WISDOM ;PLANING FOR THE FLAT

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WISDOM ;PLANING FOR THE FLAT

Postby MIKESMONZA » Sun Oct 01, 2006 1:23 pm

:idea: I had some time to think this over, if you have a flat and have a five lug conversion the 25 to 30 yearold spare,,, with four lugs is just excess bagage in trunk or hatch area so geting a space saver tire 5 lug,,,,,or a rim and tire that fits the corect offset,,,for the front or rear,,,,, that not going to fit the hatch/ or s/wag back right rear wheel spacetub. Has any one found a good set up i have seen tire's in some one's ride bolted with a four way tire tool and after market sccior style jack for back up those old reliable three piece jack's are still stowed in the tail light area with with a tension spring I carry a plug in compresor,,,and tire pluging and a spare set of factory lug nut's for attachment of odd ball spare's and a chock for the wheel,,,also reflectors and after day light flre's and a mag light,,,, any opinons or advice shared would be welcome MIKE 8) 8)
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Postby SunbirdMan » Sun Oct 01, 2006 2:03 pm

The inflatable spare from a 3rd gen f-body fits the 5-lug but it won't fit the compartment in the trunk or hatch area. I got an aluminum space saver I'll carry but I have a notchback so I can at least put it in the trunk. You hatchback guys need to get a matching cover for it I guess. Also I'll have to carry an extra set of lug nuts as the spare uses a different style than my alloys.
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Postby MIKESMONZA » Sun Oct 01, 2006 2:31 pm

SUNBIRDMAN ; My years of offering road side assistance ,tow clubs,,,mostly towing and recovery , have taught me those that the lug nut is not the only "nutt" behind the wheel,,,I have gone to many scenes where the locking lug nut was no where in sight or a spare space saver to replace the custom rims had the alloy style lugnuts,,,,, :!: :idea: The ,,,spacer,,,, and 3rd gen wheel and tire assembly is a good start with the nuts open ended of course thanks MIKE 8) 8)
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Postby starfire383 » Sun Oct 01, 2006 6:13 pm

Boy, mikesmonza is right on the money, ran a tow truck a few years myself. Been on many calls that should have been a simple tire swap and ended in a tow.

Do 3rd gens use an inflatable spare? I always thought they were a traditional mini-spare? If you look around a bit, you can find em with aluminum rims and they only weigh a couple pounds 8) It's what I use in my elcamino actually

In a pinch, shanked lugs will work on a cone seat spare. As long as you're not trying to do another 100 miles on the interstate, you should be fine.

On a side note, as a car guy, I get asked alot by coworkers and such about what they should teach their 16 year old, and I always say the same thing......have them put the spare tire on the car, then take it back off. These people look at me like I'm crazy, and usually have the same response..."but she has a cell phone" People are so stoopid I can't drive home during rush hour without seeing somebody sitting there with a flat, cmon people, it's not rocket science. The automakers make it pretty idiot proof since idiots buy their products!

Yesterday, I actually had a limo on blocks in front of the house. (high end redneck neighborhood) Neighbor has a limo and drives it for a living. Pulled up wanting me to air up his flat tire. Bead ended up screwed from driving flat, wouldn't hold air, didn't have a spare!!!!! I pulled the tire off for him so he could run up to the tire store. But what I couldn't believe A- guy who drives for a living couldn't change a tire. B- Car that drives for a living didn't have a spare. Needless to say, he owes me a 12 pack!
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Postby spencerforhire » Sun Oct 01, 2006 8:11 pm

Hiding in the unmodified spare tire well of my 76 Vega is the inflatable spare from a late 70's Nova- I believe the size is D78-14 on a 5' wide rim. It's a little tall when inflated(around 25") but still fits, even with the battery in there as well. I also have kicking around the shop a 15" inflatable from a Porsche(944, I think); it's aluminium, but came drilled for some oddball 120mm 5-bolt pattern. Luckily, the center of the rim is perfectly flat so I drilled the 4.75" pattern in it, too. It's a hair bigger when deflated so I might have to massage the tire well to get the battery in beside it.
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Postby greg72 » Mon Oct 02, 2006 10:14 am

Good tips for 5 lug spare oprtions on 5 lug converted hbodies!

