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Spare Wheel not Fitting in Boot


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Hi All,

I have just picked up a spare wire wheel with 205 tyre and it does not fit into the spare wheel well - unless I am doing something really daft!

It seems the wider tyre does not fit under the fuel tank enough and it fouls on the boot rim.

Anyone seen anything similar? Any idea what the max size tyre is? Wheel is 5.5 X 15.

All the best

Rob.

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It wont, largest is usually 195 as even US original equipment was only 185. 205 puts too much strain on everything and makes parking hard work.

Stuart.

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My car came with a 215's  including the spare spare. The PO had trimmed away the bottom of the boot lining adjacent to the fuel tank and the wheel fitted - upside down to allow the wheel screw clamp to engage and the boot floor was sitting on the wheel- raised about 20mm.

But I should point out have a bespoke alloy tank.

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Just re-packed LNK with my 185x70x15 (5&1/2 J) spare. Always a tight fit and clean rubber drags on clean paint, didn't want to go at all

So I lubed the floor, tank bottom and the tyre with a little silicon and HeyPresto it slid right in.........in my experience, 185 is the max !

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My 195 fits fine in the boot. 

Tim

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Rob - the fuel tanks for TR4 through to 6 are pretty much the same shape - TR4, 4A and 5 are the same apart from different inlets/outlets, but the tank shape is the same. I'm not sure if it was at the beginning of TR6 production, but triumph introduced a slightly modified tank at the bottom rear - they effectively put a slant on the bottom to allow spare wheels to be slid in because they have to go in at an angle in a TR6 because of the height of the rear panel - not a problem in the earlier cars because the wheel can be inserted into the boot almost flat because of the low boot lip.

If you have had a replacement alloy tank, not all manufacturers included this slant - I think you could just about get away with a 165 arrangement without the slant but not anything wider. I know Alicool's tanks do include the slant these days and I'm fairly sure you can get a 195 tyre in as it is, but I don't know about a 205. As others have already said, a 205 section for road use is way over the top, in my humble opinion, and must make the drive not very nice.

Have you tried a car with standard tyres? You might find it a revelation,

Hope this helps 

Cheers Rich

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40 minutes ago, RobRennie said:

Thank you all - that confirms what I thought.

I think will go down the space saver idea and fit a 185 wheel and treat it as a get me home.

Good thought Brian on the pump!

I run on 195s but have a 165 as a spare, I see no problem with this arrangement as the outside diameter of both are almost identical. Should I have to use the spare the 195 should hopefully fit in the boot as it's bound to be flat.

George 

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If you have an original tank 195's will just fit , my problem started when I replaced the old tank with a new one which now come without the slanting bottom edge.

I did buy a second hand original tank some time ago but never got round to swapping them over , maybe one day ? :P

Brian

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"I see no problem with this arrangement" 

I'm gritting my teeth.

Mick Richards 

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4 hours ago, Motorsport Mickey said:

"I see no problem with this arrangement" 

I'm gritting my teeth.

Mick Richards 

Sure it's fine Mick, if a spindly space saver is OK on somthing like a 2 ton Range Rover a 165 for emergency use on a TR is not an issue

George 

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On 12/11/2021 at 8:24 AM, Tim D. said:

My 195 fits fine in the boot. 

Tim

So does mine, easily 

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On 12/11/2021 at 4:39 PM, harlequin said:

Sure it's fine Mick, if a spindly space saver is OK on somthing like a 2 ton Range Rover a 165 for emergency use on a TR is not an issue

George 

Range Rover has Type Approval for skinny space saver, TR would have odd sized wheels on the same axle, Mr Plod would not approve, Mr MOT would fail, and in the event of an accident Mr Insurance would walk away, so it's a bit of a gamble.

Cheers Rob 

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Thank you all - problem identified as always.

Rich, you are on the money, I have an after market tank that is not sloped.

I hope a 195 will fit, my plan is to go to my local tyre place in Shepton and try out one.

Good point on Type Approval, I will ask them the detail, for me. I did tell the insurance company about the tyres and the wheels and as they approved the BMW engine, gearbox, rear suspension upgrade and front suspension change.... I think they just wanted me off the phone!

Thanks all again.

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I run 185/80x15 or 195/65 on 6” alloys on my 4A depending on the length of the trip. The 185s have been used on the 3 Melbourne to Perth trips (3500km) as they give a 7% increase in gearing. I have a 165/80x15 spare which I keep inflated to 35lb. It is identical in circumference to the 195s but not the 185s obviously. I only ever intend using it to get to the next tyre store although that could be quite a distance on the Nullarbor! It fits easily under the tank and gives a flat boot floor. 
One small but crucial point is that the steel spare and the alloy wheels have very different nuts. I carry a breaker bar (to save my back!) with a short extension and the two correct sized sockets. 

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1 hour ago, Z320 said:

Hi, we had this before:

what ever you have in your boot, what will you do with the flat tire?  :lol:

This is why I have liquid sealant and a 12 V compressor in my boot.

Ciao, Marco

Only thing with that is

1. if its a large puncture or rip it wont work

2. Once you use that stuff it writes the tyre off completely as no tyre place will then repair it.

Stuart.

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Volvo V40 space saver spare fits the car. (steel wheels not wobbly wire)

135 section so no fitment issues……especially in a sidescreen with a spare wheel compartment 

That should set the hares running.

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3 hours ago, CP26309 said:

Why not just use 165 tyres like Triumph designed the car to use? Modern tyre compounds and grip are night and day better than what were fitted 50 years ago! There's absolutely no need to fit oversize 'fat' tyres! :D

I respectfully disagree. My brakes can out-perform my tyres, so the extra width of 195's do make a significant difference IMHO.

Cheers, Robert

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6 hours ago, BlueTR3A-5EKT said:

Volvo V40 space saver spare fits the car. (steel wheels not wobbly wire)

135 section so no fitment issues……especially in a sidescreen with a spare wheel compartment 

That should set the hares running.

Doesn't the V40 have 5 studs?

There was a view that pre '87 SAAB 900 space saver would fit.  The stud pattern and PCD are ok but you need 10mm spacers which then reduces the effective stud length.

 

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