Cheryl Carter

When we swapped cars with Joe he had an amp in the spare tire wheel well. Since then we've deleted the amp and attempted to put the spare back in place. The spare was used at some time in the past and did not deflate back to its original size.

Is there some trick to getting the darn thing small enough to fit?

Update; this was so severe I thought someone might benefit from our experience. It literally required using every suggestion we recieved!

The spare had been out of the car for a year or more and appeared to have been inflated at some point in the past. The diameter of the tire was over 22" and the wheel well opening is about 19 1/4 inches.

We were finally able to get the tire small enough to fit back into the well. First we put it on a vacuum and it sucked the middle section down but not the outside edges. We used two tie down ratchets along the two outside edges. Even so it wouldn't stay small enough long enough to put in the wheel well.

We hooked it back up to the vacuum and replaced both tie downs along the outside edges and left it on the vacuum overnight. This morning we left the tie downs in place and put the tire in the sun to heat up and soften. After a couple of hours we took off the ratchets but it was still too big. We applied some lube and with two guys struggling with it we were able to use a screw driver as a shoe horn and finally got it back in place.

I wouldn't have gone thru so much trouble but had read that the spare was an important part of crash worthiness. If that's not the case please don't tell me.

And thus ends the never ending over sized spare tire story.

Thanks for all the suggestions, every one of them were needed.

Well, except for Seans suggestion that Randy sit on it. I only wanted it compact, not crushed!

Ispeed

It fits, take the valve stem out to get all the air out.

blitz928

You may need to wrap the tire with a ratcheting strap and tighten it down. To get the tire pushed back into the rim.

Shark Attack

I pulled mine back with a tie down ratchet strap. Now when I take it out of the well for an ext period of time I wrape it with 2 bungy cords.

Mike B

Cheryl...it's a tight fit to begin with. I find a little Armor All, or similar treatment, really helps with getting the tire in as well...Best of luck.

Cheryl Carter

Well I'll be darned. We already bled the air and compressed the tire so I didn't think this would have any effect. Wrong. Randy removed the valve stem and was able to get a little more air out. Thanks for the suggestion, unfortunately it is still too big. That from a woman....gotta be a first!

Thanks, Matt. I think that might work with the valve stem out. Only problem is getting a ratchet strap. Too late to go into town today so I'll send Randy out for one on Monday.

Thanks again guys!

Cheryl Carter

When we get this sucker back in it's not coming out again unless we have a flat! But that is a good idea. Thanks.

Thanks Mike. I suspect we may need that trick as well but it's hopless until we pull it down with a ratchet. The wheel well measures roughly 19 1/2" and the tires diameter at present is over 21".

We're getting a ratchet Monday. I don't think we have any Armor All. Do you think KY jelly would work?

Mike B

Well Cheryl, replacing a spare tire can be very mundane, a little KY might be just what the doctor ordered

SeanR

Have Randy sit on it. The excessive pressure combined with the way gravity works, should solve the issue very quickly.

Cheryl Carter

Actually, we've already tried that. Fortunately, the tire didn't disappear. Unfortunately, it's still too big (the tire!).

Randy said to tell the little putz hello.

Mike B

Great idea! Randy performs his magic, add a little KY and PRESTO, you have your spare installed.

One caveat though...it's up you when you apply the KY

Cheryl Carter

LMAO Actually, that would only begin to pay him back for 24 + years of suffering.

Cheryl Carter

Good Lord, Mike! I hope that was a typo.

Or perhaps a Freudian slip...

Mike B

If it was my spare, perhaps

SeanR

Happy New Year to the two of you. Tell Randy that we are ready for the hog hunt.