Unfortunatle when driving a pro-street car having a spare, means having a cell phone and the number of a towing co. with a flatbed. Or friends , neighbors, etc with a trailer. :lol:

quite frankly that is the biggest drawback for me. I LOVE to drive my cars. A 100 mile road trip is not uncommon....just a bit nervous knowing you don't have a spare and can't really leave the car unattended by the side of the road :(
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Postby SunbirdMan » Mon Oct 02, 2006 10:26 am

starfire383 wrote:
Do 3rd gens use an inflatable spare? I always thought they were a traditional mini-spare? If you look around a bit, you can find em with aluminum rims and they only weigh a couple pounds 8) It's what I use in my elcamino actually



This is the F-body inflatable. Option N64. Its 14 inch. This isn't my pic , it shows how it rubs on later rear disc brakes. The aluminum doughnut that replaced it is larger so it clears the rear discs. That's another thing to consider when seeking a spare.
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Postby 75_2+2 » Mon Oct 02, 2006 11:41 am

For that f-body inflatable spare tire, would it be feasible to just also carry around an aluminum spacer to put between the tire and the hub to keep the wheel away from the brakes? My dad gave me a set for my 4 lug rims, but I never needed them. They got to make them for 5 lugs too. It is just a solid piece of aluminum to push the tire and wheel out a little, doesn't really weigh anything.
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Postby mldeolde » Mon Oct 02, 2006 4:09 pm

i keep my local towing companies advertiseing chit on my set of keys at all times and have access to an amount of money or credit to cover the towing for the distance i plan to go and always cary my cell phone and hope for coverage in the area i could potentally break down in. also never travel alone. my buddies early 60's pro street pick up is my traveling partner of choice.
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Postby vegatex » Mon Oct 02, 2006 4:46 pm

I think I found an inflated space saver 5-lug that fit in the spare tire well on my 76 Vega Wagon (AKA Willie). To be honest, I haven't put one in the Turbo '77 HB yet.

Thanks for the reminder!!!

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Postby MIKESMONZA » Tue Oct 03, 2006 1:04 pm

:idea: Thank's everybody,I just got back, today, and for some of the response's to the post,,,,,I appreciate the level of the person who has a stock set up,,, every thing there but the 30 + year old rubber deteriating and not high on the ( got to get one of those ) on the budget " LIST" along with a fire extinguisher,,,,, to the enthusist ,,,,, ( H- HEAD ) ,,, modified street/daily and weekend and of course trailer queens that need a spare,,,, plus a little thought as to mount,,,, fit and secure the spare,,, :shock: remember the early vw had a hose attached to the windshield washer water bottle running to the spare for air and when the squirter stopped working the spare was out of air,,,, {German engineering } they wanted you to check the spare on a weekly basis,,,,,LOL,,,,, if any body else can add to this post,,,, ideal's and actual picture's are nice,,,, as we have seen above thank again MIKE 8) 8)
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Postby bugdewde » Tue Oct 03, 2006 4:55 pm

SORRY FOR THE HIJACK.......
Being a first and foremost VW nut, the air powered washer was an idea that was PERFECT for the Kafer design of the time. Dr. Porsche designed the car with easy maintenance and simple operation in mind. K.I.S.S.

That being said.........
:D no electric motor to wear out or replace(remember, this was designed in the 30's).
:D No pump diaphram in the switch to rot or fail, just like the early Vega(remember, this was designed in the 30's)
:D Just add a squirt of air to the spare every time the gas station attendant(you remember those?) filled the tank, crankcase, tires and washed the windshield......... K.I.S.S.
Sorry for the Hijack...... but it needed to be said..... Early, Aircooled, flat 4 VWs rock.

Oh, ....One more thing. No coolant to freeze or boil over(Hitler's plan on being in Russia in the winter and Afrika in the summer). 40-50 mph all day long, everyday. Just a normal tuneup and valve adjustment every 10k miles. A true car for the entire world.
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Postby MIKESMONZA » Tue Oct 03, 2006 6:10 pm

8) THANKS BUGDEWDE; the most overlooked thing's bring out the best and brightest ideas that brings me to ask,,,,, in the back ground there is a h-body that I first saw then the jeep's vehicle's color's and what is the sign leaning on the other jeep,,,,look's like a military batalon sign for a motor pool, some where east????just my imagination. mike 8) 8)
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Postby bugdewde » Tue Oct 03, 2006 8:45 pm

Wow....... not sure what sign you're talking about. There isn't a sign leaning on either Jeep, as far as I know.

The silver '78 CJ-7 on 38" tires to the far left must be the one you're talking about. That red and yellow color(like a military ribbon) is the hatch on my '72 Vega. It's propped up, as I was stripping the Vega's paint.
That hatch was shipped to me from NJ and came off a drag car with stripes.

Back on topic:
The spare well in my '72 is pretty rusty. My parts car is also rusty there...... thinking of sheet metaling it, so I'm watching this pretty closely. I didn't even consider a larger tire fitting back there in case I go with 15" tires........ got me wondering what I should do.
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Postby MIKESMONZA » Tue Oct 03, 2006 9:26 pm

BUGDEWDE; :shock: Now that I look at it closely 6 or 7th time!! I do see a hatch and your right it not touching the top but it real close! to the top i asumed it was some sort of extension to the top that was holding it up,,,,, now that i see the car it all makes sense now,,, :oops: damn smudge on computer screen,,, the color is also the culprit thanks MIKE :shock: " eyes wide open"
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