Spare wheel size California t6.1?

[California T2023]

I’ve got 18inch alloys on the cali 2 wheel drive with 255x45x18 tires.
no spare so have ordered spare carriage bracket so I can add a spare steel wheel. Was thinking of a 17inch steel wheel with thicker tires to make up the same total wheel and tire diameter as what’s on the vehicle. Question is what tire size do I need and will this fit into the carriage bracket? Thanks in advance for any help

 

[yossarian]

You could search -- it's an old semi-solved problem.

The limiting factor seems to be a max 235mm width tyre/rim.

A consideration is where to put your flat tyre if you use the spare.

 

[California T2023]

You could search -- it's an old semi-solved problem.

The limiting factor seems to be a max 235mm width tyre/rim.

A consideration is where to put your flat tyre if you use the spare.

Thanks I have searched but conflicting answers to the issue. I guess flat wheel would have to be stored in boot until fixed

 

[Ting Tong]

215/60r17 and 235/55 r17 have a diameter close enough to the following standard 18”: 235/50r18 and 255/45 r18

 

[RossStrathmore]

I’ve got 18inch alloys on the cali 2 wheel drive with 255x45x18 tires.
no spare so have ordered spare carriage bracket so I can add a spare steel wheel. Was thinking of a 17inch steel wheel with thicker tires to make up the same total wheel and tire diameter as what’s on the vehicle. Question is what tire size do I need and will this fit into the carriage bracket? Thanks in advance for any help

I'm picking up a new California with 18" wheels shortly, and the VW dealer is fitting a 17" spare with tyre to match. Have to buy the mounting bracket for the wheel as well. Around £500.

 

[B J G]

An Amorak pickup standard 18" steel wheel with a 235/50/18 101 tyre will have the same circumference and fit into the rack. 101 load rating is legal on Cali.


7.5" x 18" Alloys also fit such as this one

VW Amarok Alloy Wheel 2H0601025F 7.5Jx18 C730 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for VW Amarok Alloy Wheel 2H0601025F 7.5Jx18 C730 at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[andyinluton]

An Amorak pickup standard 18" steel wheel with a 235/50/18 101 tyre will have the same circumference and fit into the rack. 101 load rating is legal on Cali

That size is 4.4% bigger than the 255/45/18 fitted to the rest of the vehicle.

Either 235/55/17 or 215/60/17 are only 0.7% different to the main wheels so close enough to use as a space saver fitted to standard Transporter 17" rims.

While 101 load rating may be legal, its less than the rating specified by VW so may cause a problem with your insurance company.

 

[dspuk]

I'm picking up a new California with 18" wheels shortly, and the VW dealer is fitting a 17" spare with tyre to match. Have to buy the mounting bracket for the wheel as well. Around £500.

Do it yourself - I paid 150 for a brand new VW steel tyre (17" - 235/55/17) and 80 for a brand new rack. Both on ebay. Took me 30 minutes to fit. Half the cost. Our Cali has the 18" fitted.

 

[B J G]

That size is 4.4% bigger than the 255/45/18 fitted to the rest of the vehicle.

Either 235/55/17 or 215/60/17 are only 0.7% different to the main wheels so close enough to use as a space saver fitted to standard Transporter 17" rims.

While 101 load rating may be legal, its less than the rating specified by VW so may cause a problem with your insurance company.

If you check 235/50/18 is the same as 255/45/18 which is why VW dealers supplied that as an option tyre wheel size.
Actually a nit picking 0.2% difference which can be ignored as tread depth of fitted running tyres and the spare could exceed this figure.

By your insurance quote would this mean changing from 215/60/17 109 tyres to 235/55/17 103 tyres would render the spare as unusable?

 

[WelshGas]

By your insurance quote would this mean changing from 215/60/17 109 tyres to 235/55/17 103 tyres would render the spare as unusable?

No, as 103 is the minimum Load Rating recommended by VW on the California. But a tyre with a Load Rating of 101 could be a cause for the Insurance company to refuse cover, even carried as a spare as the intention is to use it when required thus rendering the vehicle unsafe in the eyes of the Insurer.

 

[B J G]

No, as 103 is the minimum Load Rating recommended by VW on the California. But a tyre with a Load Rating of 101 could be a cause for the Insurance company to refuse cover, even carried as a spare as the intention is to use it when required thus rendering the vehicle unsafe in the eyes of the Insurer.

California is T30 Transporter based. VW supplied 18" wheels with the 235/50/18 101 tyres as a Dealer fit.
They now (in some dealers) supply 20" rims with 102 rated tyres which are rated as suitable for up to the T30 base.

Insurance requires the vehicle to be road legal. 101 (825kgs) load rated tyres are, close to axle load requirements.
A check with the insurance company would answer this issue.

 

[andyinluton]

California is T30 Transporter based. VW supplied 18" wheels with the 235/50/18 101 tyres as a Dealer fit.
They now (in some dealers) supply 20" rims with 102 rated tyres which are rated as suitable for up to the T30 base.

Insurance requires the vehicle to be road legal. 101 (825kgs) load rated tyres are, close to axle load requirements.
A check with the insurance company would answer this issue.

A T30 transporter in 3000kg, a Cali is 3080kg so 80kg heavier.

Why would anyone fit lower rated tyres than specified by the manufacturer & even need to ask the question of the insurance company, VW presumably don't just pluck a number out of thin air for no reason at all. Its not as if the correct rating of tyres isn't readily available.

