is 11 y/o original spare still a spare?

In 2010 my 98 Gulf Stream 22' blew a tire outside of Joplin Mo. Used the original spare to drive the 170 miles to my sisters in Ozark Ak. Then replaced the tire. If a spare is used just in a pinch I don't see the problem. I definitely would not use a 12 year old tire in normal service. It was a covered spare on the back bumper with no signs of cracks.

it has never come off its rear wall bracket. it has a white vinyl cover and looks like new. but i know it is a different story internally.

i have 6 new michelins.

My truck spare is 15 years old. I would not hesitate to use it to get to a tire store in a pinch.

I replaced my trailer spare twice as the tires on the road were all defective.
If these MAXXIS age out with no issue I plan to keep the spare indefinitely.

11-YOA is no good. Probably worse unused for the 11 then put on the road, than if it'd been run some.

I've only bought new tires twice, in both cases bought seven, and rotated the spare with the two fronts. That way I get some use out of the spare, possibly even up the tire wear, and don't have issues around the custom valve stems on the rears.

Ford doesn't recommend rotation of the rear duals.

EDIT: Oh, the spare I recently replaced had never seen pavement. 12-YOA and still had mold marks on the tread.

11 year old spare is most likely only good for an anchor.

HOW WAS IT STORED AND MAINTAINED