Running without spare any issues?

Anonymous · February 6, 2004, 19:12

Hi,

Just wondered if anyone know of any problems running without the spare wheel and just using tyre weild.

By problems I mean loosing 10KG from the front of the car?

I'm new having only had the 2 a week so humour me s;)

s;)

Thanks

markiii · February 6, 2004, 19:19

personally I found it promoted understeer, which I didn't like and promptly put it back in again.

I know others disagree.

It will lighten the front end, whether the result is something you like only you will know. You won't harm anything though

Unless I'm right and you understeer into something s:D

s:D

aaronjb · February 6, 2004, 20:17

Quote from: "markiii"Unless I'm right and you understeer into something s:D s:D

You mean like Lauren off the IMOC list? s:lol: :lol: s:lol: (Ok, that was a Mk1, and ok, there was a motorway maintenance truck in the way.. but I just couldn't miss that opportunity!)

While we're on the subject - did you alter tyre pressures at all Mark, or just whip the spare out?

Anonymous · February 6, 2004, 21:41

I stuck my spare into the garage and put a tin of tyreweld into the luggage compartment. Luckily I've not needed it yet however having also moved the UK spec alarm (to a tupperware box nearbye) - I've also now got more luggage / shopping room than I could ever need.

Greg s:D

s:D s:D

s:D

markiii · February 6, 2004, 22:25

I did but I always found the standard pressures had too much understeer anyway. So before removing the spare I was down a couple of PSI, any further would have nasty consequences for teh tyres.

Od course this would be somewhat different now I'm sure as the front strut bar has reduces understeer rather a lot.

Anonymous · February 7, 2004, 10:07

Took the spare out on day one to be honest, so cannot compare to how it drives with the lightweight wheel in.

Re the alarm, did you just remove the whole "lump" from the compartment? Any insurance issues there perhaps? Or have you installed another alarm and installed the siren elsewhere?

Peter Laborne · February 7, 2004, 11:21

Quote from: "Hopper"Just wondered if anyone know of any problems running without the spare wheel

Problem 1) Your car will fail it's MOT if it is supposed to have a spare but it isn't present

Problem 2) If you have a blow-out and end up stuck on the road then the police will be allowed to use any sensible means to move your car (ie they can drag it to the side of the road and drag it onto a flatbed). If a blow-out and possible further damage when moving it off the road weren't bad enough, they will then prosecute you for driving without due care and attention.

mph · February 7, 2004, 11:35

I'll dispute point one, Peter! This would require a chart listing which vehicles come supplied with a spare wheel. Who's got access to the official MOT testers' manual?

Peter Laborne · February 7, 2004, 11:48

You're thinking of it the wrong way matey. There are two ways of looking at it:

1) why have a list of cars that have spare wheels? This would be huge. Instead have a list of cars that do not have spare wheels. Off hand I can only think of TVR's, the Elise, VX220 and Noble M12 GTO.

2) there is a big giveaway as to if a car carrys a spare. Nearly all cars will have a circular area (which a spare would sit in) with a bolt perfectly in the middle (for holding the spare in place).

You don't need a big list, just your eyesight and common sense to notice if something is missing.

SteveJ · February 7, 2004, 11:56

Quote from: "mph"I'll dispute point one, Peter! This would require a chart listing which vehicles come supplied with a spare wheel. Who's got access to the official MOT testers' manual?

AFAIK, there is NO definitive list of cars with/without spare wheels. My Citroen ZX, for example, had the spare wheel suspended under the car in a removable wire cage, so there would be no evidence of it ever being there if I chose to remove the cage, putting paid to Peter's theory of a visual check for spare or not.

The only rules governing the spare tyre, is where one is carried within the vehicle (and that includes suspended below it), it MUST comply with the same rules as the road-wheels regarding tred-depth and suitability for the vehicle.

mph · February 7, 2004, 12:04

Not convinced even at that!

Source: m http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual/contents.htm m

"Section 4.1 Tyres
This inspection applies to:
Tyres fitted to the road wheels only. The vehicle presenter should be informed when it is noticed that there is a defective tyre on a spare wheel."

"Section 4.2 Roadwheels
This inspection applies to:
the road wheels fitted to the vehicle at the time of inspection only. The presenter should be informed if a defect is noticed on a spare wheel.
...
(c) ... Note: The condition of the spare wheel is not included in the inspection. However, if a defect is seen, inform the vehicle presenter. ..."

Peter Laborne · February 7, 2004, 12:08

The condition of a spare wheel is not included in the MOT test and, as such, it cannot fail if there isn't enough tread, is warped/bumpy or is under inflated. However if a defect is seen then the presenter of the vehicle must be informed.

aaronjb · February 7, 2004, 12:11

The MOT manual on the 'net seems to disagree with you there Steve.. Or at least, it doesn't say it's a fail if the spare is illegal..

Quote from: "Section 4.1 - Tyres"This inspection applies to:
Tyres fitted to the road wheels only. The vehicle presenter should be informed when it is noticed that there is a defective tyre on a spare wheel.

