"Plus" sized tires too large to fit in the front spare tire boot

OK, I've just discovered an unanticipated consequence of the new tires (225/50 x 16 front and 245/50 x 16 rear).

Should I ever have a flat by the side of the road, I won't be able to fit the 'flat' rear tire into the car once the spare is fitted.

The front 225/50 is a -very- snug fit, but that's the absolute limit - the 245/50 won't fit, and it's not even close.

Many others of you must also have fitted a bit larger than stock tires onto your cars - how do you address this storage problem?

Simply carry a couple of cans of fix-a-flat and hope for the best, forgoing the spare altogether?

Cheers - DM

 

Isn't that what the trunk is for??? ::))

 

Yeah, the whole spare tire thing is a pain on sports cars in general.

In my old BoxsterS, we had a donut for the spare tire.... BUT the factory 18 inch wheels would NOT fit in the truck. So, if you had a flat, you could definately get the car on the road again, but you had 2 choices.....
1) Have the passanger hold the 18" tire (diry cause it was on the car) in thier lap with the top down until you got home....
or 2) leave the 18" by the side of the road and hope it doesnt get stolen by the time you get back in your daily driver.

James in Denver

 

Maybe the cars need a Continetal kit?? LOL

 

I think you're trying to fit an inflated 225/50-16? I had the same issue trying to fit an inflated 245/45-17 in my Mondial. I simply uninflated the tire and it fit. To inflate, I went to Sears and bought a small cigarette lighter powered air compressor. (I also changed the Ferrari's cigarette lighter to a US Standard cigarette lighter.)

 

If you're needing to change it, wouldn't it already be deflated?

 

No, even simpler than that: I checked the fit of the bare tire w/o a wheel, prior to having it mounted onto the wheel.

And, the 225/50 front does seem to fit, albeit very tight. It's the 245/50 rear (or anything bigger than the 225/50) that's the problem.

This is apparently not a Ferrari / 308 specific issue, as after doing a little bit of research, it now seems that many other cars today use teeny spare tires without the ability to fit the flat back into the spare's wheel well. Amazing.

The only other potential solution that I can envision would be to (don't laugh) grab some bungee cords and lash the flat tire to the outside top of the targa roof. Sort of the "Jed Clampett" look.

Either that, or abandon the flat tire and wheel by the side of the road due to the simple inability to transport it home.

I haven't tried it yet, but will it fit maybe into the passenger seat area?

A couple of cans of fix-a-flat are starting to look better and better, and might be the only practical solution to this one.

Cheers - DM

 

Fix-a-flat or AAA card. Those are the only spares I carry. Why get stressed out about it, how many times have you ever had a tire go flat and leave you stranded? I can't remember the last time I had a flat tire on any vehicle.

That's just me though!

 

A can of fix a flat will do.

 

I also carry fix-a-flat, but from what I've heard, that stuff is nasty for the inside of the wheel. I've been told to use it only as a last resort.

James in Denver

 

I've already told my co-driver that IF we puncture, he will be responsible for the inflated wheel... and if it's a rear wheel, it's a 345/35 on 12" rims !

You see, that's a real spare wheel issue

By the way - the tiny can is a normal 33 cl beer can
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LOL - sure would be! But the good tire (spare) needs to fit. In my case, I have a 17x8 wheel and 245/45-17 tire which not only fits snugly into the recess for the tire, but also pushed against the bottom side of the front bonnet. I deflated the tire which allowed the tires to sit a little lower in the spare tire recess and also made the sidewall less pronounced so it sat a little lower, thereby eliminating any rubbing/pushing on the underside of the bonnet. In order to re-inflate when needed, I have a small air compressor with a tire pressure gauge.

 

Simple: GET A GT4!!!



In fact, I had this happening to me, 3 weeks after I had bought the car. In the middle of nowhere in Austria, 700 miles from home, on a snowy and cold December day. I solved it by putting a bunch of plastic bags (which I happened to have with me and now always carry in the spare wheel well) on the rear bench an putting the wheel there.

 

If you use the more often suggested 245/45 size for the rear, you're essentially at the identical diameter as the fronts. The 245/50 tires are taller and larger overall diameter.

 

I picked up a 8x16 QV wheel for a spare, a 550 wheel was not going to fit, i just haven't figured out what size will do. I had the full size in there before, it was the 390 wheel, with no problem.


Mike, is that the current size for the rear? 245/45 (8x16)
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Chris, do not forget to keep the lugs for that wheel in the car, 550 wheel lugs might be different. Believe me I know.

 

Just curious, is that an aftermarket/repro or OEM QV wheel? I thought the OEM's have raised FERRARI lettering on them.

James in Denver

 

Yeah, it's a aftermarket one. My bad if i said OEM.

 

I dont think you did, I just wanted clarification to see if what I learned before was correct. I am learning from FChat

James in Denver

 

Mike, so the 245/45 still fits in the spare tire compartment? Do you know if the 328 compartment is the same size as the 308's?

 

What is that wheel off of? A P4? And thanks for posting the photo; when I get the wheels on my 328 repainted, I want them painted in that color!

 

When ready, my 308 will be white and wheels in gold - here another picture
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This will be the effect, Jim. I ordered these gold 16" wheels from Superformance and mounted Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3s for track use.
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Haven't tried it yet, but my dealer said that a stock front will fit in the 328 with the hood closed, but the stock rear will only fit in with the hood opened a few inches, unable to fully close, but get you home. Based on that, it is the width of the tire on its side if you are concerned with closing the hood. If the diameter is much larger than stock, it may not fit in the circular cutout under the hood.

 

I read the boxer full size tire wont fit either and you are to simply leave the flat tire on the side of the road like new ones are free or something. Oh and the label on the minispare says dont exceed 150kph with the minispare.....ok good thing they mentioned that!