Need Spare Wheel

[Blakey]

It looks like I have no spare. I'm sure I had one but no longer. Probably stolen.

Anyway the point is I need a spare wheel. My van (Cali Beach, 2014 model) has 300mm lowering springs and 18" sportline alloys on it. Can I get a bog-standard steel-rimmed, 16" wheel for this? Or do I need to do something special for the spare?

Cheers!
Blakey

 

[Fryers!]

We had ours stolen in August, thankfully found a spare on Ebay for £50 and he was not too far for us to collect ( was probably ours in the first place and the thief listed it on Ebay)

We have now fitted a Sparesafe ( shutting barn door and all that) as they managed to get our locking nut off, we have no idea when ours was stolen as they fastened the carrier back up again.

This problem seems to be rife !!

 

[sidepod]

It looks like I have no spare. I'm sure I had one but no longer. Probably stolen.

Anyway the point is I need a spare wheel. My van (Cali Beach, 2014 model) has 300mm lowering springs and 18" sportline alloys on it. Can I get a bog-standard steel-rimmed, 16" wheel for this? Or do I need to do something special for the spare?

Cheers!
Blakey

At least get one the same size surely?

 

[Blakey]

Same size - this is my point. Are 18" wheels+tyres the same circumference as 16" wheels+tyres? Sorry if this is blindingly obvious, but I'm not sure if the 18" refers to the alloys, and then the tyres for 18" alloys are effectively 1" thinner (resulting in a 2" smaller tyre circumference), or if the tyres are the same, thus meaning the total wheel circumference is different.

Make any sense?

 

[Ajspicer]

A smaller wheel may clash with your brake calipers on the front.

 

[lakelander]

Hi, If you have a 180 bhp van then you may have the bigger wheels to accommodate the bigger brake callipers. So you will be limited to what you can fit. The bigger the wheel, the thiner the tyre.
Where did you get your spairsafe ??? had my bike rack stolen after just one month so am a bit paranoid too.

 

[Wolfgang]

Hi Blakey.
I think the spare wheel carrier thing will only take a 16 inch wheel. Check out www.willtheyfit.com to compare sizes of wheel and tyre combinations.
Cheers

 

[MattBW]

I've always pondered if thieves are using something like a *redacted* to get off the locking wheel nuts. The sparesafe should hopefully stop that being useful.

I understand VW also sell a box of all locking nuts intended for dealers but what if they get into the wrong hands?

 

[calikev]

Hi, If you have a 180 bhp van then you may have the bigger wheels to accommodate the bigger brake callipers. So you will be limited to what you can fit. The bigger the wheel, the thiner the tyre.
Where did you get your spairsafe ??? had my bike rack stolen after just one month so am a bit paranoid too.

http://vwcaliforniaclub.com/shop/product-category/spare-wheel-theft-protection

 

[briwy]

You need to check that the rolling radius of the tyre is same.
This will help check the relationship between the wheel and the tyre size. If you fit a 16" wheel you will need a deeper profile trye to get the same rolling radius. Not ideal though as the handling characteristics will be different.
http://www.club80-90syncro.co.uk/Syncro_website/TechnicalPages/TRC calculator.htm

 

[sidepod]

If you go with steel wheels then you'll need a different set of nuts.

 

[sbmcd]

My understanding is if you have a 180 it will have the bigger brakes and minimum wheel diameter you can have is 17", this size will fit in the spare wheel carrier.

 

[briwy]

If you go with steel wheels then you'll need a different set of nuts.

Used the same bolts on ours for alloys and steels. After all the spare is generally a steel and VW don't supply different bolts for that.
Whether the carrier will take a spare will governed by the overall tyre size, not the wheel diameter.
You could try one of your existing wheels/tyre in the carrier to see if it will fit.

 

[WelshGas]

If you go with steel wheels then you'll need a different set of nuts.

No, you get a steel wheel spare with 17" alloys. Same nuts. With 18" alloys, no spare but you get one of those temporary repair kits. The wheel carrier can only take 16 & 17" wheels as standard.

 

[sbmcd]

No, you get a steel wheel spare with 17" alloys. Same nuts. With 18" alloys, no spare but you get one of those temporary repair kits. The wheel carrier can only take 16 & 17" wheels as standard.

I think If you choose 18" on a new build you get no wheel carrier so repair kit is the only option, this may have changed with the T6.

 

[sandalfarm]

hmm our van came with 18 wheels and a spare think its 16 inch but its dark and damp outside at the moment

 

[soulstyledevon]

The 18s on 255/45/18 rubber will be the same rolling radius as the standard 16s supplied by Volkswagen. Which I think were 215/65/16.
The spare wheel carrier will only hold a 16 spare. But if you ride with the correct 18s rubber it won't matter. The spare is only to get you to the nearest garage at the end of the day.

 

[sbmcd]

The 18s on 255/45/18 rubber will be the same rolling radius as the standard 16s supplied by Volkswagen. Which I think were 215/65/16.
The spare wheel carrier will only hold a 16 spare. But if you ride with the correct 18s rubber it won't matter. The spare is only to get you to the nearest garage at the end of the day.

The spare wheel carrier does take a 17" wheel, I know I have one in mine. If you have a 180 and you buy a 16" spare it will not fit on the front due to the calliper.

 

[larrylamb]

It might be a good idea to fit a part worn tyre to a steel rim for use as a spare, I don't think thieves will bother nicking it if it is well used.

 

[Alan]

I've always pondered if thieves are using something like a *redacted* to get off the locking wheel nuts. The sparesafe should hopefully stop that being useful.

I understand VW also sell a box of all locking nuts intended for dealers but what if they get into the wrong hands?

Shhhhh you never know who's reading this

 

[soulstyledevon]

Ok, good to know.
Sounds about right, forgot about the bigger calipers on the 180bhp.

The spare wheel carrier does take a 17" wheel, I know I have one in mine. If you have a 180 and you buy a 16" spare it will not fit on the front due to the calliper.

 

[David j]

I have four 17" alloys but the spare is 16" steel will it be ok to use as a spare

 

[Hotel California]

As long as you you change it back asp , no problem i think .
But i would not drive to long on diffrent wheelsize's , and be putting the two the same size on the front axle.

 

[WelshGas]

I have four 17" alloys but the spare is 16" steel will it be ok to use as a spare

As long as the rolling radius is the same it should be OK as a spare. Treat it as a Space Saver , limited distance and limited speed.

 

[briwy]

You can use this to check the rolling radius of the tyres.

http://www.club80-90syncro.co.uk/Syncro_website/TechnicalPages/TRC calculator.htm