Alloy wheels and your spare?

HarleyPete

Hi all,

Just a quick query. Some of you appear to have bigger wheels or alloys fitted to you cars (17's, 18's or 19's). How do you reconcile the bigger wheels with having a spare in the boot. I have 17's on my car running 225/45 R 17 tyres. When I bought my car there was no spare wheel, so I wondering whether to get another alloy the same as I've got or just get the standard spare that seems to have been in these cars (Steel with a 115/70/16 tyre). I need the jack kit and the wheel retaining knut too. There are some on Ebay for not a lot of money either.

Suggestions any one?

Pete

Dave_Gilbert

I have the 17" sri alloys and bought a extra sri alloy as a spare but it doesnt fit in the wheel well in a vectra. So I sold it and kept the space saver.

If you are interested in a space saver and all the jack and polystyrene bits that live under the boot carpet I have a full spare set in my vectra donor car for sale(not sure how much there worth), not sure how much shipping would be but I could look into it.

but id check that it will fit in a signum, cos I ant got a clue(probably the same but I dont know)

HarleyPete

Hi Dave,

That's the problem. I have found a complete set on Ebay which says there for a Signum but when you put it in the fitment section it says it doesn't fit. This is the one I'm looking at as I have nothing but the plastic ring bit on the left. Spare wheel.

Dave_Gilbert

The wheel will fit, cos vectra wheels fit signums n signums fit vectra etc. So I would say it will all fit in the boot spare wheel well. But im not 100%

id say best thing to do would go to a local vauxhall main dealer and ask them if there the same.

HarleyPete

I have these on my car (in a little better condition though). Just had another look and I have the plastic ring that sits underneath, the knut part to hold it all in and the press on cap above that.

HarleyPete

Cheers Dave, will probably just phone a dealer tomorrow and ask about it. I'm thinking that the rolling diameter of the two wheels must be around the same size.

HarleyPete

Just a thought as well, I'd need the steel wheel bolts as well to go with that as I don't know if alloy ones would work on a steel wheel.

Dave_Gilbert

The wheel nuts will be fine, the space saver is a get you home job, so you wouldnt be on it long.

I never thought about the rolling diameter, but im sure vauxhall will have so im sure there fine to use, I think they advise to only go 80miles on a space saver and not to exceed 60mph but dont quote me on that(I think I heard it somewhere).

HarleyPete

Look like it's a no go according to this it's 66.9mm smaller in diameter which would probably make things difficult when using it. See here.

Dave_Gilbert

Hmmmm, vauxhall put small space savers in most cars n everything is standard on mine so not sure what to say on the size difference.

rushy

If you take out the plastic ring in the bottom of your wheel well a full size spare fits in. Signum 19" have the same rolling radius as as a stock 17, there's a setting in opcom to change the size for speedo calibration but the 17 and 19 fall into the same bracket with correct tyres.the tyre profile is just smaller, however the width would push the boot floor up. From what I've read a stock 17 should physical fit with the plastic spacer removed. Best bet is just to put one of your wheels in to check.

Dave_Gilbert

Mine 17s wont fit in my vectra boot without lifting the carpet(looks shit)

HarleyPete

Presumably so that they work with the standard fitment wheels. I have to assume that they don't count that people op for different alloys and make/suggest a different type of wheel. Also, looking at the size difference, 66.9mm bigger probably won't fit in the wheel well, which is possibly why mine has a can of tyre stuff in the wheel well. Just found another interesting fact, if you compare 215/50/17 to 225/45/17 that is specified in the owners manual, there is actually a speed difference and size difference (not just the obvious). Have a look mate, you might find the site useful as well.

HarleyPete

rushy said:
If you take out the plastic ring in the bottom of your wheel well a full size spare fits in. Signum 19" have the same rolling radius as as a stock 17, there's a setting in opcom to change the size for speedo calibration but the 17 and 19 fall into the same bracket with correct tyres.the tyre profile is just smaller, however the width would push the boot floor up. From what I've read a stock 17 should physical fit with the plastic spacer removed. Best bet is just to put one of your wheels in to check.

That's useful to know, however, how would I know if someone has had the speedo calibrated if, as you say, stock 17's and 19's fall in the same bracket. Fortunately the difference is on the slower side of things so that's a plus. Also, would that not affect the fuel consumption a little bit? I will probably try that to find out. I take it that the stock polystyrene insert will still fit in there with a full size alloy?

Dave_Gilbert

Id say it would

HarleyPete

Cool, will maybe just go for that then.

Dave_Gilbert

But a alloy may sit higher than the boot floor so the carpet doest sit right but you might get away with it.

HarleyPete

True, mind you I can always measure the height to the underside of the cap support and see what I've got. Will have to think about it and decide what to do.

Dave_Gilbert

You could build a false floor around the wheel well so the carpet fits nice, you will loose a bit of boot space but the carpet would sit nice

HarleyPete

That would be easy to do for me being a carpenter lol. Going to have a chat with Vauxhall about it.