I have done dozens of restorations on space savers and this is what I have learned.
You can easily inflate the tire with air and then deflate it and the tire will return to its'
original shape. Sometimes it takes a good 10 minutes. HOWEVER, if the tire has been inflated for a
long time and /or it has been run on, it will NOT return to its shape. The tire can be removed from the rim and
installed back on BUT it is murder trying to get it back on. You must use a regular tire machine. Not today's
mag wheel machines that do not touch the rims.It will be very hard to get back on and when I do them done it takes 3
guys and loads of lubricant to succeed. I believe the problem is that the rubber is so old that it has lost its flexibility and thus
it does not want to stretch and co-operate. Heating the tire does not help much either. We tried that. Keep in mind
that your experience may vary due to the condition of your particular tire.
Jules