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Should the space-saver not be the same diameter as the rest of the wheels.My better half has the honda jazz and the space saver wheel is a lot smaller than the standard wheel, so if she were to get a puncture in the front would it not want to pull to one side, or are you supposed to always put the space-saver on the rear although it does not advise this in the handbook. personally I do not like them and will certainly take a full-size spare with me if I ever go any great distance because I would never trust any old place repairing a puncture in my alloy wheels!
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I hope the space-saver on your Honda IS the same diameter as the "normals". It may be half the width.
They are common in Germany, with many VW / Audis having them.
As well as some for which there is no alternative.
I had a puncture whilst driving a pal's 911 Turbo several months ago. The interesting spare WHEEL "unfolded" under air pressure from the (supplied) compressor.
The problem was where to put the punctured GIANT rear tyre.
The lad at the tyre dealer got his pals to gather around while he did the "up-down" trick twice.
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Trevor, it definitely is a lot smaller than the fitted wheels although I can not say by how much for a few weeks because I am not at home just now and will not be for a few weeks but it does not seem right to me to have one wheel much smaller than the rest. I remember once when I had to get one of my tyres replaced on a front wheel drive car years ago, I think it was an austin 1100, the resulting drive with one new tyre and one worn tyre was frightning and I had to put it on the rear!.
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Check it - the tyre MUST be the same rolling radius.
It is about half the width. and much higher profile.
You are right - if it were different diameter, the car would be unsafe.
Believe me, I was VERY sceptical that this (approx 3" wide) spare could possibly replace the GIANT (12"?) wheel on my pals Porsche, but it worked.
We are very sceptical about "space-savers" in this country.
In Sweden, SAABs have them.
Are we really saying our safety standards are higher than Germany & Sweden?
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Trevor - explain how the inflatable *wheel* worked! Sounds incredible!
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IMHO space-savers should be banned.
We go to great lengths in the MOT etc. to keep cars with odd mixes etc. off the road, so I can't see how space-savers can be justified, the handling cannot be the same a with 4 matched wheels/tyres.
The "Only for emergencies" argument does not hold water if you happen to be in the wrong place when a "3 + 1" equipped car loses control.
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I had absolutely no trouble whatsoever, despite misgivings, when driving my Mazda MX5 with its spacesaver fitted to the rear. I did of course keep to the handbook's recommendations re speed (IE 50 mph max.)
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Porsche came up with the collapsed tyre idea for the original 928. My mate has one. But obviously if a tyre had been folded up for 20 years and never used it might not necessarily hold pressure when inflated using the electric pump that also comes with a 928.
HJ
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The circumference really must be the same because if the space-saver is put on the driven 'axle' it will overstrain the differential, I should think; wheels turning at a different rpm on the same pair of drive shafts - can't be good.
On a slightly different tack, I seem to recall that under the Construction and Use regulations space saver spares aren't strictly legal but nobody has been taken to court for a test case, yet!
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You won't 'strain' the diff, both wheels on an axle very rarely travel at the same speed.
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Dave N
I take your point but the variation will be continual, even when travelling in a straight line. I haven't doen the maths but a 16 inch wheel running with, say,a 15 inch would give the diff a lot of work to do all the time. This is entirely theoretical - it maybe that there is no big problem, as you say.
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The space-saver on my wife's Honda Civic was definitely smaller in diameter than the normal wheels. I supposed that it was so you would always be aware that the space-saver was fitted, and so would drive with circumspection. I replace the space-saver with a normal spare as soon as I could.- just as well, as when we did have a puncture it was 160 miles from home!
(Anyone requiring a free unused Civic(G Reg)space-saver spare please contact me!)
P.
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