Will a spare tire fit in stock VS trunk?

I bought a 135 x 15r and it fits my older IM just fine. No hold down. rear of tire sits up just a bit on the front of the fuel tank, front is stopped from going forward by a flat plate facing up behind the battery in the well. Hood more or less holds it down.

40,000 miles no problem.

Just found the info after a couple of searches on the site.  Thanks

CMC specs a T125/70D15 on 4.5" rim.  VW did have 4" 4 bolt rim back in 1968 and I'm sure old VW wide 5 were 4". 

If you spec a spare on a new build with 4-bolt wheels, here's the package VS installs - a Nanking 135 x 15R on a narrow rim. It's not a compact spare, but a real (sort of) road tire. You can order this from VS for about $125 (if I recall).

They position it slightly aft from full forward so that you can get to the battery terminals without removing the spare. No tie-down straps - just a simple eye bolt and threaded bolt, secured with a flat metal crosspiece and threaded handle.

Some folks claim you can get a full-sized wheel and tire in there, but this is already pretty close to the boot lid.

Well, the only thing "stock" about my VS is the trunk and I wouldn't travel without a spare tire.

I used to use the 165-15 tire but had to let some air out so it would go down enough to let the trunk lid go down easily.  Now I have a "donut spare"---I don't remember the exact size but 135 sounds right with a standard wheel so it fits the car. Gordin (I believe) mentioned that one of these smaller tires should not be mounted on the rear because the tranny hates it, and could be damaged, with the spare  being smaller than the one on the opposite side.  So the smaller spare gets put on either side of the fronr then the front tire that was removed goes onto the rear so both sides are the same.

Of course if your flat happens on one of the front tires just replace it with the spare.

I went to a junkyard and bought a unused spacer tire and rim for $20. Had to drill two bolt holes (1/2 in ).Lots of room for it in my Vintage.

Joel

spacesaver.

Thanks for the help everyone and great photos Mitch!  Will probably will call Kirk and see about the VS stock mounted spare.

FWIW - I place my spare upside down as shown, to store bottle-jack, pack of tools, extra oil and Blue Tape inside the wheel. Extra fan belt, throttle cable, clutch cable, rags and mechanics gloves fill the rest of the space.

Don't forget that you will also need a jack, wrench and socket to get the job done.  A small hydraulic jack and the tools will fit in the space next to the battery.

Personally, the space in the trunk is more valuable to me (on extended trips) than having the spare.  I haven't had a flat tire in any vehicle I have owned in more than 20 years, so I am willing to take the risk in conjunction with my AAA card.

However, if you aren't using the space for any other reason it sure wouldn't hurt to have a spare in there.

Musbjim is on target with adding storage space - years ago someone here posted they found a tupperware bowl that fit perfectly in the wheel opening.  If you have room on Christmas List there are the old round HAZET VW tool boxes that fit there too. Many are reproductions now.

Under the rear seat I cut a 9 x 13 retangle and set a cake pan bedded in a bead of caulk, 

Alan.

I wouldn't think it would actually get hot enough there to bake a cake.

This is what I put in my spare wheel: http://www.griotsgarage.com/pr...urPicks&refType=

I think Gordon N was the Tupperware guy -

http://s49.photobucket.com/use...paresOpened.jpg.html

http://s49.photobucket.com/use...paresHolder.jpg.html