No spare tire! Going on a long trip, help

General discussion forum for J30 and M30 owners!
jenny1997
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu May 08, 2014 8:43 pm
Car: 1997 Infiniti J30

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What are my options for a spare tire that will fit in tire well?
1997 J30
Leaving Friday for a 700 mile trip in my J
No spare
Last edited by jenny1997 on Mon Nov 05, 2018 4:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.


AlabamaDan
Posts: 1748
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2002 12:37 pm
Car: 2015 Infiniti Q70
1998 Infiniti QX4

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Join AAA?

jenny1997
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu May 08, 2014 8:43 pm
Car: 1997 Infiniti J30

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We got a comedian over here :)
Can you also suggest where I might find a spare tire to fit my car?
Is it going to be an expensive Ebay thing?
If so, what are my options, other than AAA?

AlabamaDan
Posts: 1748
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2002 12:37 pm
Car: 2015 Infiniti Q70
1998 Infiniti QX4

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I wasn't kidding about AAA. It's helpful if you're driving a bunch. I had a J30 and recall that it had a donut spare. If you're wanting a full size spare, I suspect it would still fit in the trunk, but not in the original spot. Perhaps I don't understand the question.

jenny1997
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu May 08, 2014 8:43 pm
Car: 1997 Infiniti J30

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I don’t have any type of spare.
I’d like one that fits in the well so that I don’t lose trunk space because I’m moving and need all of the space I can get.
However, I cannot afford to get a spare that fits in the well if it is super expensive and hard to obtain because it is for a 1997 Infiniti J30.
Is there an affordable complete spare tire with rim/wheel that will fit in the tire well that I can easily buy that is compatible with the original?

jenny1997
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu May 08, 2014 8:43 pm
Car: 1997 Infiniti J30

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And yes, I am joining AAA as we speak lol
But I still need a spare.
I would prefer not having a full sized tire in my trunk, plus I don’t have a rim.

AlabamaDan
Posts: 1748
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2002 12:37 pm
Car: 2015 Infiniti Q70
1998 Infiniti QX4

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I would guess that any infiniti donut spare would work. Have you tried your friendly local junkyard?

amc49
Posts: 1183
Joined: Mon Jun 19, 2017 7:24 pm
Car: '11 Nissan Versa
'17 Nissan Altima

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There is no book that tells people what spare tire assembly fits in what hole or even if it fits a car. Best to buy what came with the car and likely very expensive for what service it will give in the long run. One can go MUCH cheaper in the scrapyards but needs the skills of somebody who does that type of work, like prefitting a non-OEM wheel/tire to check for fit in both trunk and on car and most importantly around the disc package and handles all full turning radius steering wheel moves in the front. I switch spares out to best advantage on my multiple cars as I go and they likely fit more than 2 cars as I intended them to switch with the cars as I need them to. Same with one battery size fitting all 4 cars too, you have to make that type of stuff work on your own as the car companies will be in your way all day long if you try to do it.

Fullsize is always better than the compact type, they ride much smoother and no trouble with speed limitations. As well, the compacts often air up to 60 psi and I have seen them ruptured when needed when left in a trunk over a hot summer, the fullsize at 36 psi won't do that. The fullsize if the tire is good will go whopping more distance than the compact will as well before worn out. The compact can blow out easily, check one if you use it in the summer and freak out when you find out how hot they run as compared to a fullsize tire.

One thing I have done in the past is to get a much cheaper donut spare wheel and remove it to use a real cheap fullsize tire (like 78 or 80 series) that is thin across the tread but tall to get the rolling length closer to the OEM tires. That gets you a much more durable full speed tire that's cheaper but it needs to fit in the trunk hole too.

Another out...................buy an air compressor. Half your flats will simply be a nail and often easy to get much further with a compressor. Going even further.............a tire plugging kit. I plug all my own now and at a 90+% success rate now and commonly don't even yank the tire to do it and done in 5 minutes. Somebody of course must have the skills to do the work.

jenny1997
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu May 08, 2014 8:43 pm
Car: 1997 Infiniti J30

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Thank you so much for taking the time to educate me on this! I joined this forum after buying this J30 as an emergency vehicle when my car was totaled.
I panicked when I couldn’t even find windshield wiper blades and found this group. It has been a godsend to me as a single mom.
I really appreciate the information 🙏🏻
Please wish me well as my J30 cruises me to a better life and new opportunities in Nashville!

AlabamaDan
Posts: 1748
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2002 12:37 pm
Car: 2015 Infiniti Q70
1998 Infiniti QX4

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FWIW, I had a 97 J30 and it was one of my favorite cars. Top 3 I'd say. Did you find the FSM?

jenny1997
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu May 08, 2014 8:43 pm
Car: 1997 Infiniti J30

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Well, I made it guys!
No spare but I did make sure I had Roadside in place. Thankfully, I didn’t need it 🙏🏻
She got me here, which is all I asked of her.
10 hour drive took me 13 but I was traveling with my dog, my cat, and a car full of belongings and made pit stops.
I noticed halfway into the trip that my temp gauge dropped all the way to COLD while I was running my car on the highway. When I’d stop to put gas and then restart it, gauge read normal temp (halfway between Hot and Cold) but once I’d get a few miles down the road after filling up, it would drop back to Cold.
Also, I tried to start it the next day and it would not turn over. She’s been sitting for 3 weeks now. I tried to start her a few times, with no luck.
Sounds like she wants to but can’t quite make it.
Any thoughts?

macgiver
Posts: 1612
Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2007 10:21 am

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thermostat stuck - towards a full opened position??


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