The Cal-look Lounge

I apologize if this is a silly question but.....If you drive your car and run the typical small front tire and taller rear tire combination with a lowered front end what happens if you're driving your car and you get a flat tire?  Which spare tire, or what size spare tire do you keep in the car?  Or do you keep a tire repair kit in the car? Also, what type of jack do you keep in the car to jack the car up to change the tire?  Scissor jack, Bottle (hydraulic) jack?  Stock jack?  At present I have all the same size tires on my car (front to rear) but I'm thinking of changing to a "Big and Little" set up.  My front beam is adjusted down with Avis adjustors (Berg). Car is a '68 Beetle.

I like to drive my car on the street and take it on one to two hour trips so I just wonder what all the Cal-Look drivers do if they get flats?  Thanks!

My car runs 145s and 205-65s.  For a spare I have a 155 on a steel Porsche wheel.  I figure in a pinch I can use it on either end to get me either home or to help.  For a jack I have a Porsche alloy scissors jack that I keep behind the rear seat.  I wanted to store it in the back of the spare wheel, but it is too long, dang it.  The stock Beetle jack is also present in the wheel well.

I have pics but they're on the home computer.

Like Java, I also have a 155 spare. Fits in the wheel well, and would go on either end - Space savers are just a "get you home" fix, and I look at this as the same.

I have a 155 on a steel rim too, and a scissor jack + a stock jack.

Thanks guys, I've always wondered about this.

145. It's what I've got on the front, and it will work for an emergency on the rear.

Yup, I too carry a 155 on a steel rim.

All this has brought to my attention however that i have until now neglected to carry a jack.  A problem I shall have to remedy.

Anyone gotta spare jack?

155 70 on a porsche space saver , with a spare set of bolts for a steel wheel and the all important AA card  :)

Jacks are too heavy  ;)

(http://www.billyandkelli.com/weblog/wp-images/us/Fix-a-Flat-lineup.gif) ;D

I'm going for the full on old school cal-look style....

  As in I use the logic of a teen ager and run around town on my (according to Schwimmer) 26 yr. old front 145 pirelli's and my 23 or so yr. old rear 205 pirelli's with nay a spare in tow.   no Jack either.

  let the lashings begin.....

  P.S. I know it's stupid dangerous to drive on tires that old and it's safer to run a spare in case of front collision but it's how it is.



  (man I hope the flat tire Gods don't read this)

Well with that, you must have a AAA card, right?? But don't feel bad, I don't have a spare either.  :(

You've seen pics of my '67... no spare  :'(

And our Mr. Schwimmer happened to have my spare at the time

Let me ask for me...

195/55-15 front and 205/60-15 rear with the front dropped 3".

Here's the twist... the tranny has a ZF so the tire can't be too much smaller.

See if you can find something with the same height as the 205/60 but skinnier to fit in the well?  Would also need to test fit it on the front then, too.  Might be close.  Problem is it is difficult to fit much more than a 155 in the spare tire well.

I suppose you might have to change to the resto-custom look so you can run a roof rack to carry your spare tire(s).  But your 74 has IRS, so it won't get all "lay'd out" in the rear.  Umm...seems you're pretty well screwed.  Back to stock!

dude your tires are older than Carlos.  :o

Running different sizes on the rear axle..... won´t that burn the sidegears into the diff, just like when doing a "one-wheel" burnout ?

That's ok, the only time I've had a blowout, Mr. Schwimmer came to the rescue for me with a spare.  :)

It will be ok for a short distance to get you off the freeway to the next tire store.  Just keep your speed down.

A ZF will NOT like a different size tire.  If I had Glenn's tyres, I would swap both fronts onto the rear, then the good rear up front with the spare. 
Here's a pic of my spare next to one of my rear tyres.  215/60/15 & 155/80/15.

where can I find those  porsche saver wheels for cheap?  ???

Dem

Glenn and Bruce touched on what I was thinking about with different tire sizes from front to rear and that's why I asked. Not only can you have tire fitment problems when you have a lowered car but also you may damage the transmission if you're not careful with what size spare you use.
 

Problem is a 205/60-15 will not fit in the front.

I might have to stick with what I have.

A 155 will, and that's pretty close... less than one tenth of an inch difference in height from your 205/60's (mathematically speaking).

Got mine off flea bay  ;)

i need one too dem. ;)
i'll probably fit a 135r15 onto it. in case i have to run it in the front instead of the 14s. it will definitely look funny in the rear though ;D

what's special about the porsche space saver apart from the funny tyre that comes with them? aren't they essentially a porsche steelie?

Yes, as far as I know. The difference is the valve hole - it's a wierd double valve arrangement. I thought about welding it up and drilling a normal one opposite.

just read through this thread again.
but i wanted to make clear; can i just have a 135 or similar size mounted on a space saver or will that not work with the special valve ???
sorry, but i don't wanna purchase one and find out afterwards ;)