Does everyone tow with a spare car wheel?

[Harrison05]

Hi All, we have recently bought a BMW 520i which doesn't come with a spare wheel as standard. The space savers are very expensive and I'm told that they aren't suitable for towing with, is that correct?
Does anyone have any ideas?

We're considering changing the rear car tyres to xl as we're told they are better for towing. My dad suggested that we get a spare steel and put one of the car tyres were removing onto it and he'll make some form of bracket to store it under the caravan along with the caravan spare but I'm not convinced that this would work or be stable, or affect the weight distribution, again does anyone have any experience with this?

Many thanks in advance

 

[Ancientcaravanner]

Don't have BMW but the space saver on my Volvo XC70 is okay for towing according to Volvo when I asked them.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

I always have a full size spare as space savers generally have limitations on them even without towing eg max speed 50 mph and max distance 50 miles, designed to get you to the nearest tyre fitters. Towing quite often means travelling on Sundays and bank holidays when tyre fitters aren't even open. This in in the UK and I have no experience of continental touring.

 

[Harrison05]

Good point, to be fair it is usually weekends and bank holidays that we tow. This needs some thinking about as tyres & spacesaver are expensive, many thanks for your advice.

 

[saint-spoon]

My full sized spare wheel is on the rear door of my terrano which presents its own problems with the Alko hitch (thank you to the PC forumers for pointing me in the right direction with that).

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

My full size spare was chosen as a factory option when I ordered my Insignia. The wheel well in the boot is only half depth, designed to take a space saver. Vauxhall get around this by lifting the rigid boot floor mat up by about 4 inches on preformed polystyrene mouldings around the protruding upwards spare, but the moulding do have some storage space in them so it is not all wasted space. The reduction in boot space was made clear before ordering the car, so I can't complain. The reduction in well depth has benefits as there is more room under the car to take the retractable tow ball assembly. As always it's swings and roundabouts with any design solution.

 

[DaveA1]

Similar to WC only my Insignia had a space saver as standard, used it once, towed OK. Replaced it with a full sized spare with the mouldings, bit of boot space lost, can still get everything I need in.
What I would not do is fit it under your van, would think it would cause all sorts of problems, weight wise and when you need to use it, van spare wheel carriers are bad enough on their own without doubling the problems.

 

[DrZhivago]

Last year my wife bought a Fiat Panda 4x4 and any spare wheel was only an option. We opted for the full wheel, and in fact this dealer sold all their Pandas with one. There was room for it, so I am amazed that larger cars like the Vauxhall and BMW mentioned above cannot accomodate one by design.

The salesman said that the powers-that-be are discouraging the carrying of spare wheels because of people being struck by passing cars as they changed a wheel by the roadside. I don't always believe salesman, but this sounded plausible. You are supposed to use a goo-type re-inflator, which is quicker, or sit and wait for the AA. In the case of a 4x4 a re-inflator seems particularly inappropriate because in the spirit of off-roading the tyre could be gashed beyond re-inflation.

My advice to Harrison05 regarding the very expensive BMW spare : being for emergency use it does not need to match the other wheels. It could be a plain old-style steel wheel as long as it is the right size with the right tyre, and put it in the caravan. My van has a cradle under it big enough for two wheels There is a thriving market for alternative wheels like here :-

http://www.northhantstyres.com/main-wheel-page.html

 

[paws]

I had heard somewhere...( can't remember where!) that the RAC now carry a spare wheel that has an "adjustable hub" designed to fit a lot of cars, ( and caravans) and that could be jolly useful for folks who don't have a spare... or who have suffered 2 separate problems on the same journey!

Does anyone know if that is true?

If it is, I wonder if the AA and Green flag etc will follow suit, as this could reduce our reliance on carrying a spare....

On a separate note, I have been towing boats and caravans since the 1960's and have never (yet!) had to change a wheel due to a puncture whilst "hitched up".... consequently I have never carried a spare wheel for the caravan or trailer, in all that time..... ( but always for the horse trailer and the car!)

Finally last year my nerve cracked.... I decided that either I was immune to punctures..... or that on the law of averages my time for a puncture was just about up! So I now have a nice new shiny caravan spare wheel and tyre...
However I earnestly hope that it will prove to be just a lucky charm and that previous good fortune will continue!

I hope these don't become my "famous last words!"
Regards to all and of course
Happy Caravanning
paws

 

[Raywood]

Our Mazda has a well for a spare wheel but it is an extra. The answer is get a same size wheel from a scrap yard for next to nothing and the cheapest tyre you can find for emergencies. If you have a flat you can use this until you get the puncture repaired or the tyre replaced.

 

[chrisn7]

Hi All, we have recently bought a BMW 520i which doesn't come with a spare wheel as standard. The space savers are very expensive and I'm told that they aren't suitable for towing with, is that correct?
Does anyone have any ideas?

We're considering changing the rear car tyres to xl as we're told they are better for towing. My dad suggested that we get a spare steel and put one of the car tyres were removing onto it and he'll make some form of bracket to store it under the caravan along with the caravan spare but I'm not convinced that this would work or be stable, or affect the weight distribution, again does anyone have any experience with this?

