Sienna tires?

I'm thinking of going for a gently-used Toyota Sienna, for taking the family on trips.

I've heard bad things about the tires, though.

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So, what's the deal... there is no spare tire rack on the Siennas?

Can the Siennas be outfitted with regular (not the run-flat) tires?

Thanks,

Michael

Reply to
mrdarrett
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That's what the article suggests, and it's very strange.

Of course.

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

The spare tire is underneath the vehicle right about where the passenger side cargo door is, inboard.

I prefer regular tires to the run flats. You surely don't have to use run flats.

I have a 04 Sienna and it's been a trouble-free workhorse with nothing more than regular oil changes, every 3000 miles.

Reply to
dbu.

Sorry to hijack this post, but anyone here who keeps a can of fix-a- flat?

Reply to
EdV

I thought that stuff was outlawed years ago. :)

Reply to
dbu.

I think the rear axle and driveshaft on the AWD takes up the space where they'd hang the spare tire and mount underneath the car. Doesn't leave much choice as to where to put the spare.

Sure! It's your money, you can put whatever tires you want on it - but then you have to find a place to stash a spare tire, jack and lug wrench. The jack and wrench are easy, the tire and rim...

Not a huge problem, but will take a little work to do safely. You want the tire well anchored, because it will make a nice missile in an accident.

Myself, I do NOT like the idea of running around without a spare tire, run-flat tires are not a perfect solution - they physically come apart and you aren't going anywhere. Or you get a flat and you are a lot farther out than the "50 mile" safe flat driving range from civilization - like the middle of Death Valley...

I'd get a custom trailer hitch receiver built with three receiver socket tubes - it's a standard design for people putting motorcycle rail racks on the back of cars and trucks. Then it's really simple for the hitch shop welder to use one of the end tubes to fabricate a "swing-away" spare tire carrier, so you can easily open the tailgate. And you still have the center tube available for (Gasp!) towing a small trailer.

Go to the Dealer to get a set of matching wheel studs and lugnuts to mount the tire, the welder can drill the right size holes in the new tire mount backplate he makes, and pop the studs into the holes. Bonus: now you have spares with you if you break/strip a few...

$900 for a "Spare Tire Kit" is ridiculous, you can do the above for less, have a real wheel and full service tire (Not a "Tempa-Spare"), not lose the rear seat and/or cargo space, and have a hitch too.

Leave the spare tire and mount at home until the factory Run-Flat tires wear out, they work fine for around town where help is always close by. Throw the bracket and spare tire on the car before any long trips, and after you switch to regular tires.

You could also fabricate a bracket and put the tire up on the roof rack, but it's a bear to hoist the tire up there.

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Reply to
Bruce L. Bergman

I keep one in my cargo trailer, as the trailer doesn't have a spare.

Reply to
Bonehenge (B A R R Y)

Hi,

It's a shame that no one gave you a full answer, although one poster hinted at it.

Recent Sienna f.w.d. vehicles have regular tires, and do come with a spare tire, albeit one of those tiny temporary ones. On the other hand, the a.w.d. models do not have a spare tire, as the a.w.d. mechanism apparently takes up the space. Therefore, the a.w.d. models come with runflat tires. These tires are expensive, ride hard, and wear out fast. You certainly can put regular tires on your vehicle, but if you get a flat not near a service station, then you're in trouble. I bought a f.w.d. 2004 Sienna to avoid the tire problem.

Good luck.

Morton

Reply to
Morton

This is from your link:

"Toyota now offers a spare tire kit that takes up one of the rear seats and is being sold to people who elect to buy conventional tires to replace those expensive and fast-wearing run-flats."

This applies only to the 4-wheel drive models. Giving up a rear seat to make room for a spare seems rather drastic. Just use a can of fix-a-flat in that case. I'll bet that the Toyota you're interested in is a two-wheel drive, in which case, you will not have that problem.

david

Reply to
dsi1

Only the all wheel drive Siennas have the run-flat tires because the rear differential takes up the space normally occupied by the spare tire. FWD Siennas have a spare, and the AWD Siennas can be outfitted with a spare tire carrier that unfortunately takes up some interior room. AWD Siennas can also be outfitted with conventional tires.

Reply to
Ray O

Thanks a bunch. FWD it is for me, then.

Would a regular spare tire fit in the spare tire area, or no?

Michael

Reply to
mrdarrett

Outlawed?

I put a can of fix-a-flat in my camry's tire once. (It was a dark night, and I didn't know better.) Then afterwards my dad told me that Sears can "fix" tires for about $13 each. Never knew that service existed. So I took the busted tire in. The clerk at Sears said it was a lot of work to remove the fix-a-flat chemicals from inside the tire. He was nice tho - he didn't charge me extra for the chemical removal service.

Later a neighbor told me Les Schwab will "fix" tires for free.

Thanks,

Michael

Reply to
mrdarrett

I was just kidding. Edv likes the ribbing.

Reply to
dbu.

Regards depending on fix a flat to get you home. Don't!! With the stuff you can run over on the interstate the spare in a can won't plug it. A tear or a damaged rim in the middle of nowhere at 0200 on a Sunday morning and your vacation just came to a end. If it is a rim, the local or nearest dealer may not stock it and may have to order it. Best to have all the toy's imo.

Reply to
Roy

I found this from

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"The well size behind the third seat is 26" and the full size tire is

27.6". Defalted full size will fit in there. Not sure of inflated full size."

Is this the case in your van too? If a deflated fullsize tire will fit, might as well just toss in a $10 air compressor in there too...

Michael

Reply to
mrdarrett

The "well" in this instance - is it a place intended for a spare, with a method for securing it? If not, then someone's asking for trouble in an accident.

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

I'm missing your point. Are you saying that one should not use the fix-a-flat because it might not work?

If it was a choice between my wife having to change a tire on the side of the road or inflating the tire and get to a safer place, the answer for me would be obvious: try the fix-a-flat first. Of course, I have a pretty good marriage - I'd like my wife to not get killed or maimed.

Where we disagree is that you think it's worth giving up a seat for a spare - I don't. It's a good thing that I don't really have to make a choice like that! Too bad Toyota makes a car where people have to make that very decision.

Reply to
dsi1

No I'm saying not to depend on it. If you get a large puncture or tear the can may very well not be enough to fix it.

My wife has a spare and a cell phone she doesn't get out of the car.

Yup, that's where we disagree. I don't like to be left at the side of the road with a problem the can can't fix. The seat goes or I buy a bigger car or truck.

Reply to
Roy

Sounds like she doesn't need a spare or a can of fix-a-flat. :-)

I think that disagreeing with each other is OK, since we are in America. Oddly enough, fix-a-flat has saved my ass 2 times and some motorcycle dude with a flat tire that I helped. We inflated his tire and off he went, happy as a clam - being stuck on a dump road is not fun!

Understandably, I'm a bit more receptive to the whole concept - frankly, I think it's been a life-saver to countless other guys. At around $6.00 a can it's a no-brainer. :-)

If I recall correctly, Ferrari used to include a can of fix-a-flat instead of a spare, to save weight - I wonder what a can of Ferrari fix-a-flat costs. :-)

david Regional sales manager for Fix-a-Flat New Guinea

Reply to
dsi1

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