Will the donut clear the calipers on the front wheel, or do I have to replace the back wheel with the front and put the spare on the back? I have a 2008 Evo X, and would have never thought of this until someone told me this is the way it is on the IXs.

 

Yes, the spare will fit in the front.

 

It is required that the spare be able to be used at any corner, so if you have stock brakes, the spare will fit.

Note that, to be safe, you should swap a good rear tire to the front and put the donut on the rear. You should only drive a front-heavy car for a short distance (e.g., to the next off-ramp from the highway) with a donut on the front.

 

Steering will be unwieldy with the spare on the front. Take Iowa's advice

 

Thanks guys. Ended up putting winters on anyway.

 

The S2k spare is designed only for the front so if you blow a rear you're supposed to move a good front tire to the back, then put the spare in the front.

 

The issue with S2000s is the rear diff and the fact that the spare isn't close enough in diameter to a "real" tire; that's why you're not supposed to put the spare on the rear (even though it will fit there). It's not that the spare was designed for the front; it's that the spare wasn't really designed for the car at all.

Plus, an S2000 is almost exactly 50/50 in wt distribution, so the "rule" I was referring to doesn't apply.