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16" Spare - Tight Fit


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So I go to the car 2 days ago to find the nearside rear tyre is flat as a pancake (screw right in the centre of the tyre) - time for the spare.... only the spare is so tightly jammed into the boot that there was absolutely no way of getting it out without letting alot of air out first. hmmm.

Luckily enough car was in for a service yesterday @ Lexus (got a new GS for the loaner :D ) - they repair the tyre - but when I go to pick the car up (after the dealer had shut so no one to talk to) - the repaired wheel + tyre is sitting in the boot above the wheel-change-tool tray - as if they tried to fit it back but gave up. Sure enough there's no way in hell I can squeeze the wheel back in the spare compartment without letting air out.

My question is: has anyone else experienced the spare being a super tight fit? (expecially S owners who still have a 16" in the boot). And, if not - the only thing I can think of is that the car must have been shunted in another life (even though there are no signs of it anywhere) and if that's the case - what can I do about it?

thanks

al

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oh erm, not sure if my reply helps, but i've got a 17" alloy spare in the boot of mine, which fits easily, fully pressurised and easy to get out of the boot too  :blink:

Same with me (although I originally had a space saver).

Are you sure your boot floor isn't creased?

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Like many others, 17 inch spare fitted fine in my IS.

Seems like the car might have a had a rear end shunt in the past which has damaged/deformed the spare wheel well, but only the outward facing parts i.e bumper were repaired or replaced.

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Like Mr Morse mine takes the 18 inch styling kit spare, needs a bit of upper body strength to remove it but id does come out.

Suggest you put a tape measue across the diameter in different places and see if it's even all the way round.

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I have a 16" alloy in the boot and had the same problem first time I went to remove it, however found out after there is a certin way it needs to be placed, if I remember correctly you need to lower the back part down first then it slots in comfortably.

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Thanks for all the replies - will have a look for creases and get the tape meassure out.

@bri-mc - I'll also give another go at trying to finesse the wheel in - but I'm not overly confident - seems just too tight.

Will ring Lexus tomorrow too - and see if the own up to trying to fit it then failing and ask what they think is up.

thanks

al

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Yes my standard 16"wheel is a tight fit as well, although as previously stated there is a knack....

I seem to remember being sad enough to work that the diameter of a 205/55R16 is slightly larger than a 215/45 R17 hence an S effectively has (slightly) longer gearing and a tighter fitting spare!

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Seems like the car might have a had a rear end shunt in the past which has damaged/deformed the spare wheel well, but only the outward facing parts i.e bumper were repaired or replaced.

:crybaby: damnit - after another inspection in daylight - you're right. Big indent in the rear. No overall creasing but the back wall is pushed in a fair bit in the spare well. Must have been reversing into something pointy like a bollard rather than a wall or being rear ended by another car.

I'm hoping this will be something that can be pushed out relatively easily - car looks fine, boot opens properly, no leaking so all I need is the spare to fit and I'll be fine.

al

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Update: took it round to Lexus who were extremely helpful - it was sorted in about 5 mins with a hammer and a block of wood FOC. Everything back to normal.

Big thumbs up for Lexus Guildford from me. :D

al

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