking of Things But Those Days Are Gone! I Would Have Figured Out The In's In Outs Purty Quick!
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,
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You Are Welcome! It's Been a Lot of Years Since I Relied on the Order Guide. I'm Out of Practice & You Helped Reactivate Some Forgotten Resources! I Did Not want to See you Order Up a Spare & Find Out You Already Had One. Ford Cataloging Has Been a Dig & Dig Proposition For Years. I Latch on to a Hunt Until I'm Satisfied I Have Checked The Best I Can!
Still a Search Of Trunks on Models Below Premium Spec Could Likely Have The Tire!
Best of Luck & Congratulations on Your New Purchase!
Gotta Have it Green Fanatic Official TMS Travel Guide
Joined: December 17, 2012
Posts: 2,558
Likes: 1,357
From: Western NC
Originally Posted by junkman9096
Thanks, NC14GT. I have a wife (been married almost as long a you) who doesn't like to "work without a net". We also live in a fairly rural area with VERY spotty cellphone coverage so its iffy that a call to AAA even would be possible. Thus the request for a physical spare tire-space saver is fine.
No problem. We are rural too here in the western NC mountains. Our trips have taken us to places where there isn't a cell tower for Lord knows how many miles. That's us anyway.
Try using a cell phone in this area during our Vanishing Point trip last year.
Key thing here is whether you have the Brembo brakes or not
If you have the basic GT brakes (not Brembos) then you have lots of options for relatively narrow wheels that will clear the brakes and will fit in the spare well in the trunk, though they probably will stick out on the width/height (trunk floor will not be flat any more)
Also you need to have tires that are not much bigger than 27" overall diameter (bigger will not fit in the spare well in the trunk) -- if you have the stock 235/50-18 wheels/tires then the overall diameter is 27.2" and that will just barely fit in the hole -- you could take one of your wheels off and try it, to see what I mean
My 2010 came with a donut spare that would clear the 2010 brakes and fit in the spare well, with the hold-down and everything .... but Ford upsized the GT brake rotors a little in 2011+ so I'm not sure if that donut would clear the 2011+ GT front brakes. I have a set of 9" x 19" wheels off a Brembo GT with 255/40-19 tires, that fit in the spare well on the diameter, but stick out on the width, and the hold-down is not long enough to hold it down. If you have the standard GT brakes (not Brembo) and original size tires, you should be able to find an 8" wheel that will clear the brakes (like one of the original 8" OEM GT wheels), put a fairly narrow tire on it like 225, and it would probably only stick out a little.
Not sure if the 2024 spare will fit on your car; they may have changed the offset specs on the wheels and they may have resized the spare tire well, but it would be good to find out
Thank you so much. Around 11am tomorrow (PST) I should find out and will let the forum know the results.
Well, here's the scoop. After some confusion regarding the tire repair kit (yes, that's what it came with) we went ahead and got the car. Notes: Although nowhere in the window sticker or other attached paperwork did it get mentioned, the car came with Brembo brakes. That seems to be what determines whether it has a spare tire or not. I'm not complaining, understand. 2nd note: the sales manager/salesman were at a loss when I asked them about the A: lack of a tire and B: how to use the inflator. To wit they didn't know it was a self-contained unit without a separate can of tire goop. C: their eyes went glassy when I asked about the price/availability of an OEM spare tire kit. TL/DR version: the people who sell cars don't really know much about the product. So now I have to start looking for Brembo compatible spare tire kit.
Thanks
Last edited by junkman9096; Jan 6, 2025 at 04:55 PM.
No Surprise About The Sales Staff! I Bet it Felt Good To Have More Insight on the Subject Than The Folks Who Should Know The Product They are Selling! Back in The S-197 Days I Knew The Order Guide Vebatim Because I Wanted To Know Everything About The Car I Was Getting, Owned & Sold Parts For. At Most Dealers I Can Recall Many a Car Salesman Who Knew Little of Nothing About Cars Period and Owners Would Hire Them & Let Them Sell Cars To Friends & Relatives Until The Well Went Dry & Then NEXT!
I Probably Worked a Dozen Dealerships Over The Years and My Clevenger Ford Lincoln Mercury Days {1999-2011} Which Were When I Was So Active Here Were The Best & I Would Not Hesitate To Recommend Them For All Departments. There Was Almost always Weak Departments in All the Others I Worked At. I Really Miss That Place! If Not For Their Trust in Me I Never Would Have Been Allowed To Do So Much With The Mustangs & Tms For Sure. Trust is Something I Never Have Taken Lightly & I Had It All Around For A Decade & Some Change. After That it Was a Trod Down a Rocky Road.
Anyhoo, That Just Sort of Popped Out. A Bit Emotional Today on The 14th Anniversary of The Passing of My Son.
The Thread is a Great Learning Experience For Others To Benefit From and That Is What we are Here For!
Glad To Help With The Insight!
Now We Need Some New Car Pics!
Looks Like Your Supplier Also Offers a Big Brake Spare! If Any Doubt Check With Supplier! Of Course You Can get Creative & Come Up With Your Own Setup if You Like. Sure To Be Similar To Other Model Custom Setups.
Modern Spare is the one I'm leaning toward. I like the proportions of the tire and the tool kits seem to be a better quality than the competition with its stamped steel lug wrench (bad experiences in the past with those things).
The new cars have a real spare as an option, when I bought my '20 it did not have a spare, funny thing is they wouldn't Dealer exchange a car with the spare for the deal we had made because that option raised the price. Either I've picked up multiple spares to have around the shop and they are out there if you know where to look as buying new from Ford is going to be ridiculous. Reach out to the parts farm in Georgia...I bet they have a few and they have been very reasonable.
I was going by the picture in your profile, which shows an S197 car ... if you have a 2024 car then most of what I said probably still applies, but the 2024 kit should work for your 2024 car, and I assume the spare kit tells you whether it will clear your brakes or not
if you updated your signature to say what car you have, then we wouldn't have to guess or go by the forum name
I can feel your pain with the no Spare... and I even have a old post that supports my greatest fears of not having one (Don't show your wife or you will be in a more urgent place to get one...)
I ended up getting a matching rim with TPMS sensor, and a matching tire that I rotate in to the mix to keep the wear in line with the others. The 275/35R20 tire and 9.5" Roush rim is too big for my spare compartment by maybe 1/4" to 1/2". So, I only put it in the trunk when going out of my home area. Still need a better system to mount it safely while on the road. But so far I have not needed one again. So I guess it was an unnecessary expense? But, I get filled with anxiety every time I take a road trip with the car because of the story above. Makes me feel better that it is in there.
Last edited by shaneyusa; Jan 10, 2025 at 06:31 PM.
I can feel your pain with the no Spare... and I even have a old post that supports my greatest fears of not having one (Don't show your wife or you will be in a more urgent place to get one...)
You've voiced my fear. Luckily we've got the extended towing option with AAA although that's of no help if you can't call them due to cell coverage issues. I'm ordering two tomorrow with Modern Spare, with the wife's blessing. One for my Mustang and the other for her Acura TLX.
