4200 Space saver wheel & tyre sizes

[Parisien]

If its to get you out of a hole......which can be quite deep never mind terribly inconvienient...only driving slowly for 5/10/20 miles...then why not......

P

 

[mjheathcote]

I'm still not an advocate of wobble bolts. I'm sure there are many here with a far better understanding of engineering than me, but to me they're a bodge and wouldn't go anywhere near my car.

I wouldn't use them on the normal wheels, but get you home at 50mph max I have no problem with.
But actually, they are sound to use, its just because they are known as wobble bolts! It's only the cone seat that is loose from the bolt shank allowing it to move slight to one side. When the bolt is torqued up, of course it then can't move, and the wheel is centred on the hub centre so the wheel can't move radially out anyway.
It's also like bolted hub adapters, Porsche actually use them themselves on new productions cars!

 

[Geofflyn]

If a hub adapter is used (£50), the space saver (£100) doesn't need to be modified at all, so could be sold on if you sell the car.
That's cheap insurance against being stuck in the middle of nowhere, a tyre that is blownout/cut, no mobile phone signal, kids crying on the back seat, wife mumbling on the passenger seat.....etc!!

Cant argue with that. Good luck.

 

[conaero]

I wouldn't use them on the normal wheels, but get you home at 50mph max I have no problem with.
But actually, they are sound to use, its just because they are known as wobble bolts! It's only the cone seat that is loose from the bolt shank allowing it to move slight to one side. When the bolt is torqued up, of course it then can't move, and the wheel is centred on the hub centre so the wheel can't move radially out anyway.
It's also like bolted hub adapters, Porsche actually use them themselves on new productions cars!

I did always wonder how these bolts worked, thanks for shining the light on them.

We need a spare wheel for Le Mans as we have 10 cars going.

 

[alfazagato]

I have a space saver spare and have had to use it onece. At 50 mph its OK but on a Sunday night, with a shredded front tyre, it was plain wonderful. However, after this first use, despite removing the valve and using a belt to clamp the tyre to the smallest possible diameter, it still does not fully re-fit the recess in the boot floor. So, with the alternative solutions that have been posted, be aware of this and perhaps try the MB alterntive in the recess before macining works are started.

 

[Fair2]

I wouldn't use them on the normal wheels, but get you home at 50mph max I have no problem with.
But actually, they are sound to use, its just because they are known as wobble bolts! It's only the cone seat that is loose from the bolt shank allowing it to move slight to one side. When the bolt is torqued up, of course it then can't move, and the wheel is centred on the hub centre so the wheel can't move radially out anyway.
It's also like bolted hub adapters, Porsche actually use them themselves on new productions cars!

Hi I have been following this with great interest as I have been looking to solve the "Spare Wheel " issue.
One question is where do you get the wobble bolts from? What size? Any help would be appreciated.
Robert

 

[conaero]

Robert, the guys are on it I am sure a remedy will be found soon.

How is the GS going? Any problems, I do miss the old girl but pleased she has retired to warmer climates, you never know we might meet again.

 

[Fair2]

Robert, the guys are on it I am sure a remedy will be found soon.

How is the GS going? Any problems, I do miss the old girl but pleased she has retired to warmer climates, you never know we might meet again.

Hi Matt,
It is going fantastic . It is not just a "garage queen".It is treated like one , but I get to use it as it should. We have a group called MDO( Men's Day Out or Mid Week Day Out). We take turns to find back roads etc. and get to enjoy the GS.

I will be in London 1 to 4th June ,so as you can see I am chasing some small parts I can bring home. If you are ever in Melbourne you are welcome to to have a drive to meet the Old girl!
Robert

 

[conaero]

Hi Matt,
It is going fantastic . It is not just a "garage queen".It is treated like one , but I get to use it as it should. We have a group called MDO( Men's Day Out or Mid Week Day Out). We take turns to find back roads etc. and get to enjoy the GS.

I will be in London 1 to 4th June ,so as you can see I am chasing some small parts I can bring home. If you are ever in Melbourne you are welcome to to have a drive to meet the Old girl!
Robert

I am away in Italy then but sure I will take you up on your offer if I am ever that way.

Incidentally I have a mate over from Brisbane in a few weeks if anyone needs anything taking back to Aus.