Many thanks in advance

We have 3 BMWs, all a bit older with full size spares. You don't need to go to the expense of a new wheel - it should be easy enough to locate one in a scrap yard. Even if its a scruffy one, its only the spare. Just be sure it matches in every way i.e correct offset and diameter of centre hole (BMW has varied this in the past)
This would allow use on front or rear axle - I would be wary of using a space saver on the rear due to the extra loading on the rear axle when towing

 

[Harpderby]

Hi I have been looking at a new tow car myself , and a few that are on the short list come with space saver spares, which made think about punctures.
If its front tyre then no problem has the saver spec must suitable for front or rear axle in the normal car configuration, but with a caravan in tow, I would not be sure, I know its a lot more trouble and inconvenience,but if its a rear puncture, then I would put the space saver on the front axle and use the full size tyre on the rear to carry the weight of the caravan.
The safety of my family and myself, and are worth the extra effort and time.

 

[swpostie]

I had heard somewhere...( can't remember where!) that the RAC now carry a spare wheel that has an "adjustable hub" designed to fit a lot of cars, ( and caravans) and that could be jolly useful for folks who don't have a spare... or who have suffered 2 separate problems on the same journey!

Does anyone know if that is true?
paws

Apparently it is! The RAC and AA both carry universal spare wheels which seem to fit the majority of cars!

 

[Dustydog]

My full size spare was chosen as a factory option when I ordered my Insignia. The wheel well in the boot is only half depth, designed to take a space saver. Vauxhall get around this by lifting the rigid boot floor mat up by about 4 inches on preformed polystyrene mouldings around the protruding upwards spare, but the moulding do have some storage space in them so it is not all wasted space. The reduction in boot space was made clear before ordering the car, so I can't complain. The reduction in well depth has benefits as there is more room under the car to take the retractable tow ball assembly. As always it's swings and roundabouts with any design solution.

WC. Following being rear ended last Tuesday I have a free hire car, a SRI Insignia 2 litre cdti. There's no spate wheel at all. Just a bottle thing of gunge under pressure to re inflate the flat tyre.
What rubbish. Glad you did what you did.
It's a six speed auto.Seamless gear changes and very frugal.
How cars have changed! For the better!

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

Glad you like the Insignia DD, even if it is only temporary.

PS - sorry to hear about your car.

 

[DaveA1]

Glad you like the Insignia DD, even if it is only temporary.

PS - sorry to hear about your car.

Also sorry to hear about you motor. How about making the Insignia a permanent fixture on your drive.

 

[RayS]

I think most cars that have a skinny spare will accomodate a 'proper' wheel in the well. Certainly my previous Merc E Class would, just by removing the cover plate and loosing a couple of inches of depth.
Having a full size matching alloy spare was certainly a significant influence of my choice of current Freelander 2. It feels much more comfortable when making long tows across Spain late December.

 

[Keefanmaxx]

Our former Zafira t have a spare at all, just a compressor and bottle of 'stuff' for a quick puncture fix. I brought a full sized spare wheel and al the brackets so we had one on board ...... with the intention that a nice recovery operator would be changing it.
The Antara we now own doesn't have a spare either ... or a space saver. Seems a common Vauxhall thing!!
I'm looking onto acquiring a full spare as there is a full depth wheel well in the boot, but dread to think of the cost as it has 19 inch wheels hmy:

Might dare to ask at the dealer tomorrow ........

:cheer:

 

[Craigyoung]

Keef, try a scrap yard for a 19'' steel wheel , dont need an alloy.

 

[Dustydog]

Glad you like the Insignia DD, even if it is only temporary.

PS - sorry to hear about your car.

Thanks WC.
The Insignia is impressive. The autobox is a delight although I really can't see the point of the gear paddles.
It's so quiet yet gives a good kick in the back if you floor the throttle.
Two moans.
Don't like the door mirrors.

You need a degree in microelectronics to work the radio sat navigation etc

The mpg for the size of car is very light on the wallet

 

[ProfJohnL]

Whether to use a skinny spare for towing or not depends on what the tyre and car manufacture states, If either say don't then don't tow. If neither specifically precludes towing in their instructions then it should be safe to use it for the specified maximum distance and speed with or without a trailer as it should be specified for the car in its maximum loaded condition.

If you are in doubt then it's best not to tow.

 

[Thingy]

Dont they tell you with space savers only to drive a certain number of km's on them, or has all that changed now. If not, can you still tow the same distance on them?

 

[Hutch]

Good to see the Proff back on line, just a thought , What about run flat tyres, I dont have them, I know you can run for 50 TO 100 miles on them but what about when towing, I believe Ford Kugas have them. ?

 

[ProfJohnL]

The maximum load a car can carry is the same whether its towing or not, So if you can load a solo car to its maxim,um and the car and tyre manufacture permit it. then why not with a trailer? Its the same maximum load,