 

[WelshGas]

California is T30 Transporter based. VW supplied 18" wheels with the 235/50/18 101 tyres as a Dealer fit.
They now (in some dealers) supply 20" rims with 102 rated tyres which are rated as suitable for up to the T30 base.

Insurance requires the vehicle to be road legal. 101 (825kgs) load rated tyres are, close to axle load requirements.
A check with the insurance company would answer this issue.

That might be the case for a T30 Transporter but the BPillar tyre/Wheel sticker on my vehicle specifies 103 Load Rating for each wheel/Tyre size combination. 101 not mentioned anywhere.

 

[B J G]

That might be the case for a T30 Transporter but the BPillar tyre/Wheel sticker on my vehicle specifies 103 Load Rating for each wheel/Tyre size combination. 101 not mentioned anywhere.

A simple possible option to a spare wheel has got you in a normal rant.

Can you then explain why VW do not offer a 17" or 16" spare when 18" wheels are factory fitted?

Mismatch of width or rim diameter? Does your insurance quote apply or not in this instance?

Another can of worms that individual owners need to satisfy themselves as to what they will find acceptable.

 

[WelshGas]

A simple possible option to a spare wheel has got you in a normal rant.

Can you then explain why VW do not offer a 17" or 16" spare when 18" wheels are factory fitted?

Mismatch of width or rim diameter? Does your insurance quote apply or not in this instance?

Another can of worms that individual owners need to satisfy themselves as to what they will find acceptable.

Why?
No idea. I have 17" alloys + a 17" steel spare, all with the same size tyres and load rating and certainly do not wish to be limited in speed or distance , on my travels, if I should get a puncture.
Function over Form.
If you go for 18" or larger then VW do not supply a Spare. If you decide to carry a spare of a different wheel/tyre size to what is fitted then that is your choice. This may or may not be acceptable to the Insurance company but I would have thought fitting tyres that have at least the Load and Speed rating as those fitted on the vehicle would help then make a sensible decision.

 

[B J G]

Why?
No idea. I have 17" alloys + a 17" steel spare, all with the same size tyres and load rating and certainly do not wish to be limited in speed or distance , on my travels, if I should get a puncture.
Function over Form.
If you go for 18" or larger then VW do not supply a Spare. If you decide to carry a spare of a different wheel/tyre size to what is fitted then that is your choice. This may or may not be acceptable to the Insurance company but I would have thought fitting tyres that have at least the Load and Speed rating as those fitted on the vehicle would help then make a sensible decision.

The spare wheel issue was one of the reasons that I remained on 17" rims. Not trendy now unless going Swamper.

Option that I nearly went for was Amorak 18x7.5" rims all round with 235/55/18 104V as that size fitted into the spare rack with better load rating than standard.

Have you noticed that VW now supply H rated All Season tyres - previously V rated. All helps to muddy the tyre issues.

Deciding factor against 18"x8" rims with the 255/45/18 tyres was where would it go if a 17" spare was utilised in the event of a puncture? Too big for the rack (might just be possible with a flat tyre) and sods law dictates that it would be when the Cali was internally fully loaded.

 

[California Rob]

Do it yourself - I paid 150 for a brand new VW steel tyre (17" - 235/55/17) and 80 for a brand new rack. Both on ebay. Took me 30 minutes to fit. Half the cost. Our Cali has the 18" fitted.

Can i ask where you got the vw steel wheel from and did it include a tyre.Also did the fixing kit come with the new rack..

 

[dspuk]

Can i ask where you got the vw steel wheel from and did it include a tyre.Also did the fixing kit come with the new rack..

Both off ebay. The fixing kit came with it.

 

[California Rob]

Both off ebay. The fixing kit came with it.

Thanks for your quick reply.

 

[dspuk]

Thanks for your quick reply.

I did have to watch for a while till two came up in good nick and the right price.

 

[California Rob]

Do it yourself - I paid 150 for a brand new VW steel tyre (17" - 235/55/17) and 80 for a brand new rack. Both on ebay. Took me 30 minutes to fit. Half the cost. Our Cali has the 18" fitted.

Hi. I must ask have you had to use your spare tyre yet and if so did the abs light come on.

 

[andyinluton]

Hi. I must ask have you had to use your spare tyre yet and if so did the abs light come on.

I've used mine & not had any problem with the ABS light.
You have to reset the flat tyre indicator that was triggered by the initial flat. As long as the rolling circumference of the replacement is the same or very close to the other wheels there shouldn't be any warning lights.

 

[dspuk]

Hi. I must ask have you had to use your spare tyre yet and if so did the abs light come on.

Nope. I got ours on advice from @andyinluton after we had a flat on the way back from the NC500. We fixed it with Holts with no issues but determined not to be caught out again. Biggest issue was getting a tyre place to fix the puncture without whinging about the Holts weld liquid.

 

[California Rob]

ive just bought all the stuff wheel tyre carrier etc to have a spare on my cali for long journeys away.
I was talking to my good friend he is a mechanic he said a different size wheel might affect the abs.
On my work vans i use the Grand pitstop Tubless tire gun. you can repair punctures with the wheels still on the van..Brilliant bit of kit

 

[andyinluton]

ive just bought all the stuff wheel tyre carrier etc to have a spare on my cali for long journeys away.
I was talking to my good friend he is a mechanic he said a different size wheel might affect the abs.

As long as the overall diameter of the wheel is the same the ABS won’t be affected.
Have a look on your door pillar as to what sizes are appropriate for your van. All the sizes listed will have the same overall diameter, the only difference is what proportion of that dimension is rim & how much is rubber.
A narrow 17.” Tyre size is a good space saver spare replacement for a 18” rim.