Faye Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 I've just been rummaging around in my boot, as you do and I've noticed that I have a 17" space saver spare but all my alloys are 16" - unless I'm being particularly thick ( which is quite possible) I'm thinking that the spare is pretty useless unless the alloys are 17" too. My question is when a car has a MOT do they check the spare tyre to the degree of what size it is? I'm thinking that as the car was MOT'd before I brought it the nice after market alloys were on the car at the time of MOT and they were taken off and stock 16 " Toyotas were fitted on the car when it was ready to be sold. Before I go raging off to the garage who sold me the car I would like to know what people think. Second thing - my Supes started making a noise, it seems to come from the underneath of the car towards the middle and back section and is like a "rattle" Theres no particular pattern to when it happens, its just an occasional clanky rattle kind of sound - that sounds really vague but I can't explain it very well!!! Could it be the exhaust? Faye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suprash Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 Yup, your spare is no good, your not allowed to run different size wheels or tyres, put that on Max and it'll lean all funny. So I would go and have a winge............. Your rattle, god with these cars it could be a number of things, but first things first, boot rubbers, you must have read about this, try that first, next possible the exhaust, try wedging a bit of cloth around the area that might be rubing against body or bumpers, drive it about for while and see if its still there. Next it could be anything from a bit of your panneling (Spelt ?) in your boot, to a screw drive rolling around in the back. Do what I did, get someone to sit in the back with seats down, blind thingy out, drive it down the road, and let them play follow the leader with the squeek, that way you should be able to close it down to a smaller area than the rear end of the car And sorry, dont mean to hi-jack, but has anyone had a squeek from above their head where the roof meets the windscreen, when I push on the windscreen it stops squeeking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonball Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 Oooh Ashley - you're so butch when you come to the rescue like that! Almost smell the testosterone! Only joshing m8 LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faye Posted April 1, 2003 Author Share Posted April 1, 2003 Cheers Ash, I didn't think I was being dim. I can't have Max (pet name for my Supe if anyone is wondering who Max is!) leaning, so I shall have a good rage at my local Supra dealer. I shall spend this weekend rattle hunting, got to find some to sit in the back and work out where its coming from I'm not sure I know anybody whos small enough to fit in the back though ! Faye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 I'm pretty sure the space savers are all 17'' Its not illegal or any more dangerous having a 17'' space saver with a 16'' alloy. Space savers are meant to get you to the nearest garage/ tyre dealer at reduced speeds, period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faye Posted April 1, 2003 Author Share Posted April 1, 2003 arghh, now I'm getting confused! I can appreciate that they are only a temporary measure but I would have thought they should be the same size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suprash Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 Trust me you get pulled by plod with 3 wheels at 16", and one at 17", their ticket ya, its your responsabillity to check that all your wheels are correct and safe........... And Paul, Shut up you tart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesG Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 Just been out to the car and checked my spare wheel It's a 145/70R17. My car has aftermarket 17" alloys on, but it would have had 16" as standard. I'm fairly sure the circumference is the same as the rest of the tyres. Looks like the j-spec Supras did have 17" spacesavers as standard. I doubt mine has been replaced as the tyre has japanese writing all over it. James. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrispazzi Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 I don't know if a 17" spare is legal with 16"ers but the important issue in terms of the car sitting flat on its tyres is that the rolling radius of the front tyres and back tyres respectively are the same, and that is not simply down to the diameter of the wheel rim, it depends on the depth of the tyre that's on the rim too. I assumed (I could be wrong) that the rolling radius of a stock 16" tyre was the same as for a 17", i.e. a 17" wheel simply has a slightly lower profile tyre? