Spare Tire Overtightened / Marks (rubbing damage)

[NYRunner]

Decided to take a look at my spare tire for the first time after owning the car for a few months and it has four marks where it was resting on the bracket. Must have been overtightened. Wondering if I need to get the dealer to replace it or if it's just cosmetic...

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[Four Runner]

Looks like you’re not alone, I remember ready this thread a while back

https://www.4runner6g.com/forum/thr...-on-sidewall-from-rubbing-against-frame.7204/

 

[Lamuncha]

I would go for a replacement. who knows if there is wall damage.
I doubt anyone could answer that question with authority.

 

[quadna71]

I dropped my spare a month or two ago before I sprayed everything with fluid film. It had the noticeable dents that you mention above, but they didn't seem like they would affect it long term. My spare would never be a permanent swap and won't be in the rotation as it is a different wheel; it might not bother me as much having the dents because I don't do a 5-tire rotation. I have noticed some pretty noticeable squeaks and some creaking ever since. Unsure if it is the spare not seated fully or something else not happy with the fluid film spray...but it is very noticeable when going over bumps or turning left/right/left in quick succession. YMMV.

 

[NotApplicable]

It had the noticeable dents that you mention above, but they didn't seem like they would affect it long term

I personally think that it looks like layers of rubber have been rubbed away, which could certainly become an issue over time!

 

[quadna71]

Mine just looked like marks but maybe I didn't look close enough at it. My tire pressure light popped on so I'm planning on dropping the spare tomorrow (that was the one with 30psi - the rest were 34psi) so I will look more closely at it.

 

[NotApplicable]

Anyone know if the steelie spares have TPMS sensors in them? I don't see a 5th tire pressure on the dash like I've seen in some photos.

I bought a 5th Limited rim that I'm going to get a tire that matches my others installed on so I can do 5-wheel rotations, but I'm not sure if I need a new sensor or if the existing spare has one I can reuse, in which case I only need the valve

 

[TrdProGirl84]

I haven’t taken mine down from under my Pro. But now I think I am to check it.

 

[white2t]

DONT recommend using this tire. Possible blowout especially if depth of damage gets to or past fiber mesh in sideway. Either way, (it did or did not) DO NOT use this tire. Tire can be replaced, you or family/friends or even total strangers cannot. You mentioned too tight, the wear pattern to me makes me think it may have been too loosely mounted that allowed too much movement and resulting abrasion wear pattern. Whether the dealer resolves or not, replace and balance with a new spare is my suggestion.

 

[quadna71]

I personally think that it looks like layers of rubber have been rubbed away, which could certainly become an issue over time!

I dropped the spare today as planned so that I could air it up. It was reading between 29 and 30 psi which kept triggering an alert on the dash. Bummer it's so hard to thread an air hose onto the valve stem when it is clamped up there upside down.

Anyways, you can see in the picture below the rub marks. In fact you can see two rub marks. The one on the left was the original one when I dropped the tire right after buying the 4R and the one on the right is the recent mark after about 3000 miles. Apparently when I cranked it back into place it was a little shifted/rotated and the tire made contact at a different spot. And yes, at first glance it really does look like it is worn through a layer of sidewall, right?

Well, I wet a paper towel and rubbed on the mark a little bit...and it came right off. So it really is just a mark and not a wear into the rubber. Sure it's is squeezed tight against the support bars but I think it has too in order to capture it in the correct location and keep it away from the exhaust. Maybe we are making this out to be bigger than it really is? Your results may vary but for me I'm not going to lose sleep over it.

 

[NYRunner]

I don't think mine is buffing out. It was also put up there at 50 psi over the summer. Taking it to the dealership.

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