TR2/3/3A TR3 Spare Tire Compartment, post-60,000

Guys, the TS60001 body panel changes included the 950046 spare tire pan. Wasn't this a DEEPER pan to fit the larger tire they had adopted? Didn't they move up slightly from a 155 to a 165?

(Until my spare 60-spoke wheel gets here from England, I am a little concerned about its fitting in the pan. Everyone has confirmed that the 48-spoke wheel will fit, but no one has confirmed the 60-spoke. Common sense would tell us that the 60-spoke wheel would be the same width as the 48-spoke wheel. A fellow selling a nice TR3A on eBay is also curious about this.)

Yes, the spare tire well got deeper at TS60k, to accommodate the wider tires. 165 tires are an extremely snug fit in the earlier well, I used to keep a rope tied around the tire so I could get it out.

The 60 spoke wire wheels are 1/2" wider at the tire bead (4.5" vs 4.0"); but I don't know how that affects overall wheel width or whether they will fit into the later tire well. The steel wheels were already 4.5" and they fit OK. The tight fit was at the tire sidewall.

I'm using a 60 spoke wire with a 165 tire as my spare and it fits in the my post 60k well. It's a little snug, but I can pull it out by hand.

Which way do you push the spare wheel into the wheel well ? I have steel wheels and I push my spare half way in, then I put all kinds of spare parts into the top cavity of the wheel because the shiny side (outside) of the wheel is down towards the bottom. Once it's filled, I push the wheel all the way in. Like Randall, I have used a 2" wide leather belt around the tire when I push the wheel all the way in so I can pull it out again. I have also heard of TR owners leaving the air pressure in the spare at a lower setting - like 15 psi, so it's not inflated so hard, therefore it's not as wide(top to bottom), therefore it's not as tightly "jammed" into the available space.

I have a TR friend who just switched to 60-spoke wire wheels and he told me he couldn't get his spare into the wheel well. Then I asked which way he tried to put it in. Hub up or hub down ? DUHHHHH !! Then he saw the light !

Good! Thanks, guys, particularly Art, as he had the EXACT answer I was looking for! Don also. I.e., the 60-spoke FITS!!

I remember on my 1958, the PO had installed 590s in place of the original 550s, and it was such an effort to get the tire into the pan that I had to tie a rope thru it so that I could pull it back out.

Don had a good idea I never thought of at the time. By putting the shiny side DOWN, that gives you a storage space within the rim. I currently do that on the Miata.

Thanks again; I'll let you know how it goes.

I have a 60 spoke wheel in the early shallower compartment. Fits and it takes a fit to get it in/out but is doable.