Spare Tire Tightness in Well Question

Beetle, Karmann Ghia, Thing.

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RussellK
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Spare Tire Tightness in Well Question

Post by RussellK » Fri Aug 24, 2012 8:38 am

How tight is your spare tire fit in the well? I have a 165R15 and its really tight. Even when uninflated. I know the bug had front end damage but the trunk looks pretty straight.

bajaman72
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Re: Spare Tire Tightness in Well Question

Post by bajaman72 » Fri Aug 24, 2012 2:57 pm

I have a 205/75 in the front of mine, slides in and out pretty good.
1968 Karmann Ghia - Driver
1969 Transporter - Project
1959 Karmann Ghia - Full Race Car

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Hippie
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Re: Spare Tire Tightness in Well Question

Post by Hippie » Sat Aug 25, 2012 6:57 am

Mine was pretty tight in the '69 Bus, but wiggled in all the way.
Same with the '64 Beetle I had...but in the Beetle I had to keep the air pressure down to 5-10 PSI to get the spare to squeeze in, and carried a smallish tire pump in the trunk in to fill it the rest of the way up in case I had to use the spare.
I think both cars' tire wells were designed for bias ply tires, and I was using radials. Radial are a bit rounder and fatter than the equivalent sizes of the old bias ply tires.
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dtrumbo
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Re: Spare Tire Tightness in Well Question

Post by dtrumbo » Sat Aug 25, 2012 7:05 am

I have a 165R15 as the spare in my '79 Super and yes, if inflated to operate as the windshield washer pump, it's nearly impossible to get out. I think Hippie's right on with the theory on radial vs. bias ply.
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1970 Transporter. 2015cc, dual Weber IDF 40's
1978 Riviera Camper. Bone stock GE 2.0L F.I.
1979 Super Beetle convertible.

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bajaman72
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Re: Spare Tire Tightness in Well Question

Post by bajaman72 » Sat Aug 25, 2012 8:10 am

Sorry, mine is a baja with a (ahem) "modified" front end :geek:
1968 Karmann Ghia - Driver
1969 Transporter - Project
1959 Karmann Ghia - Full Race Car

RussellK
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Re: Spare Tire Tightness in Well Question

Post by RussellK » Mon Aug 27, 2012 8:03 am

dtrumbo wrote:I have a 165R15 as the spare in my '79 Super and yes, if inflated to operate as the windshield washer pump, it's nearly impossible to get out. I think Hippie's right on with the theory on radial vs. bias ply.
That makes sense. I went out looking for a used 155R15 but there are none to be found. New ones online are $80 and I still don't know if one would fit any better. I think I'll just uninflate the tire and carry one of those pumps.

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rallybug
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Re: Spare Tire Tightness in Well Question

Post by rallybug » Sun Feb 09, 2014 3:30 pm

As I recall, from the mists of time back around 1989/90, a 155SR15 fitted fine in a '71 standard wheel well - I don't recall having to change the pressure to get it in or out. The '73 Super was easier, naturally :toothy7:
Harvee the Wonder Bus - a 1979 CA-spec 7-seater bus

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Amskeptic
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Re: Spare Tire Tightness in Well Question

Post by Amskeptic » Sun Feb 09, 2014 3:56 pm

rallybug wrote:As I recall, from the mists of time back around 1989/90, a 155SR15 fitted fine in a '71 standard wheel well - I don't recall having to change the pressure to get it in or out. The '73 Super was easier, naturally :toothy7:
Stock VW tires sizes fit in undamaged wheel wells. My Squareback has modern slightly oversized tires and the spare takes a shove to get down in there.
Since MY pneumatic windshield washer system WORKS fine, I have to inflate the tire to 42psi . . . :cyclopsani:
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
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Bleyseng
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Re: Spare Tire Tightness in Well Question

Post by Bleyseng » Mon Feb 10, 2014 3:47 am

165-80-15's just fit in my Ghia with a little pushing and yes, I keep the spare at 42psi for the now working windshield washer system.
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77 Sage Green Westy- CS 2.0L-160,000 miles
70 Ghia vert, black, stock 1600SP,- 139,000 miles,
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