TR2/3/3A TR3A Spare Tire Well & Tire Size

Did a search and came up with little so here goes....Got the 3A converted from steel wheels and hubcaps to 60 spoke wires last night, but discovered something I didn't expect to find. The spare, also 60 spoke and 165/15, didn't want to fit into the spare tire well. What size is normally recommended? I was under the impression (wrongly it seems) that the 165/15 was very close to what the OEM size tire was on this car(ancient 5.9x15 BF Goodrich I had as a spare). At 35psi it was not about to go more than 75%.....

Plan B? Deflate and carry a pump of some type in the trunk?

The pre 60K cars have a spare tire well slightly smaller then the post 60k cars by about 3/8". The later cars will accept a 165 -15 wire wheel and tire, as that is what's in my car. It's a little snug, by I can pull it out easy enough. The earlier cars well was sized for a 155 - 15 tire, but your signature shows a '60 TR3A, which would be a post 60k car. Also, IIRC, the wire wheels will only go in one way, as in they won't go in if flipped the wrong way. I forget which way is which. I'd have to look in my car, but I believe that the part that goes down is where the knock-offs seat up against.

martx-5 said:

The pre 60K cars have a spare tire well slightly smaller then the post 60k cars by about 3/8". The later cars will accept a 165 -15 wire wheel and tire, as that is what's in my car. It's a little snug, by I can pull it out easy enough. The earlier cars well was sized for a 155 - 15 tire, so if you have a pre 60k car, that might be your problem.

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Appreciate your thoughts above. What's so strange about it not fitting is that I've got a post 60K number car.

One alternative is to use a "compact spare" type tire as a spare. Fits easily in even the smaller early spare tire well, and leaves extra room for other spares. I stuff a cheap blanket in to keep the tire from sliding around, which doubles as something to lay on if I have to do a "roadside tech session" or if my passenger's legs get too cold.

I got the tire & a wheel from the local junk yard for about $15. Thought the wheel might work, but it wouldn't clear the calipers so I mounted the tire on a standard TR3 wheel instead.

TEXAS_TR3A said:

Appreciate your thoughts above. What's so strange about it not fitting is that I've got a post 60K number car.

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Might be because of the 60 spoke wheel. Are you putting it in hub-down as Art suggests?

Just about 3 hours ago I tried to install my new 165 x 15 Vredestein spare tire which is mounted on 4 inch wide steel wheel in the spare tire compartment of a 1960 TR 3a and it would not go all the way in at 30 psi. It's stuck, I was hot, I quit for the day.

Let some air out. Your 165 will go.

TR3driver said:

TEXAS_TR3A said:

Appreciate your thoughts above. What's so strange about it not fitting is that I've got a post 60K number car.

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Might be because of the 60 spoke wheel. Are you putting it in hub-down as Art suggests?

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Must be the 60 spoke issue because I tried hub down after first failed attempt with hub up. Think I am just going to reduce air pressure and carry a good pump in the trunk. Hate to have a new wheel and tire go to waste just sitting in the garage.

With the tire pressure at 15 psi, the 165 x 15 will slide in and out of the spare tire well with just a little difficulity. Now I have to find room for a pump.

I am going to consider the compact spare very seriously.

Ron

Thanks Ron. For the time being 15psi is what it will have to be for me! Let us know how the compact spare approach works for you. Sounds like it works well for TR3Driver. I have room in the boot right now for a pump, but that may not always be the case, so I bet I end up going the same route at some point.

RonR said:

With the tire pressure at 15 psi, the 165 x 15 will slide in and out of the spare tire well with just a little difficulity...

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I slather a bit of baby powder on the tire to help it slide in and have a nylon strap looped around the tire and rim to have something to grab to pull it out. I also carry a 12V air pump to inflate to driving pressure.

<span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="color: #003300">I mentioned this on a earlier thread; I got a 48 spoke wheel which has a 4" width as opposed to the 60 spoke with a 4 1/2" width.
My 165/85-15 tire fits snug with full tire pressure.
I put a loop of clothesline facing out so I can get a good grip to pull it out.
Installing it hub down leaves plenty of room for spare tubes, high visibility vest, etc. I pull it out every two years to make sure all is in order, since I've not had a flat in 50K plus miles.
For those of you with steel wheels, Randall's idea is tops !!!
Frank </span></span>

You want to use a 48 spoke 15x4 wire wheel. The tire size is a 155/80/15 tire. Vredestein makes that size. This combo fits fine. Wheelguy

I suppose a basic decision you have to make is whether you prefer a spare that is strictly a spare (e.g. space-saver or 48-spoke wire) or a spare that is a serviceable road wheel that gets the best of the old set of tires each time you buy new (or even a new tire & enter the rotation). I do the latter.

TEXAS_TR3A said:

...Got the 3A converted from steel wheels and hubcaps to 60 spoke wires last night...

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You don't say how you did this, but if you are using spacers (i.e. did not shorten the studs) then you have the option of using a steel wheel as a spare. This ia what I do. Would have a slightly different offset but is fine for temporary use. Since I have 165/15s the steel spare just carries a decent used but not out-dated tire of the same size.

Of course you need sockets or lug wrench for both the bevel lug nuts and the 7/8s steel's lug nuts and (real important) 4 of the big lug nuts. I also have a 12V impsct wrench when traveling alone as the nuts on the front wheel adaptor could be hard to loosen if there is no one to apply the brake.