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Swapping donut for full-size spare on 850[ALL/1998] posted by Mark E.Barron on
Friday, 30 May 1997, at 7:57 p.m.
I want a full sized spare for my car but do not want to spend $330 for a matching 6 spoke 4 hole alloy wheel for something that I hope spend the next 8 or so years under the floor of the trunk. I thought that finding a used steel wheel would be easy. How many arrangements of 4 holes would be possible on a 15" wheel. I have called about 4 places and everyone tells me that I am out of luck. Advice anyone? Does a wheel have to be manufactured expressly for a specific car? Many thanks, Mark
Re: Swapping donut for full-size spare on 850[ALL/1998] posted by Henry T. Mui. on
Friday, 30 May 1997, at 11:42 p.m.
Mark, if you are intreasted in the replacement of the donut size spare than I suggest you order a full size steel wheel. You got to have it balanced and install the tire of your choice! As far as I can remember there are no aftermarket steel wheels for the 850 except from your Volvo Parts Dealer. Besides it's only a spare! So get the steel ones! The ones that Vovo advises you to install on the 850 for winter area usage! I do not have the cost of the steel wheel for the 850 on hand but, I can assure you it's a lot cheaper than the alloy ones! I have a 92' 940 GLE and they came with those Volvo multi-spoke alloy wheels that are a pain in the butt to clean. Finally I got the TSW Stealth alloy wheels that are a lot more easy to clean.
Re: Swapping donut for full-size spare on 850[ALL/1998] posted by Joshua Ostroff on
Saturday, 31 May 1997, at 11:22 a.m.
Mark, it sounds like you have a 93 850 with 4 bolts, right? From 94 on (I think) the 850 came with 5 bolt wheels. Either way you should go with a steel wheel for the spare. For my spare I bought a 15" steel wheel from Tire Rack for my 95 (about $50) and mounted an MXV4 with about 5/32 of tread depth. You will lose an inch or so of depth in the storage area under the trunk.
Bottom line: you shouldn't need to buy either an alloy wheel OR a brand new tire for the spare. You'll get more miles on a tire that's got any tread left at all than you will from the compact spare.
Josh
Re: Swapping donut for full-size spare on 850[ALL/1998] posted by Shatz on
Saturday, 31 May 1997, at 1:23 p.m.
Pardon my ignorance, but what is the advantage of a full size spare?
I would assume that given a tire failure you would want to replace or repair the failed tire asap. Doesn't the donut spare accomplish that?
Or are you thinking you want an equivalent tire to mount and be on your way?
Are the driving/safety character istics of the donut poor?
Re: Swapping donut for full-size spare on 850[ALL/1998] posted by Stoney on
Saturday, 31 May 1997, at 8:11 p.m.
Shatz, My personal rule for a spare is that it has to be a tire you can put at least 500 miles on in bad weather. When it blows/goes flat/whatever - it is never at an opportune time or place and assuming the worst and preparing for it is a cheap form of insurance against having to pay $125 for a $50 tire cause they are the only game in town (read NJ Turnpike).
The tread, it you can call it that, on the Volvo donut spare is only good for 50 miles ant the top speed recommended is 45 mph with a "nominal" load. My scenario calls for a fully loaded 245 headed for the Shore on a holiday weekend and I don't trust my life or my wife/kids/cat/gerbil to a donut spare. Mine is now the base of a really neat teatherball stand for my neighborhood playground.
I have seen a person with a front wheel flat put the donut on the front rather than swap a rear to the front and put the donut on the back, this on an 850. Would you want your drive and steering to be dependant on a temporary spare?
All my spares are $10 specials at "Poor Freddy's Mud Hole" a great tire place in Jamaica,NY. Never had a surprise, either!
Why not a run flat primary tire like on new Corvette?
Re: Swapping donut for full-size spare on 850[ALL/1998] posted by Mike on
Monday, 2 June 1997, at 12:00 a.m.
I agree with Stoney's concern's about using the "donut." Not only is it rather unsafe, but it leads to an extremely damaging ride. I will never use the "spare" again.
My wife recently had a flat late one evening. Our 850 was driven carefully for the 10 miles to our home, where I immediately installed two of the winter tires to drive on until the tire could be fixed. In the process of the short drive home, enough bone-jarring bumps were encountered to significantly alter the alignment and shake loose whatever can be shaken loose from our usually unshakeable Volvo.
