spare wheel size for van

[johnbarley]

I have a newly-acquired van.
It has eight van wheels with 165 tyres, (4 snow tyres).but they are too wide to fit in the spare wheel cradle.
I have bought a s/h car wheel and ordered a 155 tyre, but this is also too wide for the cradle.
I have located a 145 tyre, but am reluctant to order it, as is the tyre supplier, without knowing if it will fit in the cradle.
Can anyone tell me if it will fit or, if not, what the solution is. The cradle brackets look pretty unbendable.
I do not want to have the spare just sitting on the floor, occupying space.
Grateful for any advice.
John B

[Quendil]

145 will fit as thats what where on mine originally.

[johnbarley]

Thanks for your helpful reply.
Meanwhile, I have borrowed a wheel with 145 tyre fitted and it goes beautifully in the speare whee cradle of the van.
So, as a result of your comments, plus a physical test, I have just ordered a 145 tyre, knowing that it will be OK.
John B

[DaisyMayFozz]

the original crossplys were actually 135! but they don't do them anymore. 145 I find is the best tyre of tyre for a minor.

[mike.perry]

Your spare should be the same size as your road tyres, have you thought about cutting the spare wheel carrier and welding in an extra section? Or strapping the spare to the frame with a bungee strap?

[ASL642]

Whatever size wheels you are running on the spare should be the same size. You can't mix sizes on an axle - suppose you have a puncture?

[PSL184]

Actually it should be the same rolling radius, not necessarily the same size
But as with "modern" space saver spares the speed should be kept low until the original tyre can be repaired or replaced....

[ASL642]

Sorry - that's what I meant....

[drivewasher]

Actually it should be the same rolling radius, not necessarily the same size
But as with "modern" space saver spares the speed should be kept low until the original tyre can be repaired or replaced....

Tyres on an axle should be the same size and profile. IE you cant legally run with say 145 on nsr & 135 on osr it an offence penalty points and a fine for driver & registered keeper. The exeption would be if it was a space saver or a steel wheel of different size that is MARKED as tempory or emergency use and at less than 50 mph.
A car presented for mot with an odd tyre on an axle will fail even if its the factory spare or spacesaver

[chrisryder]

i keep a 155 steel spare in my boot even though i'm running 185 alloys. i'd better write 'temporary - emergency use only' on it in tipex before i forget! i can't imagine it's a widely enforced law. but good to know that, thanks drivewasher!

[drivewasher]

Looks like im going to have to change my views on this.
While this WILL fail an mot (It's in our mot testers handbook) its a bit sketchy as to wether you get a fine/penalty point as its ok to use a space saver or a different size spare wheel on the same axle. A space saver HAS to be marked as tempory and speed limited.

Oh well i do tend to jump in with both feet lol..

It's not somthing I would do or reccomend though

[DaisyMayFozz]

mine has 155 on the wheels and a 145 spare (but that needs replacing so ill go up to 155 just to be safe)

[faversham999]

Take it out for the MOT . you only get a puncture when you have no spare or the spare is flat

[chrisryder]

my tester has never removed the spare from the boot to check if it's labelled or not.

i took the spare out this afternoon to check its pressure, so i took advantage of the situation and made some labels!
[frame][/frame]
there's an identical one 180 degrees around too, just to make sure (and to affect the wheel balance as little as possible )

[PSL184]

MOT tester will never look at spare as its not a testable item....

[JPX877J]

If you use the smaller spare put it on the back of the vehicle. If you get a puncture on the front, switch the wheels around so the spare is on the back. Then I think you shall be fine.