A Spare Tire That Fits Under the Load Floor

[elh0102]

I don't believe you will find a spare that clears the front brakes, and that will fit under the rear floor. Many folks think that a rear-only spare is okay, and that switching front/rear wheels isn't a big deal. Those are folks who have never done it under compromising conditions. It's a hassle at best, and potentially very dangerous. I have the same situation with my BMW. My advice, buy a spare that fits the front, strap it down securely and be happy.

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[NowhereFast]

Got some pics for you guys so you can see how it fits in the hatch and under the floor. It leaves a small gap. I wouldn’t do that as a permanent solution but for road trips it isn’t bad.

 

[PhatFreshPrince]

I did some digging and found a solution. With AI’s help, it looks like these parts should work. The spare wheel is only 4 inches wide and uses a 5x120 bolt pattern with a 64.1 mm hub bore, so the hatch cover should still sit flush. The OEM lug nuts should work as well.

The only thing I may do differently is buy a jack kit from Amazon for around $40 and see if it fits inside the foam trunk tool insert. If it does, I won’t need the last three items on this list. Going this route, the total should come out to about $359 before tax, and I’ll still get a flush hatch cover.

Let me know if anyone sees an issue with this plan.

$106.00 — Continental SContact T 125 /70 R18 99M T BSW HM
$99.00 — 42700-TYA-A51 | WHEEL, SPARE (5x120) (18x4T)
$114.00 — 84545-3S5-A10 | BOX ASSY., TRUNK TOOL (TMP)(CARGO FLOOR BOX)
$32.00 — 89211-S05-003 | WRENCH, WHEEL (WHEEL WRENCH)
$191.00 — 89310-S5A-013 | JACK ASSY., PANTOGRAPH (JACK)
$37.00 — 89320-S2G-003 | BAR, JACK (JACK HANDLE)

 

[elh0102]

I did some digging and found a solution. With AI’s help, it looks like these parts should work. The spare wheel is only 4 inches wide and uses a 5x120 bolt pattern with a 64.1 mm hub bore, so the hatch cover should still sit flush. The OEM lug nuts should work as well.

The only thing I may do differently is buy a jack kit from Amazon for around $40 and see if it fits inside the foam trunk tool insert. If it does, I won’t need the last three items on this list. Going this route, the total should come out to about $359 before tax, and I’ll still get a flush hatch cover.

Let me know if anyone sees an issue with this plan.

$106.00 — Continental SContact T 125 /70 R18 99M T BSW HM
$99.00 — 42700-TYA-A51 | WHEEL, SPARE (5x120) (18x4T)
$114.00 — 84545-3S5-A10 | BOX ASSY., TRUNK TOOL (TMP)(CARGO FLOOR BOX)
$32.00 — 89211-S05-003 | WRENCH, WHEEL (WHEEL WRENCH)
$191.00 — 89310-S5A-013 | JACK ASSY., PANTOGRAPH (JACK)
$37.00 — 89320-S2G-003 | BAR, JACK (JACK HANDLE)

The EZ Spare I have is 125/80-18, and it did not fit flush under the storage floor. Your tire, at a 70 series will be a bit wider, and the limiting factor for the floor fit is the cross-section diameter of the tire, not the wheel width. So, I'm doubtful it will work, if a flush fit is a requirement. Also, you should check the OD and be sure the variance is acceptable with the LSD.

 

[PhatFreshPrince]

The EZ Spare I have is 125/80-18, and it did not fit flush under the storage floor. Your tire, at a 70 series will be a bit wider, and the limiting factor for the floor fit is the cross-section diameter of the tire, not the wheel width. So, I'm doubtful it will work, if a flush fit is a requirement. Also, you should check the OD and be sure the variance is acceptable with the LSD.

I think you may have that backwards. The 125/80-18 and 125/70-18 are the same width because the “125” is the tire width in millimeters (about 4.92 inches). The second number is the aspect ratio, meaning the sidewall height is a percentage of that width.

For your 125/80-18:

• Sidewall height = 125 × 0.80 = 100 mm (3.94")
• Overall diameter = 18 + (2 × 3.94) = 25.87"

For my 125/70-18:

• Sidewall height = 125 × 0.70 = 87.5 mm (3.44")
• Overall diameter = 18 + (2 × 3.44) = 24.89"

So my spare should actually be about 0.98" smaller in overall diameter than yours, which should help with fitting under the storage floor.

For comparison, the OEM 265/30-19 tire is about 25.26" in diameter, so the difference from my spare would only be about 0.37". That should be acceptable for temporary emergency use. Also, since the spare will only fit on the rear due to brake clearance, front-to-rear drivetrain mismatch should not really be an issue in practice.

