Spare wheel smaller than the rest.

[mattdrastik]

Just upgraded from 16" Claytons to 18" alloys on my T6.1 and wondering whether I need to change my 16" steel spare wheel?

Read lots on the forum of issues with bigger wheels fitting and needing to get longer bolts etc and general faffing.

In the event of a puncture, will I be ok to fit a 16" steel with my other 18s just to limp home or the the garage for repair? Or do you recommend me changing it?

Thanks for any advice

 

[Paynewright]

Put the two tyre sizes into the ‘willtheyfit’ website and it will show you the differential.

4 motion vans need it to be as close as possible whereas 2wd can cope better with a difference.

I’m on 235/50R18s and found the std 17” tyre on an OEM 17” T32 steel rim (oft called GP steels) was a very close match, so I have one of these as the spare.

 

[mattdrastik]

Sounds good - I am on 235 /55 / R18 from the old 205 / 65 / R16 so I might consider a 235 / 55 /17 if it will fit in the rack under the back

 

[Paynewright]

I dont think a 235/55R17 will give any improvement over the std 16” wheel - the height is about the same.

A 235/60R17 will give a very close match on the rolling radius / height to your 18” wheel/tyre, which is what you are trying to equalise (rather than just the width)

 

[dlw]

Hi,

I bought some 18" steels and fitted 235/60r18 michelin all seasons and I didn't even realise that I didn't have a spare with mine so I used one of my old 16" and fitted a 225/75r16 which gives me a 0.64% difference in rolling radius but the little back street garage I used couldn't get the spare in the carrier, any recommendations on how to make it fit?

I know my choice of tyre size isn't exactly normal but since my car has exactly the same tyre size and I have a very expensive set of snow chains (I travel to Europe a lot) it sort of made sense and they look so good

 

[Ricardo T]

Hi,

I bought some 18" steels and fitted 235/60r18 michelin all seasons and I didn't even realise that I didn't have a spare with mine so I used one of my old 16" and fitted a 225/75r16 which gives me a 0.64% difference in rolling radius but the little back street garage I used couldn't get the spare in the carrier, any recommendations on how to make it fit?

I know my choice of tyre size isn't exactly normal but since my car has exactly the same tyre size and I have a very expensive set of snow chains (I travel to Europe a lot) it sort of made sense and they look so good View attachment 221170

There is a relativly simple mod to the carrier and securing bolt needed to make it fit. You can buy the carriers with a longer welded lug (so the carrier drops down a bit more) online but they are not cheap.If you have a local fabricator they can prob help.

 

[Paynewright]

The carrier has two height settings anyway - is it on the widest? There is a pin at the rear pivot point you pull out to alter the height. All obvious when you’re under there!

 

[T6ARF]

I tried to fit a 235 as a spare (with the carrier on the widest setting) and there was no way it would fit…. the carrier would just not close. A standard 215 fits perfect

 

[Qnapper]

I have the standard 16in fitted under van where its been "just in case" If we get a flat I would not be driving very fast on the other 18in wheels, just to limp home or the garage for repair. Cannot see what differance it would make and also it fits the holder underneath-

 

[Wills]

Interestingly there are a few on the Cali forum that use steel 18” 7 1/2J steel wheels with 235/50/18 tyres as spares. They even fit on a 4Motion.

 

[dlw]

The carrier has two height settings anyway - is it on the widest? There is a pin at the rear pivot point you pull out to alter the height. All obvious when you’re under there!

I'll have to check, I haven't really looked. I can use one of my other spares 16" that I haven't changed the tyre on as a just in case

 

[roadtripper]

I have the standard 16in fitted under van where its been "just in case" If we get a flat I would not be driving very fast on the other 18in wheels, just to limp home or the garage for repair. Cannot see what differance it would make and also it fits the holder underneath-

For 2WD that may work as the diff will be doing it's job, for AWD the difference will torque up the differentials and Haldex putting them under a heck of a strain within a few hundred yards. The system expects small rotational differences left and right during cornering but not between front and rear.

I don't know the VW system but the Haldex AWD in the XC Volvos can be sensitive to uneven wear differences across the 4 corners and some folks regularly rotate tyres because of that.