# Forester Spare tire question

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/forester-spare-tire-question/47707>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** forester, tires, subaru, wheels\
**Created:** [April 20, 2010, 1:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/forester-spare-tire-question/47707 "2010-04-20T01:18:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ekhphoto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e9c0ed/32.png) [@ekhphoto](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ekhphoto)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 1:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/forester-spare-tire-question/47707/1 "2010-04-20T01:18:14Z")

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I have a 2009 Forester. It has a toy spare, and 16" wheels. The car will accept 17" wheels as well. I have an unused 17" wheel and tire from an earlier (and now deceased) Outback (same bolt pattern, etc).  
  
  
  
 I am driving to Alaska by some very uncommon routes. So here’s the question: if I take the 17" spare and have to install it for a few hundred miles, what happens? What are the risks? I really don’t want to buy a 16" wheel / tire if I don’t have to!

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**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 1:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/forester-spare-tire-question/47707/2 "2010-04-20T01:48:24Z")

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Too bad you did not get the XT package because it came with 17 inch wheels. I would not risk driving the Forester a few hundred miles with an odd wheel. Alaska can be a place where you may have to drive hundreds of miles to get a flat fixed. I would buy a 16 inch wheel and tire combo that matches your wheels exactly. The AWD system can be damaged if you don’t keep all 4 wheels the same diameter. Check the air in the spare often.

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**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 1:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/forester-spare-tire-question/47707/3 "2010-04-20T01:49:26Z")

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I would go to a junk yard and trade the 17" spare for a 16" spare. It shouldn’t cost that much. You could even put a used tire on the spare full sized rim. Then I would take both the small spare the the full size spare on the trip. That’s what I do when I go on long trips in my car. Having two spares can really come in handy when you get a flat in the middle of nowhere on a Saturday night and no tire stores are open.

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**Author:** ![Wha-Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9f8e36/32.png) [@Wha-Who](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Wha-Who)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2010, 3:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/forester-spare-tire-question/47707/4 "2010-04-20T03:05:22Z")

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Before doing anything else, check the tire circumferences. If identical, or very close, you should be ok. With all the tire sizes available, this is possible.

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**Author:** ![ekhphoto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e9c0ed/32.png) [@ekhphoto](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ekhphoto)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/forester-spare-tire-question/47707/5 "2010-04-24T15:54:18Z")

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Thanks, folks. I’m getting a full size spare and am finding a way to carry it. Pix when finished!

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2010, 8:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/forester-spare-tire-question/47707/6 "2010-04-24T20:36:20Z")

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As I recall that Forester has a strict requirement to have all four tyres all the same size (very little difference allowed) or you can damage some expensive drive parts.

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**Author:** ![andrew\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@andrew\_j](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrew_j)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 1:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/forester-spare-tire-question/47707/7 "2010-04-25T01:57:44Z")

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A spare is only for temp use(\<50 miles) on a Subaru whether full size or temp.

The reason is the AWD drivetrain can get damaged if a tire is more than 1/2" in rolling circumference vs the other tires. The 16" vs 17" is irrelevant. The thing that matters is the circumference (distance around properly inflated tire).