Jaffar

I realise there are a few threads on this subject but I wanted to get some information that the others do not address.

I have a 83 944 with an inflatable spare. The car is being renovated at present but the spare the same age as the car. I will be doing quite a bit of country driving in the car once complete and would prefer to have a inflated tyre as the spare as it may need to be driven over an extended distance. The questions are:

1. I assume that the 40 year old spare is now stuffed. It looks like it has never been inflated and the rubber is not hard but I assume at this age it is gone. Am I correct?

2. Is there any value in this spare with the inflatable tyre as is?

3. Does anyone have a photo of a full size spare tyre in the wheel well and does the carpet cover it?

4. Are the aluminium spare wheels much lighter than the steels? What is the difference?

Cheers.

Zirconocene

My opinions:

1) I would not trust it and believe that you are correct.
2) Some people really want these, occasionally, so there is something of a market for them. There have been discussions about using the Boxster spares as replacements (if I remember correctly) for actual emergencies, but some people also just want their car to have the OE parts.

Good luck

944Fest (aka Dan P)

The 356 guys love the rims for an outlaw look, @ $150 each..

https://rennlist.com/forums/924-931-...ver-spare.html

secondchris

Mine is the same age as yours. Last year I pumped mine up just to see how it looked and was surprised that it was in pretty good shape. You should do the same and see how it looks. I wouldn't want to drive too far on the spare, but I would not feel uncomfortable driving a small distance to the nearest tire shop or motel in an emergency.

A lot of people will say "just call AAA" but what if you are somewhere without cell service? Consider the spare to be an "emergency wheel."

tempest411

I went out of my way to track down one for my 924S as when I bought the car it didn't have one, and I'm glad I did. I had a blow-out last January on the way home from work and that spare got a functional test. It worked perfectly. As spares are kept in the relatively protected environment of the trunk I suspect most of these should be in useable condition.

Spring44

-My "84 inflatable spare still works fine. It is stored in a dark protected area, away from UV light, water, etc so it doesn't weather as fast as a regular tire. I've only had to use it two or three times since 1984 but wouldn't hesitate to drive it to safety or a repair shop. It wasn't intended for 500 mile highway trips at high speed.

-I think that if you can demonstrate that it will still inflate, it has value.

-A full sized tire will not fit in the spare tire well on a 944. Too small a space!

-My inflatable spare wheel is steel, not aluminum.

secondchris

To answer the OP's questions:

Your inflatable spare is probably still OK to use in an emergency.

Your inflatable steel spare still has value.

I think the full size spares were offered in places other than the USA, so you'd need to keep that in mind, and those cars had a carpet molded to accommodate the larger wheel.

The aluminum spare was present on the 951 (turbo) and I'm sure it's a bit lighter than the steel centered wheel. The 951 came with 16" wheels but not sure if the aluminum spare was 15" or 16" size. I think the Al spares have much more value than the steel type.

goblues38

I took mine out of the car and replaced it with a can of fix a flat. Only need it to hold air long enough to get the car some place safe.

jeyjey

A full size spare does fit, but you need a UK-spec carpet to cover it. Ireland also got UK-spec cars, so mine has a full-size spare in it (with new rubber).

harveyf

I had a massive tire failure at the right rear of my 928. It took me a while but I was able to inflate the spare, put it on the car, and slowly drive about 3 miles back to hotel where I was staying. I ultimately trailered the car home from there.

You might find this amusing.

https://newhillgarage.com/2015/12/11...er-spare-tire/

Jaffar

Thank you for al the suggestions and advice.

I think what I will do is cut the old inflatable off the rim and replace with a standard tyre. What size 15" tyre are others using as a spare on these rims?

Cheers.

harveyf

Check out Tire Rack. You will want to get the outside diameter similar to you existing tires and the width matched to the spare wheel. Tire Rack covers both points in their specs. Check the Vredestein Sprint Classic but I am sure there are others.