I just added a full-size spare last night. It fits fine. It's barely noticeable from behind and I don't think wind drag would be an issue. As for the extra weight, consider this: the compact spare holds water & dirt because of its design. At least a gallon total in my case. Whereas the steel spare has holes in its design (as do OEM wheels) that would'nt allow for this. What does a gallon plus of mud weigh, 20-30lbs?

For anyone looking for a more cost-friendly option just pickup a 235/70/16 tire from the wreckers & a new steel 16" rim/wheel. The tire I got appears brand-new. I only went with a new wheel because I couldn't find a used one. Total cost for me, including mounting & balancing, was $12O. It also only took a half-hour of my time.

 

Thanks for the reply. We have not bought our Full size spare, yet, but plan to do so before our yearly ski adventure in CO. Glad to know that it will 100% work.


Mark

 

Also, for anyone worried about installing a wheel that doesn't have the Tire Pressure Sensor it's not a big deal if it is just a spare you are buying (not to be put in general rotation) as the standard donut spare isn't equipped with one either. As our manuals state, the effect is simply that the warning light will stay on while the spare is in use.

Just an FYI because this worried me (a newbie to these pressure sensors) and made me hesitate at cheaping out.

 

Although if I were to invest in a full size spare, I would want the sensor so I could put the spare in the rotation schedule and have it rotated through just like all the other tires.

I've had two flats in my FEH due to heavy construction in my area, so I realize just how much peace of mind comes from knowing you have a full size spare. That said, I was pleasantly surprised that the FEH handles fine (just louder) with the Goodyear Convenience Spare that comes from the factory. I wouldn't want to do a cross-country trip on it, of course, but it gets you to point B alright.

I'm still up in the air on what to do with tires. By the time I am due 4 new tires on my FEH I wonder how difficult those Continental Contitrac Eco Plus tires will be to get ahold of. Hopefully by then a competing, readily available SUV Low Rolling Resistance (LRR) tire will be available that's no so tightly controlled (due to contractual agreements between Continental and Ford) as the Conti EcoPlus. Here's to hoping, anyway!

 

I'd like to thank all of you as I asked about a full size
spare when we bought the misses 2006 MMH. At one
time the Mercury web site did have a full size spare
listed as an accessory for the 2006 Mariner hybrid.
This option did not stay up long on the web site which
prompted my asking about the full size spare when I
was told of the doughnut spare and why the full size
spare would not fit. I asked again when I bought mine
but this time I got under the back of the car to show
the salesman that if the doughnut was indeed full size,
that a full size spare should be able to fit as long as the
bracket would hold it in place.

I am real pleased to read in this thread that others have
full size spares or soon will have in their FEH and MMH
vehicles.

Thanks again,

Jim

 

Actually if we'd all read our manuals we'd have known it would work. In the section on changing a flat, it tells you to stow the flat under the car where the spare came from.... hence a full size spare MUST fit. Its either in the manual or on the plastic instruction sheet that comes stuffed into the jack.

 

The first salesman we talked to felt the full sized
spare tire would work as we listed it as an option
that we wanted for the misses MMH. Then he talked
to the sales manager that talked to the guy in charge
of the service department that said no, the full size
tire would be restricted by the battery pack in the
back and that there would not be enough clearance
from the ground. We left it at that until I was about
to buy my car five months later and checked it out
myself with the salesman right next to me on the
showroom floor. We felt after looking that a full
size spare tire should work. I was hoping to learn
that someone had gotten a full sized spare to work
and now we'll end up getting two of them.

Jim

 

We bought one from Discount tire and had it installed before driving to Colorado from Texas a few weeks ago. There was no problem installing it. Mark

 

What's the actual difference in weight between the fullsize and compact spares?

 

She's a little nipppy outside right now so these are just approximates...
donut - 22lbs
steel spare - 35lbs (alum obviously less)

As I mentioned above...the donut has a really crappy design that will trap added weight in the form of mud and dirt. After less than a year mine easily had 5lbs+ in dirt.

Easily...if a person wants the spare, but is worried about weight, going to a aluminum spare would have minimal difference.