I have now replaced the "spare" with one of the winter tires, should a spare ever be needed again.
PS: The tire turned out to be unrepairable, since it had a damaged sidewall. I ordered a replacement MXV 4 from The Tire Rack, which took 3 weeks for manufacture/delivery.
Does anyone have experience with an alternative summer tire for an 850 turbo?
Re: Swapping donut for full-size spare on 850[ALL/1998] posted by Shatz on
Tuesday, 3 June 1997, at 4:16 p.m.
Thanks for the info- I hadn't realized that the donut spare had such a short life. I would make sense to put a real spare in the hold. WIll look around for a whell and tire soon.
Re: Regular tire too big for cover with '80 240[ALL/1998] posted by bn on
Friday, 13 June 1997, at 12:04 p.m.
I tried to put a regular tire in the side spare compartment in my 1980 245DL station wagon. The spare tire cover is not able to cover up the tire, so there ends up being a wide gap.
I was wondering if the IPD station wagon cover for the spare is a little wider, or if someone has come up with an novel way of covering the larger regular tire in the case of the station wagon. thanks
Re: Regular tire too big for cover with '80 240[ALL/1998] posted by Stoney on
Friday, 13 June 1997, at 12:57 p.m.
bn, That's strange cause I had a standard wheel spare in my 78, 79, and 82 245 wagon and had no trouble at all. (I knoe the following seems dumb but bear with me). Is it in correctly-IE:The hubcap side out? If it is reversed the wheel touches the side of the storage compartment and the tire is about 1-2 inches too far out (sound familiar?). Where is jack and crank? In the way making tire too tall? Is holddown strap being used? Are the little plastic thingys that hold the lock knobs on in place?
Check all of the above and other than a BIG dent in the outside that bows the body panel in about 2-3 inches I can't figure out why...Unless you are using REALLY WIDE tires. I used stock 5.5X14, 6X15, and the 5 spoke turbo wheels, no trouble. I also just called a buddy w/ an 87 and he has a 195/15 on a std Volvo steel rim in his and still has room for a set of BA Component speakers. So somethin's screwy here.
Re: Regular tire too big for cover with '80 240[ALL/1998] posted by John Laughlin on
Tuesday, 17 June 1997, at 2:31 a.m.
Yes, that's strange. We owned a '74 145E that had a 175SR15 spare tire. Stock size. Worked fine.
-J
Re: Regular tire too big for cover with '80 240[ALL/1998] posted by bn on
Monday, 30 June 1997, at 12:58 p.m.
I tried to stick a regular tire in the spare well of the '80 station wagon this weekend and there was still a 1-2 inch gap. tried to wiggle it around but still got the gap. my tire is 185SR14. tried with the rim face both ways. I have that cardboard type wheel cover. does that ipd wheel cover from ipd have a little more space? thanks
Re: Regular tire too big for cover with '80 240[ALL/1998] posted by Stoney on
Monday, 30 June 1997, at 2:08 p.m.
bn, I can't figure this one out! Never heard of a cardboard cover in a Volvo wagon! Anyway the IPD cover is just a cloth/carpet material that drapes over the tyre and has a cute little pocket for tool, etc. It's designed for the 240 series trunk, not the wagon.
IDEA!!! Go to junkyard and find a cover from 81,82 245 series and try that. The holes for the locking knobs should be in same place but if not drill new ones. The heavy guage plastic cover slips behind the rear tie down point and into a groove in floor/alongside the floor stash box. The part can't cost more than $20. And its pretty sturdy-I've mounted stereo speakers in it and ised it as a shovel when I got stuck in snow (Please don't start about how I should carry a shovel-I now carry 2 E-Tools -OURAGH, SIR!).
If you can't find one try the link at bottom.
FWIW-This is US/N American Model, Euro, Asian, African, ??? Build date and model number/factory assembly point just for yucks-I'd like one of the Volvo mavens to explain this one to me!
Cardboard? Sure it aint a FIAT or a LADA/NEVA? (As they say in Jamaica LADA Shit...NEVA Run!)
BD Parts Online (Ask for ROY)