Choosing an R1T Spare

[dwhaite]

I've just picked up a (new to me) 2024 R1T, and I'm anticipating keeping the 21" wheels/tires for long road trips and getting a 20" all terrain setup that I can swap when needed. So I'd like to buy one spare tire to put under the truck bed that I can just keep there regardless of which setup I'm using.
I don't care about cosmetics, just need a spare that functions well in a jam without speed & distance restrictions. My understanding is that the main requirement is tire diameter - you don't want to stray much from the diameter of the other wheels on the truck.
- OEM 21 inch: 275/55R21 with 48 offset = 32.9 inches
- OEM 20 inch: 275/65R20 with 48 offset = 34.1 inches
Question #1: If I got a spare right in between at 33.5 inches, will that be ok with either setup? That's about a 1.8% difference from either.
Question #2: When you start looking at availability for that diameter (the biggest challenge), the only thing I can find is a 20x8.5 wheel (MSW Type 52 for example has 48 offset) with a 285/60R20 tire (Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse HT for example). That combo is on Tirerack and seems to have the load rating needed. I know that's a bit wider, but hopefully wouldn't be a problem. Is this a good idea?

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[COdogman]

Congrats on your new ride! I hope it's as good to you as mine has been for me.

The offset is more likely to trip you up in your search than diameter. Most Rivians have a +48mm offset, which is not that common for wheels that will hold up a 7k lb vehicle. There are more now than there used to be... Once you find a wheel that is the right diameter, offset, weight rating also make sure there is enough clearance inside the wheel for those big brakes.

Our friends at @EV Sportline put together this excellent explainer that will tell you everything you need to know.
https://evsportline.com/blogs/rivian-r1t-and-r1s-tech-info/rivian-r1t-r1s-wheel-guide

 

[FooF]

Get a spare 20 AT wheel with AT tire since you are more likely to shred a tire off-road.

 

[EV Sportline]

Congrats on your new ride! I hope it's as good to you as mine has been for me.

The offset is more likely to trip you up in your search than diameter. Most Rivians have a +48mm offset, which is not that common for wheels that will hold up a 7k lb vehicle. There are more now than there used to be... Once you find a wheel that is the right diameter, offset, weight rating also make sure there is enough clearance inside the wheel for those big brakes.

Our friends at @EV Sportline put together this excellent explainer that will tell you everything you need to know.
https://evsportline.com/blogs/rivian-r1t-and-r1s-tech-info/rivian-r1t-r1s-wheel-guide

We have you covered with spares and 48mm factory offsets!

 

[SwampNut]

My truck came with a Hummer take-off wheel and half-used tire. I stalked the Rivian for-sale forums and eventually got an OEM wheel, so I could do five-tire rotations. The Hummer take-offs are dirt cheap, I think I got $50 for it with a tire.

 

[R1Thor]

My truck came with a Hummer take-off wheel and half-used tire. I stalked the Rivian for-sale forums and eventually got an OEM wheel, so I could do five-tire rotations. The Hummer take-offs are dirt cheap, I think I got $50 for it with a tire.

OK, this one I'm unfamiliar with.
I google searched and found multi-thousand dollar replacement tire/wheel options FOR HMMWVs that are also 8-lug bolt patterns. So, I'm having a lot of trouble figuring out how this relates to a Rivian?

Help this dumdum understand, please

 

[pointless]

Keep on eye on the for sale threads in this forum. People frequently buy new tires and sell lightly used ones. I’ve bought 2 wheels with tires so far for less than one new tire alone.
I’d buy the 21” since you’ll likely put way more miles on the 21” wheels. My 2¢. You’ll be good with either likely.

 

[mkhuffman]

I realize this doesn't directly address your questions, but I just added a spare. For me it was as a result of a flat tire. Rather than buy one new tire, I bought two (so the wear would be the same on both sides of the truck) and put the old but still good tire on a rim I ordered from eBay. You can find used Rivian rims there. I bought a 22" to match what is on my truck now.

Since it was used, it had more cosmetic damage than I realized. Yes, there were pictures, but I should have looked more closely. No big deal, though. I bought some black wheel paint and painted the damaged areas. It doesn't look great, but good enough and better than without the paint.

 

[LeoNoLip]

I have the 21s and just replaced the Pirellis with Michelins at 39k miles. I kept the 'best' Pirelli and got a used OEM 21 wheel for ~$200, and that's my spare now. Assuming you can find a 20" wheel for about the same price, you'd still come out ahead getting both a 20 spare and a 21 spare and switching them when you switch the wheels.

 

[SwampNut]

OK, this one I'm unfamiliar with.
I google searched and found multi-thousand dollar replacement tire/wheel options FOR HMMWVs that are also 8-lug bolt patterns. So, I'm having a lot of trouble figuring out how this relates to a Rivian?

Help this dumdum understand, please

Sorry, I should know better than to post from memory while uncaffeinated and having woken up too early. The Hummer cross was for another truck. The Rivian shares the bolt pattern with Dodge 4th-gen 1500s. The offset isn't the same, the previous owner of my Rivian said it worked, and that's what it came with, a Dodge 1500 wheel. He said he'd used it twice due to off-road punctures. I never needed it so that's all the info I have, not direct experience. He's an avid off-roader and Jeep builder so I believe him.

A quick search confirms that the 1500 came with 20" wheels and a 5 on 5.5 pattern, and they sell cheap. Same thing, they are bland wheels so take-offs are common and cheap. The place where I got my Jeep had piles of them (and also OEM radios).

 

[BigSkies]

I bought an extra 21" wheel from a user on this forum for about half what I could get it from Rivian for.

That's the best strategy.

 

[usulio]

Still waiting to see a good answer to your question #1 - can you put on a spare that’s a bit different in diameter and safely drive full speed for a while?

 

[R1Thor]

Still waiting to see a good answer to your question #1 - can you put on a spare that’s a bit different in diameter and safely drive full speed for a while?

Yes.

The R1S inflate-a-spare is a 30" diameter.
If these vehicles couldn't accommodate a ~4" mismatch, Rivian wouldn't provide a spare that caused such a deviation.

195/70-20 does calculate to ~30.7"
But 275/65R20 is a 34.1" OD.

Still a 3.4" delta.

 

[usulio]

Yes.

The R1S inflate-a-spare is a 30" diameter.
If these vehicles couldn't accommodate a ~4" mismatch, Rivian wouldn't provide a spare that caused such a deviation.

195/70-20 does calculate to ~30.7"
But 275/65R20 is a 34.1" OD.

Still a 3.4" delta.

Sure but the max speed on that is 50mph which is a whole different question.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

All factory wheels are +48ET. If the off-road oriented tires you pair with your 20” set is 275/60R20 then you have less to worry about with regards to the space saver’s size. However, know that it’s strictly for emergency use and less durable than actual AT or AS tires. Most space savers are referred to as “50/50”—no faster than 50 mph and no further than 50 miles. If you are off-grid and traversing rocky terrain, the chance of cutting that spare exists (and higher than if it had been a full-size spare). If you are still off-grid when it happens… Then what?

Normal everyday on-pavement driving, the need for a spare is fairly slim. And help is usually a call away.

Determine your usage and where you might most benefit from having a spare… That will dictate what kind of spare you want to lug around. That one for all occasions solution is a compromise. And as compromises are, by definition, OK for many situations and not caveat-free.

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