Full size spare?

[Mistalava]

I know I could take the empirical approach and remove a wheel and try it for myself, but I'm feeling a little lazy today. Can a mounted full size spare fit in the space now occupied by the mini-spare? I am running 205/55/16 which is the same as stock diameter-wise, but a tad bit wider. Anybody doing this? Thanks in advance.

[Del]

No problem. Have done this for both the 91S and the 94LS with this tire size. The tire size you are using is a little wider than the stock, so the tire will stick up a little but that's not a problem. So the trunk floor is slightly higher, who cares.

The only thing is that the threaded studs which hold in the plastic false bottom pieces for the mini spare stick up, and could potentially damage the tire sidewall if not protected. What I did was get some nuts with integral washers and run them on the studs upside down, so that the washers rest against the sidewall. This protects the sidewall jut fine, although it spaces the tire up just a little. Doesn't bother me. Or, you could just remove/cut off the studs and seal the resulting holes in the tire well. You could even cut a thin sheet of aluminum to fit the well floor, and rest the tire on it as it rests on the exposed studs.

[Mistalava]

Thank you Del. You've saved me some time today, but now I have a new project :-)

[Richard2]

On the subject of spare tires, last fall I took my Berlina to Berkeley and back for the Berlinas to Bovine run. I was gone about 9 days and we camped, so the car was loaded down with gear. The tires were fairly new, so I decided it was more important for me to take tools rather than a spare. The 1600 mile trip went fine. I had to change out the starter, but no flats. When was the last flat I had? Over 10 years ago while on a fishing trip on back roads in Wyoming while driving a Landcruiser I hit an abandoned railroad track and got a flat. Before that...I really can't remember. It must have been 20 years ago. Are spare tires really necessary? I guess car manufacturers don't think so or else they wouldn't have started installing those ridiculous, single use, dangerous small ones.

[Del]

In Seattle, with all the building going on, I get flats (slow to fast leaks) about once a year in one of the cars from nails and screws on the road. Always a pain. Worst of all are the ones which damage the sidewall, which can't be repaired.

[Richard2]

A good reason to live in Bellingham

[Del]

I tend to agree, many of my relatives have moved there, but even it is growing like a weed with all the malls, etc.

Anyway, keep us informed on what you find with the rod measurements.

[elite38868]

I always kept a spare L wheel and tire in my S just in case. I remember using it at least once. Yeah, the trunk sticks up a little more, but like Del says, who cares??