Best way to fit a full size spare in the boot

[tigger73]

I've recently bought a full size spare (thanks Phil) for my Tig. I'm now playing around with ideas on how to fit it in the boot while maximising the space. At the moment I've just stuck the original boot floor and boot liner on top of the spare but it sits up too high and makes the smallish boot even smaller. There's a fair bit of "wasted" space under the floor now. Just wondering if anyone else has a neat solution. I'm not keen on modifying the original boot floor but would consider getting some plywood or similar and cutting a new floor - perhaps with the spare standing upright on one side? Anyone see any problems with this? (other than upsetting the weight distribution and COG )

[Transporter]

It's OK as long as you prevent the tyre from flying forward, should the car be in accident. My first car Renault12 had spare tyre standing up in the boot, quite neatly actually in the right rear guard. It was more practical than under the boot floor. Just imagine that the boot is full and you get puncture in a bad weather.

[Phil G]

Securing the wheel is easy with a longer bolt - using M8 threaded rod, nut and wing nut like the one on the left:


If you keep the original rear floor, and let it sit 70mm higher, you either need to relocate the side pins that secure the front of it, or extend the pins. I tried the latter but it's a bit cluncky - works OK but the two extensions I made up can fall off, and the tailgate just closes flush with the floor in an elevated position. I also used two velcro strips to hold down the back end but the velcro doesn't stick all that well to the Tig's carpet.




The easiest solution is to remove the floor and foam and just have the wheel there. Maybe put a wheel cover on it, or cover it with a bit of canvas or utility carpet. All depends on what you put in your boot.

[Blackdakdak]

Just bought a 16" steel VW rim from VW spares Gosford. $200! But worth it as I know it has the right offset, holes etc. I drive around 45000km a year, a lot on rough country roads, and get at least one puncture a year. The temporary spare VW inficts on us is useless - on the F3 freeway it is dangerously slow, and on country roads worse than useless. How it is even legal in an Aussie car is beyond me - we need a new Aus design rule to insist on a decent spare.

Interestingly the dealer I got the car from denied there were any steel rims and tried to sell me an extra alloy for around $900. I called VWA and asked their 'customer care' team who had less than zero idea of anything and transferred my call to a mazda dealer. I finally got onto Central Coast VW and the spares guy there was brilliant, found the part, ordered it and got it delivered withing a day! I then got a Maxxis tyre fitted. Seriously - the customer care section of VWA - should they be renamed as the 'no freakin' idea or use dept'? What do they actually do?

Fitting it in the wheelwell went OK - as others have noticed, the floor sits up higher, but I bought 2 of those cheap blue luggage straps and wrapped them around the removeable floor and thru the tie-down loops front and rear. Holds it all secure in case of accident. The wheel bolt that secures it to the chassis is too short, so I bought a Bunnings bolt.

Feels a lot more secure having a full sized spare, and can also take the crap temporary one as a 2nd backup.

I'm sure the dealer will find it all a bit strange, but since they and VWA were no help, too bad.

[MGV]

What's the difference in width between your steel rim & a stock 16" rim? You could easily get a stock 16" alloy with pretty good rubber on it for $200!

[Blackdakdak]

Hi, vw steel rim is same width as alloys. I know the 200 bucks was excessive like all vw parts, but guaranteed to fit Tig as made for it. Plus I tried a few wheel/tyre places and they had bugger all interest in finding and selling me a single steel or alloy rim with vw holes and 33 offset. Plus I had the experience of a nongenuine spare in a previous car not fitting - holes were correct in theory, but mm out when attempt made to use. Great to be stuck between broken hill & mildura for 5 hours.

I basically took the lazy option at a price that while not great was affordable to me and saved me heaps of time.

I still think vw had a crap design moment when they went with the space saver. Cheap cost cutting measure, just like removing the bag hooks. Plus the dealer made it unecessarily difficult for me to find the genuine steel rim.

[Bambazonke]

I concur with all the above and what I find strange is that VW offer the Passat a normal road vehicle with a full size spare!

[tigger73]

Had some time over Christmas (and a couple of Bunnings vouchers) so I decided to redo the floor in my boot to fit my full-size wheel.

I left the original wheel cut-out and installed a full size spare with Phil G's "special" threaded rod/wing nut/nut:





Cut out a new base in 12mm MDF. I also cut some slots at the back for the "pegs" near the back seat to help it sit flatter:



Cut out wheel cover:



Cut out some 50mm polystyrene to go around wheel:



Last, a layer of 3mm MDF to go across the top to make everything flat:



Finish with auto carpet.



I glued the polystyrene down with contact cement, however it seemed to react/eat away a bit at the polystyrene so next layers I just used some double-sided tape which seemed to work just fine.

Here's a side view of the "sandwich":



Most of the bits I got from my local hardware store, however the 50mm polystyrene was from Clark Rubber.

The only issue (not a major one) with the way I've put it together is that you have to move the rear seats forward a few cm to remove the floor and get to the spare wheel plus anything else stored under there. It's not really a problem as the things I keep under there (tie down straps/rope/etc) only get used every now and then. Also it only takes a few seconds to move the seats.

[desvejk]

I do a lot of camping so I needed to go for a vertical installation of the spare wheel.
It's quite secure with ratchet straps and anchor points above and below the spare.
As you can see in the picture the space saver wheel gives me room for a fridge and some storage.
But it can be done with a full sized wheel.
I'll be buying a full sized wheel that I will attach to the camper trailer.
This will give me two spairs.

[tigger73]

I do a lot of camping so I needed to go for a vertical installation of the spare wheel.
It's quite secure with ratchet straps and anchor points above and below the spare.
As you can see in the picture the space saver wheel gives me room for a fridge and some storage.
But it can be done with a full sized wheel.
I'll be buying a full sized wheel that I will attach to the camper trailer.
This will give me two spairs.

Yes I thought about going this way as well, however opted for the (wasteful) install with the wheel flat on the floor. I use the car for work and need to fit boxes/equipment in the boot. I think access is better with full width rather than having a deep (but narrower) boot.