 

[elh0102]

I think you may have that backwards. The 125/80-18 and 125/70-18 are the same width because the “125” is the tire width in millimeters (about 4.92 inches). The second number is the aspect ratio, meaning the sidewall height is a percentage of that width.

For your 125/80-18:

• Sidewall height = 125 × 0.80 = 100 mm (3.94")
• Overall diameter = 18 + (2 × 3.94) = 25.87"

For my 125/70-18:

• Sidewall height = 125 × 0.70 = 87.5 mm (3.44")
• Overall diameter = 18 + (2 × 3.44) = 24.89"

So my spare should actually be about 0.98" smaller in overall diameter than yours, which should help with fitting under the storage floor.

For comparison, the OEM 265/30-19 tire is about 25.26" in diameter, so the difference from my spare would only be about 0.37". That should be acceptable for temporary emergency use. Also, since the spare will only fit on the rear due to brake clearance, front-to-rear drivetrain mismatch should not really be an issue in practice.

Yep, you're right, the cross-section width should be the same, and it did not allow a flush floor fitting in my car. And I didn't realize this was going to be a rear-only fitment. If you're committed to do it that way, then I wish you good luck, but I'll also urge caution. I may be one of the few who have actually dealt with that scenario, and I'll offer this honest opinion. When doing the front-to-rear switch, at night, on a less-than-ideal surface, it can be a nightmare. If I were to do it again, I'd call AAA, let them use the big floor jack to lift the side of the car, and furnish safe lighting, both to see and to be seen. Obviously, it's a personal decision, but I believe that a spare that will fit the front is worth the inconvenience of having it strapped down on top of the trunk floor. But I never needed the storage space in my ITS, and your situation may be different.

 

[PhatFreshPrince]

Yes, I read your post about the added difficulty and safety concerns of swapping tires in a compromised situation. Fortunately, I live in a fairly rural area, so finding a safe place to pull over and change tires should usually be manageable.

You definitely make a valid point about the convenience of having a spare that fits the front directly. My hesitation is mostly cosmetic and practicality-related. My OCD will probably kick in every time I see the cargo tray not sitting flush, so I’m still debating whether I even want to carry a spare at all.

 

[elh0102]

Yes, I read your post about the added difficulty and safety concerns of swapping tires in a compromised situation. Fortunately, I live in a fairly rural area, so finding a safe place to pull over and change tires should usually be manageable.

You definitely make a valid point about the convenience of having a spare that fits the front directly. My hesitation is mostly cosmetic and practicality-related. My OCD will probably kick in every time I see the cargo tray not sitting flush, so I’m still debating whether I even want to carry a spare at all.

I have friends who are comfortable with their cell phone and AAA card. If the fix-a-flat stuff doesn't work, or they don't want to use it, just get a flatbed home or to the dealer. And most of the time that works. I have an aversion to using the sealant, since there are many punctures on which it doesn't work, and it often ruins the TPM. I hate regulations, but I wish some type of spare was required to be provided. They could use an inflatable spare, like the old "collapsible" spare that Porsche used, but in a compact version. It could be only slightly larger than the wheel alone. I digress. Good luck with your solution.

 

[acurax]

I'm curious if the toolbox sits down inside of the wheel like the toolbox for the Brazil market FL5, i.e. 84545-T60-K50, which seems to be similar if not the same as the Honda Civic Hatchback toolbox, i.e. 84545-T43-K00.

Did you see if AI could assist you in finding trunk spacers similar to the Brazil market FL5's, i.e. 84527-T60-K50 and 84572-T60-K50?

 

[PhatFreshPrince]

I'm curious if the toolbox sits down inside of the wheel like the toolbox for the Brazil market FL5, i.e. 84545-T60-K50, which seems to be similar if not the same as the Honda Civic Hatchback toolbox, i.e. 84545-T43-K00.

Did you see if AI could assist you in finding trunk spacers similar to the Brazil market FL5's, i.e. 84527-T60-K50 and 84572-T60-K50?

It looks like this one does ( 84545-T43-K00 ). It was made to fit a 15 or 16-inch rim. I have decided to go with this wheel (42700-TK4-A51), which has a 17-inch rim. I guess it will fit with some room to spare.

 

[acurax]

Yeah, this 84545-T43-K00 should sit down inside that wheel rim with a little extra space. The Brazil market FL5 appears to come with a 125/70 R18 spare (https://www.civicxi.com/forum/threads/fl5-spare-tire.51603/post-854411) so you're sizing should work well.

 

[PhatFreshPrince]

FYI, I tried the OEM lug nuts with the spare T17x4 (42700-TK4-A51), and they worked great. I tightened them down and then removed them to inspect the fit. The studs did not bottom out or contact the back of the lug nuts.

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