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesG Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 I must be very bored this evening to try to calculate tyre circumferences, but here we go: front 235/45R17 ( (17*2.54)+((23.5*0.45)*2) )*PI = 202.1cm rear 255/40R17 ( (17*2.54)+((25.5*0.4)*2) )*PI = 199.7cm front 225/50R16 ( (16*2.54)+((22.5*0.5)*2) )*PI = 198.4cm rear 245/50R16 ( (16*2.54)+((24.5*0.5)*2) )*PI = 204.6cm spacesaver 145/70R17 ( (17*2.54)+((14.5*0.7)*2) )*PI = 199.4cm So, I reckon the 17" spacesaver is a reasonable match on a car with standard size 16" or 17" alloys. James. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovatt Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 if you are worried about the MOT just take the spare out if there aint one there they cant fail it, they also cant fail you for not having one ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 I agree with Matt and James' calculation are what I thought... it's all about rolling radius... or total circumference or whatever... don't panic either way... I've never seen a 16" space saver in a Supra. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 The MOT no longer checks the spare ANYWAY ! ! and, YES ALL the Supras had the same space-saver = 17 SKINNY ! You find MOST space-savers on most cars are taller/thinner profile The space-saver is painted BRIGHT YELLOW so that; A) you won't want to drive with it on for long ! and B) the piglets can spot it a MILE off and warn-then-nick you ! [the space-saver is for EMERGENCY use only to reach a place to change it - as said, it only needs to be same rolling diameter - some BRAND new cars such as Clio 172 SPORT have NO SPARE AT ALL ! therefor it can NOT be a legal requirement... CAN IT ?] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digsy Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 I agree with James' calcs too - and I wish I'd read all the way to the bottom of this thread before I worked it all out myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesG Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 It's quite useful working it out if you have non-standard sized tyres. When I bought my car it had 235/40R17 on the front. I've just worked out that is about 194cm circumference, so the spacesaver would be a bit dodgy if I had a front puncture. (Correct sized Eagle F1s now on though ) James. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid_lifecry_sis Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 Come on guys - a female with a Sup.... get to the point - all of you dilly, dallying around - watch how a 33 year old man deals with the situ - and gets turned down. So... urrrr... you fancy a beer, kebab, shave my back and urrrr - and POD! LOL Most of us found that new boot rubbers did the trick - don't try it at home ! What, 16 quid... and that bloody squeak disappeared ! You still running with the poly tools surround? Good luck - take the wheel out and you will pass the MOT. Like the man says - there is a thread on this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kindell Posted April 1, 2003 Share Posted April 1, 2003 The spare wheel is not part of the mot ! And yes i am a MOT tester Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faye Posted April 2, 2003 Author Share Posted April 2, 2003 Thanks chaps, I can stop fretting now! Bit of a shame about the space saver I was going to see if I could get a reduced price on a set of 17" alloys on the basis the car may well have had them when it was MOT'd. It was worth a try! Had a look about the boot rubbers - looks like it could be a bit of fun using a creme brulee torch - just got to get my hands of one of those now! Thanks for your help Faye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian C Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 I had an exhaust rattle once that turned out to be the heatshield that sat on top of part of the centre section. So, if it's an external rattley noise then that might be worth a poke around at. I'm trying to find a plastic-on-plastic or plastic-on-metal rattle coming from the boot since fixing my fuel pump, gngngng. Not the easiest thing to find while you are driving... -Ian PS Come to Santa Pod, you know you want to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suprash Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 And would I be correct in saying that the bolts for the boot rubbers were replaced on the facelift model, as a lot of you talk about having trouble with a screwdriver, mine had a ratchit (what the feck is that ?? say it as i spelt it..... ) type screw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 The spare wheel is not part of the mot ! DOUBLE-confirmed it today wiv my bod... NOT part of it..... BUT, if there is a tyre in the vehicle we have to ADVISE it if it's illegal ? ! ? because although it's NOT part of the test, it's a NICKABLE offence to CARRY an illegal 'spare' ? [just like - we can't fail a loose battery.... but the cops can NICK you for a loose battery:conf: ] [also double-checked tread limits = 1.6mm over central 3/4 of tread ! !.... bit low if you ask me... 'specially on a car like the Soop !] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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