Wood screw at corner of tread/wall and plugged -- drive it, or replace?

[Frenchy]

That is impressive that you got that much out of those tires and how the puncture happened. Due to safety reasons I don't recommend driving on it if you can avoid it. That said I would recommend going and getting new tires now.

As for what tire to get? Well it all depends on what you plan to do. If you plan to stay on the street the I recommend the Firestone Destination LE3 or the Michelin LTX M&S. If you plan to go Off-road then I recommend the Firestone Destination AT2 or the Firestone Destination XT. The XT is way more heavy duty compared to the AT 2 but it all depends on your needs.

I will also add that a stock Ranger can fit 265/70-17's with no problems. Just make sure you calibrate the speedometer if you do it.

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[Frenchy]

Well, I’ll be…. From the manual:

If the spare is a special type and compact then that usually applies and is usually listed on the tire. Full size spares are usually about the same at the regular tires.and can handle the high speeds

 

[Danager]

If the spare is a special type and compact then that usually applies and is usually listed on the tire. Full size spares are usually about the same at the regular tires.and can handle the high speeds

I believe the bigger issue is the potential for the rotating mass to be different, which could be significant enough to cause an issue. No doubt a lawyer has molested these warnings. And I am equally as confident that a farmer could make this work in a pinch.
I land somewhere in between.

 

[XL GT]

Me personally, I would just replace all four and be done with it. THEN, in case you have a stingy CFO in your house, use the new tires to your advantage as an excuse to do other neat stuff to the truck that are "needed". Such as "a lift and new shocks are needed to compliment the tread pattern of these tires". "A tune would enhance the performance of these new tires". "New UCA's are recommended to give these tires more life". "A new down tube and exhaust would help the tune to power these tires better". It's all about blending, blend your bullsh*t excuses together to make them sound more believable. You're welcome . . . . . .

 

[airline tech]

Yes, the Spare is a full-size spare, but you could have a 16 or 17 in steel wheel with a tire size height comparable to your stock wheel and tire size combination.
The dissimilar wheel that the manual is referring to it states that for safety and vehicle control purposes.
As far as the sidewall repair, that is not safe to drive on, now it might be ok, but why risk an accident. I would definitely at least never take it on highway, Blow-Out Risk due to weakened sidewall.

 

[TomC]

I bought a set of 5 bronco steel rim wheels and tires. The spare on the Bronco did not have the 50 mph sticker like my ranger spare, but was the exact same rim as my ranger spare. The only difference was that the Bronco spare had been balanced and had weights attached. I'm guessing the only reason the Ranger tires have the sticker is because they never balanced. At least my spare on the ranger isn't. Or maybe the caffeine hasn't kicked in this morning.

 

[BS67]

If you have one of the dis-similar spares just save one of your tires and purchase a matching rim that's on your Ranger. Mount that tire and replace your dis-similar spare with the new one. That way the 50mph limit is out of the way!

 

[Friday yet?]

Memorial Day weekend road trip had me putting the spare on.
Picked up a wood screw, entering at a shallow angle into the sidewall -- bad place for a screw.
Small town independent repair shop said its not patchable (I knew he'd say that because of the sidewall).
I told him I'd plug it so I could use it as a spare for the rest of my trip --unless he'd be nice enough to do it for a fee. So he did -- used rubber cement, and even used a butane torch to melt the plug a bit -- he said it helps seal the plug.
And he recommended driving my plugged tire rather than the spare for the rest of my weekend trip since the spare is rated for 50 mph. So I put the plugged tire back on (drivers rear).
I put about 700 miles on the plugged tire over the rest of the weekend, with a lot of it 75-80 mph Interstate highway driving.
I still have the stock tires on my XLT Sport, 5/32" to 6/32" tread, 40,000 miles. 255/65R17 Bridgestone Dueler A/T
The repair guy recommended I buy a used OEM tire off ebay, and run that until I need a new set--gets more use out of the other 3.
I don't tow, or haul loads.
Should I:
1. Run the plugged tire for another 5,000ish miles until the stock tires are wore out
2. Buy a used OEM with ~ 6/32 tread to finish the life of the stock tires
3. Buy 4 new now
Here's some pics (the red fuzz on the plug is from the Tommy's drive-thru car wash yesterday)
Thanks in advance.

My answer will not make you happy.... but if it was me, I'd be buying 4 tires. Losing out on another 5K miles of tire life isn't the end of the world. Does suck though. Sorry.

Another thing I would absolutely do is make the best of the other three your spare. Buy a steel wheel. (Guessing as my tremor has a different wheel but same tire for the spare.) Get rid of the 50mph bullshit spare.

 

[AzScorpion]

You can replace the spare wheel with an OEM from the link below pretty reasonable. They're blems and are graded and some have minor scuffs and scratches to major ones but the pricing reflects it. There's everything from steelies to sport rims.

https://www.oemwheelshop.com/pages/ford-ranger-oem-wheels

 

[got3fords]

I will also add that a stock Ranger can fit 265/70-17's with no problems. Just make sure you calibrate the speedometer if you do it.

Are there any drawback to going up a size?

 

[AzScorpion]

Are there any drawback to going up a size?

I did and there was a small hit in mpg but I had it leveled too. Just look at the weight of the tires before buying them. Some are a lot heavier than others which will create more rotating mass. My new Toyo's OC 3's were perfect and I never had any drop in mpg.

 

[got3fords]

I did and there was a small hit in mpg but I had it leveled too. Just look at the weight of the tires before buying them. Some are a lot heavier than others which will create more rotating mass. My new Toyo's OC 3's were perfect and I never had any drop in mpg.

I am leaning toward the Michelin Defenders or the Firestone Destination in trying not to add much extra weight. It will probably be end of summer or fall before I need them.

 

[Motorpsychology]

A sidewall puncture should not be repaired. Replace the tire. If on a driven axle (rear), replace both if the tread depth is 4/32 or less. The difference in circumference between a worn original and a brand new tire can strain the differential; part of the reason space saver compact spares are made to last only 2000 mi.

 

[Frenchy]

I am leaning toward the Michelin Defenders or the Firestone Destination in trying not to add much extra weight. It will probably be end of summer or fall before I need them.

Dave pretty much answered your question. As for what tires to get I assume you are staying on the street? With that in mind the Firestone Destination LE3 definitely has a lower cost compared to the Michelin. Both have the same mileage rating with same load and speed rating looking at the 265/70-17. The Firestone is also lighter coming in at 37 LBS a piece vs Michelin at 39 LBS a piece.

Both are good tires. It's your call

 

[IdahoRanger]

I would buy the new tires I have been wanting?

You sound way too much like me.

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