Quote from: "Section 4.2 - Roadwheels"This inspection applies to:
the road wheels fitted to the vehicle at the time of inspection only. The presenter should be informed if a defect is noticed on a spare wheel.

and;

Note: The condition of the spare wheel is not included in the inspection. However, if a defect is seen, inform the vehicle presenter.

The only other statement about the spare is that it must be attached securely (section 6.4)..

(All excerpts taken from http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual/contents.htm)

Ok - it seems we all found the same page at the same time s:)

s:)

Peter Laborne · February 7, 2004, 12:48

Just to state where I got my info for my earlier quotes from:

QuoteProblem 1) Your car will fail it's MOT if it is supposed to have a spare but it isn't present

From - a family friend and <cough>friendly</cough> MOT tester for around 30 years who personally told me that he would fail my 2 if I ever brought it in to be tested without the spare wheel even though he knows I have one.

QuoteProblem 2) If you have a blow-out and end up stuck on the road then the police will be allowed to use any sensible means to move your car (ie they can drag it to the side of the road and drag it onto a flatbed). If a blow-out and possible further damage when moving it off the road weren't bad enough, they will then prosecute you for driving without due care and attention.

From - my dad. A very well respected traffic cop.

SteveJ · February 7, 2004, 12:50

Quote from: "aaronjb"The MOT manual on the 'net seems to disagree with you there Steve.. Or at least, it doesn't say it's a fail if the spare is illegal..

Sorry - the bit in bold wasn't about the MOT - just experience from my brother being pulled by the police, and his spare was a little 'iffy' to say the least!

All he did was take the wheel out of the car, and present his car for inspection at the local cop shop

Anonymous · February 7, 2004, 14:04

Hi,

So aside from all the MOT/Legal aspects is there any real effect on handling by removing the spare. As its quite a nice sized storage space without it.

But whoever thought of putting the alarm in there, really must have had there brains tattoo'd on.

Thanks

Tem · February 7, 2004, 14:22

Quote from: "Peter Laborne"Instead have a list of cars that do not have spare wheels. Off hand I can only think of TVR's, the Elise, VX220 and Noble M12 GTO.

I'd say that list is a lot bigger, even some new family grocery getters don't have a spare, they just come with a bottle of fixfoam...

Anonymous · February 10, 2004, 16:31

I took the spare out on day one, and have a can of foam (inflatacan) and a small compressor instead, AFAIK the new cars which don't carry spares have a can of foam AND a compressor (includes Mini and M3 BTW). I got a very small 12v compressor for £8 which seems to work fine.

Never had to use it (touch wood), but if the tyre blew out then would either call recovery or get a mobile tyre fitter out.

I have seen an inflatacan used on a totally flat tyre and it worked perfectly, although I understand it makes a mess of the inside of the tyre, so tyre places may refuse to repair it - not that I would probably fancy a tyre repair anyway.

Thankfully I don't have the dodgy UK fit alarm siren under the bonnet, so its a very useful space and fits a weeks shopping, or a couple of overnight bags very easily (shame Toyota couldn't stretch to a hydraulic prop, as the piece of string is very annoying) - as for handling differences, I run 24psi on the fronts and have never had a problem with understeer.

The MOT only requires a spare to be legal if fitted, I've MOT'd several cars (including this one) with no spare and its never even been mentioned.

Anonymous · February 11, 2004, 23:48

the mgtf has a space for a spare wheel but you only get a can of wheel foam if you go for anything other than the top of the range mg. (penny pinchers)

Anonymous · February 12, 2004, 09:35

spare lives in shed.
no major issues with handling
AND I have a boot!

MRMike · February 12, 2004, 11:05

I hate how the 2 handles without the spare in, for me the understeer is massively more pronounced. The best analogy would be with a speedboat at full speed. I feel like the bow is always high, thus the front never gets grip and washes out. However I do like the slight extra performance edge. You can tell it's that little bit more zingy at the top of the rav range as it has less to haul. So at the moment I have a compromise I have 5kg in weights in the front which seems to give the best of both worlds. I've removed the reardrip pan which should offset the loss in the front. I want to try and lighten the back by enough to remove the front completely, I'm thinking of getting a lightweight battery among other things...

scottee · February 14, 2004, 16:13

Quote from: "Peter Laborne"Off hand I can only think of TVR's, the Elise, VX220 and Noble M12 GTO

Plus the smart 'car'

Anonymous · February 15, 2004, 00:22

Quote from: "scottee"
Quote from: "Peter Laborne"Off hand I can only think of TVR's, the Elise, VX220 and Noble M12 GTO

Plus the smart 'car'

And the new MG tf 160. Others tfs have a spare wheel, the 160 doesn't. In the round place where it is suposed to have one, it has a nice small plastic case with a complete repair kit.

I have been trying, for more than a year to get one of those cases without success, through the Portuguese Rover/MG (they don't manage to get one from England, apparently they don't have it in stock).
Can someone suggest a way to get one, (probably through the company that makes the thing)?