Why didn’t the boffins at VW HQ design the spare wheel holder to accommodate a standard locking wheel nut, seems a pretty obvious thing to do to stop your wheel getting nicked. I know there are some after market ideas but would be good if it was standard locking nut all round.
Full-size 17” spare wheel…
- Thread starter LondonLad
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- 17” 235/55/17 spare wheel
My spare wheel fit and it is from the same shop and same size. Bit of a struggle tho to get it in.I just purchased a spare wheel for my 2016 T6. I’ve never had a spare in the holder so I thought it was about time I got one. I’m currently running 20” so thought as a get me home emergency wheel a 17” would be better. I saw a post on here showing that someone had managed to fit a 235/55/17 so I bought one from the wheel shop which said it was compatible.
2 issues. Firstly even with the front of the holding assembly lowered to its lowest setting the wheel just doesn’t seem to fit.
Secondly and most annoying it seems like the bolt has gone back in or came back.at an angle and possibly cross threaded and now won’t do up more than a cm, so for the moment I’ve put a bolt in the other thread to keep the holder closed.
Can anyone shed any light on whether this wheel should actually fit and I just need to keep persevering to get it in situ and finally what to do about the cross thread. I think it’s the nut part that’s cross threaded not the bolt to make it more annoying.
Link to wheel
17" Steel spare wheel & 235/55R17 tyre compatible with VW Transporter T5/T6 (2003-present day)
VW TRANSPORTER (2003-PRESENT DAY) STEEL SPARE WHEEL AND 235/55R17 TYREwww.thewheelshop.co.uk
this may be a silly question, but can a 17" Davenport with a 235 / 55 / 17 tyre fit in the spare wheel carrier?
Same here, I fitted my wheel last week. It is a tight fit and being a new tyre did want to stick to the bracket so I sprayed the wheel with water to alow it so slip a little easier but even still it wasn't a quick job. I did buy 2 x longer locking wheel nuts from Ebay with the security cover.
It should do, I have same size steel wheel and it’s in there. Don’t think alloy wheel would be much different when getting it under the van?
Thanks, I've been after a cheap GP steel for ages but they are either miles away or silly money, but there seems to be plenty of Devonports on ebay for reasonable prices and including postage so I'll go for one!
hi guys -
I've just fitted a GP steel with a 235/55/17 part worn tyre on and I've really struggled to get into the spare wheel bracket and tightened back up.
I've always had a 16" spare so removed that this afternoon then lowered the bracket to the other setting, pushed the GP steel into the holder then really struggled to get it up onto the bolt and tightened up, so much so that the left side bolt that doesn't come out has come out! does anyone know what I am doing wrong and where I can buy a replacement bolt?
It is in now, I let some air out and used a big bar to get the carrier up but now I'm worried about getting it off again in the event of a puncture.
Thanks guys.
I've just fitted a GP steel with a 235/55/17 part worn tyre on and I've really struggled to get into the spare wheel bracket and tightened back up.
I've always had a 16" spare so removed that this afternoon then lowered the bracket to the other setting, pushed the GP steel into the holder then really struggled to get it up onto the bolt and tightened up, so much so that the left side bolt that doesn't come out has come out! does anyone know what I am doing wrong and where I can buy a replacement bolt?
It is in now, I let some air out and used a big bar to get the carrier up but now I'm worried about getting it off again in the event of a puncture.
Thanks guys.
I tried the same thing a few months ago and even with dropping the front mount to the biggest position, the 235 tyre was too wide and there was no way I was getting the bolts back in. I’ve now got a GP with a 215/60/17 tyre and it’s the perfect fit.
Hello Mixersmate, can I ask you to have a look at my thread on this subject. I have done the same as you and struggled as you did replacing 16" wheels with 17" including the spare. I didn't fancy ever doing it for real in the middle of nowhere, in the dark, hissing down with rain. My thread explains what I did so as to get the 17" to fit the carrier and also covers what I have done to try and prevent the theft of the spare wheel from under the van while it is parked up.
Any difficulty give me a shout.
Hello Mixersmate, can I ask you to have a look at my thread on this subject. I have done the same as you and struggled as you did replacing 16" wheels with 17" including the spare. I didn't fancy ever doing it for real in the middle of nowhere, in the dark, hissing down with rain. My thread explains what I did so as to get the 17" to fit the carrier and also covers what I have done to try and prevent the theft of the spare wheel from under the van while it is parked up.