 

[Parisien]

Incidentally I have a mate over from Brisbane in a few weeks if anyone needs anything taking back to Aus.

I suppose a full interior for my Lancia would be stretching it a bit..............its only 1500 miles north in Queensland........


P

 

[cobratwin]

Hi I have been following this with great interest as I have been looking to solve the "Spare Wheel " issue.
One question is where do you get the wobble bolts from? What size? Any help would be appreciated.
Robert

Iirc you need an m14x1.5 thread length 28-31? And you can get the wobble bolts off ebay
These should work http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-X-M14X1-5-SILVER-WOBBLY-BOLT-60-DEGREE-TAPERED-SEAT-ALLOY-WHEEL-BOLT-NO4-/300607316180?pt=UK_Cars_Parts_Vehicles_Wheels_tyres_Trim_Nuts_ET&hash=item45fd97a0d4

 

[chippiepilot]

chaps Im going to wade in here, Im probably going to be very wrong as it would be to good to be true - volvo V70 spare wheel, same tyre size as the tyre for the spacesaver from eurospares its just the hub that im not sure about it fitting (correct number of holes for starters)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volvo-V70...spare-wheel-and-tyre-125-80-r17-/261212977496
http://www.eurospares.co.uk/searchResult_one.asp?S=171995&TM=1&TMo=374&TA=1&TB=19880

 

[conaero]

Chippie

its a 5 x 108 with a centre bore of 63.4 and a 50 offset, can one of you chaps tell me if its gona fit with wobble bolts....only 2mm to take up which is nothing.

Center bore and offset is the issue.


****Correction, it is the same PCD as the Maserati.

The Gransports offset is 55 and centre bore of 67.1 so it would have to be lathed out but should fit with a basic spacer.

 

[conaero]

5mm spacer for £4.95

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5MM-ALLOY...heels_tyre_Trims_Trims_ET&hash=item45ff06cc17

Grind out the centre bore, job done.

 

[Dave]

Space saver

I bought an alloy one for £20 that came of an "old" V6 quatroporte ? The offset was perfect all I had to do was machine out the centre to fit onto the hub. If you want any more info I can provide.........

I leave it inflated but that way it won't go into the boot floor recess but for me it's better than storing it deflated.

 

[chippiepilot]

In theory I think the volvo space saver should fit in the boot recess (for the 3200 anyway)

 

[drellis]

In theory I think the volvo space saver should fit in the boot recess (for the 3200 anyway)

i think it would as well, i think it might need much more spacing than 5mm, and i am not a fan of universal spacers, decent 15mm spacers seem to be about £75 off the shelf - ie ones for a ferrari, i dont doubt a local machine shop could do a batch resonably. I have just gone the other route to buy a spare front wheel and accept it takes up more space but with soft bags aint so bad and has the advantage of being able to go quicker than 30/50mph

 

[mjheathcote]

In theory I think the volvo space saver should fit in the boot recess (for the 3200 anyway)

It's very skinny being only 125 wide, but the problem is that its fully inflated so at its working height. The calapsable OEM is 185 wide but fits under the boot (with a hump) calapsed only. Inflated the OEM 185 wide grows in height to match the original tyre heights.
I can't see this Volvo spare fitting under the boot floor, even if it fits the car, that's why the only option is the Merecedes SL or the Porsche 997 Turbo calapsable spare, both using the same 185/60 17 tyre.
I will see when my SL spare arrives whether wobble bolts or a hub adapter is required.

 

[hodroyd]

Mike,
I would be interested to know the outcome of your investigation.
Cheers
R

 

[mjheathcote]

Mike,
I would be interested to know the outcome of your investigation.
Cheers
R

Sure.
Personally for me the only option is a correctly sized spare, per original 185/60 17, that lives under the boot floor.
According to my research there is only the MB SL and 997 Turbo that share the same collapsable tyre. Then only the MB SL that has the same 6x17 alloy rim. The 997 Turbo using a 5.5x17 rim.
Searching around it appears the 997 Turbo does not have a space saver as standard, and consequently none appear to be for sale on eBay being just as desirable as the OEM Maserati space saver.
Therefore the MB SL space saver appears to be the only 'cheaper' option apart from buying the OEM space saver.