Rusty Spare Tire Rim: Need Options

[mikeinri]

Got a flat today (hit something small and metal on the highway). AAA refused to use my spare because the driver said the rim is too rusty. I'm at the tire shop now, where they say it's actually OK (does me no good on the side of the road).

I don't want to waste time with trying to salvage this rim, so I see two basic options: pick up a new or used replacement steel spare rim, or pick up a used aluminum rim (like the rest of the tires have).

Other than cost, is there any reason NOT to use an aluminum rim for the spare (which lives under the truck)???

Thanks.

Mike

 

[CDW6212R]

Hi Mike, you can use a matching aluminum rim, but I've done it for ten years, and it ruins the clear fast. If you do that, you'll need to treat the clear coat surface in some way.

I have some clear paint wrap made to do anything like a hood or the whole car, for a trip etc. I'll do that in the future, but the one wheel(99 Limited) I removed last year looks awful. I'll keep using that wheel for my mail truck as it has been, so no big deal for that. I have a 2002+ 17x7 wheel under my Mercury, and it's never been off since I put it there in about 2008.

 

[mikeinri]

Thanks for the quick reply!

Since this is a spare under the truck, I certainly don't care about looks, but if the clear is ruined, will that make the aluminum corrode to an unusable point?

Mike

 

[CDW6212R]

No, the wheel will be okay, it just looks bad with so much corrosion appearance. I didn't spend any time picking at my Limited wheel, to see if it was actually corrosion under the paint.

I'd guess that it is, but in any case the clear is ruined and only a full refinishing would fix it. If you get a wheel that is cheap because it's already sad looking, then you can not worry about it and expect to only use it as a spare. I wanted to rotate mine around if needed and not have to keep the spare hardly used and always under the truck. You won't put the spare on the truck for a tire life cycle if it looks bad, you'll keep it under the truck for sure.

 

[TechGuru]

I'm sure your rim is fine, many tow jockey's are corrupt. They get paid a lot more from AAA for a tow than they do a tire change (and a tow is less labor work than a tire change).

I believe it's the same for you either way, a service call is a service call that goes against one of your 3 free ones a year no matter if it's a tow, tire change or gas.

Here are RockAuto's wheel's if you really think you need a new one.