Any difficulty give me a shout.
From my pior thread on this subject.
2020 plate T6.1 originally with 16" wheels, I changed to 17" swampers. I have just fitted a 235/55/17 steel wheel on my spare wheel carrier. Firstly I had to drop the front end of the carrier to it's lowest setting. I then found that the original retaining bolts were not long enough to reach the threaded bracket and allow me to bolt up the carrier brace. I got a longer bolt (90mm) that came with a spare wheel security kit, fitted it and tightened it onto the carrier brace. I then found that the carrier brace was compressing the side wall of the spare tyre causing it to depress inwards. If I backed the bolt off so as not to depress the tyre wall the bolt was too loose and would vibrate and fall out eventually. I now need to sort some steel tube spacers, cut to the correct length so as to put them onto the security bolt and tighten the bolt up fully, nipping the spacers tight, but not compressing the tyre wall. Ideally I should chop and refabricate the end of the carrier brace at the bolt holes end to make it deeper to accept the bigger tyre, but I will see how get on doing it with spacers first. I hope this makes sense and saves someone a struggle.
Hello Mixersmate, can I ask you to have a look at my thread on this subject. I have done the same as you and struggled as you did replacing 16" wheels with 17" including the spare. I didn't fancy ever doing it for real in the middle of nowhere, in the dark, hissing down with rain. My thread explains what I did so as to get the 17" to fit the carrier and also covers what I have done to try and prevent the theft of the spare wheel from under the van while it is parked up.
Any difficulty give me a shout.
Following on - I cut 2 short lengths of SS pipe at 450mm long. Lowered the carrier and located the anti-theft device onto the carrier and around the SS pipe. Greased the threads of both bolts then inserted the 90mm security bolt through the carrier, then through the ant-theft device, then through the SS pipe and engaged it in the threads on the carrier bracket. Once the 90mm bolt had gone into place a short way I put the second shorter bolt through the carrier, then through the SS pipe and entered it into the threads on the carrier bracket. I tightened each bolt evenly until each respective section of SS pipe was clamped and sandwiched tight between the carrier and the carrier bracket at the same time shrouding and protecting the exposed length of the 2 threaded carrier bolts. The carrier is now bolted up tight to the carrier bracket without compressing the side walls of the 17" spare tyre. I will in due course change the shorter bolt for another 90mm bolt which will make life easier when accessing the spare.
Mate, I'm sorry - I may have balls up this copy and paste bit from my thread. It seems to have landed on your thread all out of sync. I hope you can read through it to see what I have done and hope you can make sense of it.
Best Regards
CT
Best Regards
CT
Thanks Creamytash I think I get what you mean, where did you get the 90mm bolt from if you can remember please? Thank you!
Mixersmate, just to update you on this, I now have 2 x security bolts 90mm long fitted through the red anti-theft device and through 2 x short pieces of stainless steel tube, then bolted up tight to the carrier frame - without compressing the tyre. the fact that I have 2 x security bots means that I have 2 different and separate key sockets, 1 for each bolt which should in theory slow down a thief. the 2 pieces of stainless tubing should also make it difficult for some scroat with cordless angle grinder to cut through the 2 security bolts. I think it's all about encouraging a would be thief to move on to easier pickings. I hope some of this helps with your problem of fitting a 17" wheel into the carrier as well as upping the security of your spare.
Creamytash
Creamytash
90mm security bolts from Flea Bay and the red security bracket also from there, however I think they are also available on Amazon. I can't tell you the length of the SS tubing as I made the 1st pair but the didn't fit, so it's a bit of trial and error. Visually though I think the set up is enough to make a scroat think twice. with the theft of the spare wheel, it's not until you come back to a car park and drive away that you hear your spare wheel carrier dragging on the tarmac and realise you've been done.
Thanks mate I really appreciate it.
I guess the bolts are standard M12 thread? If so I’ll be able to find some at work to tie me over until the new security ones arrive
I guess the bolts are standard M12 thread? If so I’ll be able to find some at work to tie me over until the new security ones arrive
They are a weird thread mate, I would take one of the original bolts as a pattern to match one up.
