A Spare Tire That Fits Under the Load Floor

[bandit81]

This is a spare I got from EZ Spare Wheels. Since it doesn't fit in the well sufficiently to allow the cover to close flush, I just strapped it down. I guess it's the lazy way out, but it works.

Does that work with the factory lugnuts or does it come with it's own?

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[elh0102]

Does that work with the factory lugnuts or does it come with it's own?

Both. It works with the OE nuts, but they also ship a set. I don't like the ones the send, because they work with a big torx driver socket, and the head is not 22mm, so it's two more thing to keep up with. I didn't actually check the angle of the wheel surface for a perfect match, but i mounted it on front and went for a short drive.

 

[bpebler]

Definitely the best looking lol

 

[s219]

This is a spare I got from EZ Spare Wheels. Since it doesn't fit in the well sufficiently to allow the cover to close flush, I just strapped it down. I guess it's the lazy way out, but it works.

Do you remember the cost? I am curious because I went with the Honda CTR FK8 kit that came with the jack and all the tools for $220, then spent another $125 for the tire, so all in for about $345. It also doesn't fit under the floor, so I just strapped it into the cargo area for now.

 

[elh0102]

You're better off in total cost. My tire and wheel from EZ Spare was $345 with tax and shipping. I had a compact jack kit from a previous BMW, so that was already spent. I'm sure that I have over $500 in the whole thing. But IOM (it's only money).

 

[jpooah1]

Special thanks to kjechel. Thanks for putting the writeup for this together. Followed all the steps, ordered all the parts. All in it’s less than $300 and fits in the rear flat. Much appreciated! My only observations and advice was that for the drill I followed the instructions and torqued the wheel down to 60,70,80,95 each time I just used the 9/16 step drill bit taped off to mark how deep and really just hit the hole for like 3 seconds the hole was already fine but I wanted that extra clearance. Literally just fine little metal shavings came off the hole it wasn’t hard.

And the tire shop mounted it for $25 included valve stem. When working on the trunk just put your rear seats down to fold the cover flap backward over the back seats and that gives you room to work.
I just used the styrofoam padding that came with my wheel from
ecs and cut it into a pad shape about 7 inch by 2 inch by 2 inch and it fit to make the wheel sit flat. Everything fit great thanks!

 

[elh0102]

Both. It works with the OE nuts, but they also ship a set. I don't like the ones the send, because they work with a big torx driver socket, and the head is not 22mm, so it's two more thing to keep up with. I didn't actually check the angle of the wheel surface for a perfect match, but i mounted it on front and went for a short drive.

I need to correct this previous post of mine. The EZ Spare wheel is NOT designed to work with the OE lug nuts. The OE lugnut is a ball seat design, and this wheel uses a conical taper, which is properly addressed in the EZ Spare lugnuts which they provide. The tight spacing is accommodated by these lugnuts also. They are extended, and the torx head key fits inside the nut, so no additional external space is needed. Although it requires a couple of additional pieces in your emergency kit, it seems to be a good design. Attempting to use the OE lugnuts will risk a connection that may not maintain its torque value.

 

[bandit81]

I know I originally suggested the Dorman 611246 / 611246.1 lug nuts, I am not 100% confident with them as the studs on our wheels do not come out far enough to utilize all of the threads of the Dorman nuts. This spare with the BMW wheel is a "use at your own risk" approach, meant to be a very temporary solution.

If I was acquiring a spare today, I would go with the EZ Spare Wheel, buy a tire cover for it and only keep it in the back seat or trunk on longer road trips. Driving around town I am comfortable with using the kit that comes with the car. At home I now have a set of 18" wheels with all season tires for winter driving - which is literally a full set of spare wheels and tires.

FIY I store a scissor jack and an extendable "telescoping " lug nut wrench along with the original air compressor under the trunk area. Jack wise, I got the Torin AST10202SB, the base has a rotating piece at the bottom that when folded in is about 3.5" thick which fits under the spare tire area perfectly.

 

[s219]

For the money, it's hard to beat the Honda spare tire kit for the FK8 since it comes with the jack and tools. With tire, looking at around $300-350.

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