Spare tire placement

[jframe]

Just got my spare mounted back in my 65. It has a factory Rally wheel, not sure of the vintage. The only way the jack plate fit the center hole was with the assembly face down. When the wheel was face up, the cone on the jack base was too large to fit in the center hole of the wheel. Which way is correct? Dont see any way to make this one work with the wheel up, and I am ordering a new spare half cover anyway, so is it really an issue?

Edited September 27, 2017 by jframe (see edit history)

[rivgs]

The wheel should be face down. While you are at it, make sure the valve stem is accessible so you can check the air pressure without having to remove the spare.

[KongaMan]

3 hours ago, rivgs said:

While you are at it, make sure the valve stem is accessible so you can check the air pressure without having to remove the spare.

Bingo. I've got a vehicle in which the spare must be stored with the stem on the inside.  Every time I want to check the pressure I have to pull the wheel out completely. Bugs the crap out of me.

[jframe]

Thanks. I guess it's ok, except for the valve stem part; have to check that tonight. Pain in the rear moving that thing into place in the first place, lol.

[KongaMan]

One suggestion on the spare: get a smaller one.  As noted, it can be a real PITA to get that thing up on the shelf, and many of the radials that folks are buying these days won't fit there no way, no how.  Because it's a spare, and the operating assumption is that you won't be driving on it for great distance (if at all), you might try getting a cheap tire (like a pull-off) in a smaller size.  Say you've got 215/75R15s all around -- but they won't go on the shelf.  Maybe a 195 or 205 will.  So buy that instead.  You'll save a bunch of money, and your life will be easier.

[RivNut]

I think that I mentioned this in another thread but I'll repeat it here. 

 

The 1991 - 1996 Buick Roadmaster wagons have a 5 0n 5" bolt pattern space saver.  The RM wagon came with a 215/75R15 as the standard tire size (no options that I know of either.)  The 215/75R15 is the recommended size P-metric radial to replace our early Riviera tires.  It's about the same diameter / circumference, but a whole lot narrower.  I know the wagons used this size tire so I imagine the sedans did as well.  Time to pay a visit to your local pic-n-pul.  If you don't know where one is close to you, you can find one on www.row52.com .  Once there, you can search for the car you want within the radius you specify.

 

Ed

 

The link I posted doesn't work unless you paste and copy to your browser.  Sorry.

Edited September 27, 2017 by RivNut
Link doesn't work (see edit history)

[jframe]

Thanks for the info. I had already bought anew P215/75-15 American Classic from Coker with the 1.3 whitewall, just to see if I liked the look. It looks really good to me, so I may go with 4 more. Got it mounted up, just took some effort from this fat guy, lol. Will probably go with the tire cover from Clark's, I think it's an exact match.

[RivNut]

8 minutes ago, jframe said:

 Will probably go with the tire cover from Clark's, I think it's an exact match.

 

There is no "exact" match made, but Clark's is fairly close.  You might ask others who have purchased trunk material from whom they got theirs and how it compares.

[jframe]

1 hour ago, RivNut said:

There is no "exact" match made, but Clark's is fairly close.  You might ask others who have purchased trunk material from whom they got theirs and how it compares.

Meant to say an exact match to the roll of SMS fabric I made the trunk linimg out of.

[RivNut]

9 hours ago, jframe said:

Meant to say an exact match to the roll of SMS fabric I made the trunk linimg out of.

?