Buying new tires, what about the spare?

So I am about to pull the trigger on Falkens stock size - 265/70/17.
Do you guys buy 5 of them so the spare gets it too, or leave the spare as it is, on the Duellers?
If I need to install the spare, wouldnt the diff work overtime to compensate for the difference?
I know it is the same size on paper, but the real world size is a bit different.

 

That’s a great question canadian.bacon. The answer to that depends on how much off roading you do. Of course, in a perfect world all 5 tires should be the same no matter what. However, it’s a spare, and if you’re on pavement and close to service as long as it rolls, it’s fine, imho. The problem comes off road. If you’ve driven into a remote area using 4 wheel drive and have a flat, and put on a car spare that tire is going to give you problems getting out. Especially if it’s on an open differential - in that case it will spin on every opportunity and could strand you. I travel occasionally into Canada’s far north and some of the roads up there you need a second spare. Believe me, if you don’t put on an e range good tire the same as the one you took off you’ll regret it. There are lots of places where it’s ok to save money, but something you’ll depend on in the middle of nowhere isn’t one of them. But for a flat tire at the mall, where you need to drive to discount tire a block away, don’t sweat it.

 

While i get your point, still doesnt make me go one way or the other. Do I want to save money? Yes. Will it happen at the worst time ever? For sure, given my luck, on a rainy day, on a trail, right after dark.
I might get one, they go for under $200 and it is peace of mind anywhere I go, I guess...

 

Yeah, it’s your call. There’s nothing illegal about cutting corners on a spare. Will you pay a price for that? Maybe, maybe not. I learned about this the hard way as a young guy, driving an old pick up that was’nt mine. It was a long walk, on a dark night to the highway. So, it’s a no brainer for me. If the spare is new, you should be able to resell it. It’s a common size.

 

I don't roll with the correct size spare if it make you feel better and I have 285's.

I'm sure I'll pay for it one day but its not on my priority list right now.

 

There’s definitely no absolutely right answer to this question. It’s a choice.

 

I wouldn't worry about it. It's not a big enough difference in size to be an issue.

The only reason for you to get one would be if you wanted to do a 5 tire rotation.

 

As @Oldtoyotaguy mentioned, a matching spare will be ideal if you get a flat on a trail.

I kept the OEM spare until I changed size. In hindsight, I'm really glad I never got a flat in the middle of a trail run.

As far as the size difference, it's probably not an issue unless you run the spare long term. Honestly, I don't see it being an issue either way, unless it was a significant size difference.