Volvo RWD 200 Forum

This afternoon, I was trying to solve a problem with my bulb failure indicator. I decided to take out the bulbs from the trunk and have a look at them. Since this is a sedan, the spare wheel must be removed to access the driver's side tail light. I noticed as I was trying to undo the strap that holds in the wheel that it was difficult to remove. I got the tire out and found this:







I have no idea how this happened. I last had the tire out in late March to check the pressure and saw no sign of damage. These pictures were taken after most of the air was let out (It was at 36 psi when removed from the trunk, and the inner rubber layer was poking through the plies.) You can see in the third image that the plies completely separated from one another.

Anyway, I guess the moral of the story here is to check your spare often, especially before long trips. I suppose it's just the old age of the rubber that has started to degrade. This particular tire was a Firestone made in Spain (you know the Spanish make great stuff!)

I'm gonna go try to get a used tire to replace it tomorrow. Anyone know what size fits the spare rim?

Drew
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formerly non-registered at drew b.
green 1993 240, 164k 'Cream Puff V,' formerly: blue 1988 240 DL 'Cream Puff III'

hello drew,
my observation at a number of junkyards and my own 92 240 spare, that spares made by firestone in spain split--just like in the pic. these are usually later 240 years.

the earlier ones made in sweden do not split. my 86 still has the original spare made in sweden--it's doing just fine. maybe firestone too. can't remember.

when buying a spare volvo spare, ask where was it made. avoid spain, buy sweden.

regards,

byron golden
86 245
92 245
94 940

Now is your chance to get a real spare on a real wheel. Dan Pageda is correct, find a junk yard wheel and get a good used tire for it.

Here in the Houston area Discount Tires will sell a good used tire, other outlets wouldn't. Since the 14-inch is no longer popular, calling around to several tire stores might be necessary.

All my 240's ('86 GL and '88 GL) have real spares on matching Corona wheels. Took a while to find the wheels.

Full size spare will fit OK, minor problem if you have a power antenna.

Good Luck,

Bob

:>)

Thanks for the tips Dan and Bob.
I am going to the boonies tomorrow anyway to register for comm. college, which conveniently is right near the pick-n-pull. I found a used tire place downtown that will sell me a 185/70R14 for $28 out the door, but now that I think about it I'll probably just go to the junkyard and try to find a good wheel with a usable tire still mounted on it. The temp. spare rim is a 15" anyway.

Re: the power antenna, my car is equipped with one. How much of a pita is it to use a fullsized spare with the power antenna? The temporary spare seemed about the same size as a stock steelie to me. I might just pull one of my regular wheels and test-fit it back there this evening.

I'm just glad I found the damage in my driveway and not on the side of the road somewhere.

drew
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formerly non-registered at drew b.
green 1993 240, 164k 'Cream Puff V,' formerly: blue 1988 240 DL 'Cream Puff III'

It will fit fine you might need to rotate the bottom part of the antenna but I have a full size spare in two of my 240 sedans.
If you are lucky you will find a good tire as well.
Dan

I found the factory spare in my 93 240 was a 15 inch rim to compensate for the lower profile of the temporary tire. Also the hubcaps didn't fit. A used steel OEM 14 rim and excellent tire was $15 at the junk yard. Down here (as most places I suspect) they have to pay to dispose of the tires so they were happy to include it.
Now the spare is part of the tire rotation and when the kid gets a flat up at school, I just let AAA change it and she can drop off the rim anywhere for service.

16 year old rubber is no good anyhow. Now you can go to the junk yard and get a real tire and wheel for a spare. It will fit in the space nicely.
Dan

Drew,

The only time I have seen this type of failure was on a 66 T-bird with a Firestone red-wall full size bias ply spare in the trunk. It still held air but the treads / belts shattered the same way. Note, this was on a parts car that had sat at the back of the bone yard for 20 years with the trunk shut.

The theory is that such failure occurs due to the heat (in the trunk) cooking the oil out of the rubber causing it to become brittle. Now we know why tires have a born-on date eh?

I'll check our spare in a few minutes, as I wish to avoid the same failure. It also speaks volumes to the 50MPH limit they expect us to hold on a spare tire!

jorrell
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92 245 278K miles, IPD'd to the hilt, 06 XC70, 00 Eclipse custom Turbo setup...currently taking names and kicking reputations!

There are two possibilities. One is bacterial infection. The other is ionization attack. Big IF, you park your car in a garage and IF you park close to a washer and dryer and IF you run the washer and dryer a lot, like daily, it might be ionization. My money is on bacteria.

http://www.aseanbiotechnology.info/Abstract/21021586.pdf

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Mr. Shannon DeWolfe -- I've taken to using mister because my name misleads folks on the WWW. I am a 53 year old fat man. ;-)