tires and wheels spare tire/wheel

[caps02]

What are some of you using as a spare? I'm running 14 inch wheels with 195/60R14 Yokohama ES100's on the street with a Korman big brake upgrade. I was debating about restoring the original 13 inch spare, or going with an E30 steel wheel (with 195/60R14 tire?). Can I get away with using a 13 inch with 185/70R13 combo as a spare or do I need to get the matching 14 inch size? Are there any problems physically fitting the 14 inch combo in the spare tire well and under the wood floor panel (I'd still like to be able to stow it where it belongs!).

TIA!!!

-Rob-

1974 2002

[Guest Anonymous]

This issue was discussed in depth this Summer on the FAQ. Here's a summary: anything fatter than the original 165X13's may not fit under the existing flooring. The flooring can be raised with wooden risers around the edges in the trunk to accomodate fatter tires. So 185X13's and 195X14's will fit in the spare tire well, but will be too fat to fit under the original flooring arrangement.

I run 195X14's on bottlecaps and carry locally a 165x13 as a spare since it has about the same outside tire diameter as the 195x14's. When going longer distances, I throw a 195X14 on an E30 steel wheel in the trunk as a better sized spare. Fortunately in eight years, on good rubber, no flats yet.

Good luck.

____________________

Roger

'72 Malaga

[c.d.iesel]

YES - get a 5 x 13 original steel rim,

mount a 165x13" tire , and your good to go.

You can order a new steel rim from any BMW Dealer,

and order the tire from Tire Rack.

You need to carry a set of "STEEL WHEEL "

LUGNUTS FOR THE SPARE BECAUSE YOUR ALLOY WHEEL

WHEEL LUG NUTS ARE A DIFFERENT TAPER.

use the wrong taper lug nuts with the wrong wheel,

and loose your nutts and the wheel !

( the following illustration goes for nuts as well as bolts )

[caps02]

Is it 165/65R13 or 165/70R13? I don't recall what was on there when I removed the original spare. TireRack lists tires in both of those sizes. I have one more question--what color should the original 13 inch steel spare be? Mine was painted Fjord blue--just like the rest of the car. I thought they were supposed to be silver.

Thanks,

-Rob-

[eastsidebimmer]

Speaking from extreme experience here, if you have completed the 320i rear drum upgrade, the stock 4 1/2 x 13" wheel will not fit over the drums without an aggressive spacer of 5MM or larger. Keep this in mind for cars with this setup.

Ben

[neanderthal]

the original tire would have been a 165R13, which would be a 165/82R13. they never made tires in a 82 series except for those where it wasnt stated. the closest tire would be the 165/80R13.

about the same height as a 185/70-13

[Guest Anonymous]

I just checked my 13" spare, which could be an original tire, and it's a 165-80/13 on a silver-colored steel wheel.

[Paul7002]

I have the same Yoko tires you do on 14" e30 "bottlecaps". The stock 13" wheels do not clear my Volvo big Brakes. For a spare, I use a 175/60-14 on an e30 steel wheel. It fits the spare tire well and under the floor.