My xtrail comes with a full size 16" spare steel wheel, fitted with a 215/65 R16 98M Bridgestone TEMPORARY tyre, pressure 44psi.
Nissan say i cannot fit a different tyre to this rim.
I cannot tow with this wheel/tyre, and the speed limit is 50mph
I can buy a 16" steel spare wheel, fitted with a tyre of the same make as the rest of the
wheels. The tyre is dunlop SP20 215/65 R16 98H. (But of a different size.)
Is this tyre suitable.
The four alloys are 17" wheels, tyres are dunlop SP20 215/60 R17 96H.
I think it is, if so what pressure should i use it at? Alloys are 31psi
Edited by Pugugly on 17/03/2009 at 21:45
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Can you not get a 17" spare to fit in the space for the spare?
I know on 4WD cars with an auto (not sure about yours) but you have to replace all 4 tyres at the same time to avoid damage to the transmission.
Edited by rtj70 on 11/03/2009 at 21:54
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Yes from a scrap yard at £200 plus with used tyre. And may not be the same design.
The steel comes at £90 with unused tyre.
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You have to get the size of tyre right on the smaller rim. It can be done. What size tyres are the 17" ones?
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The 17" wheels have 215/60
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Just re-read the original post and saw you gave sizes - sorry.
Looking at this website for calculating sizes: www.tyresave.co.uk/tyresize.html
The 16" tyre is only 4mm smaller in diameter on a 16" rim. Or 0.58% smaller. So might be okay. I'd check with insurance though. In fact definitely check.
But what exactly do you mean by: "(But of a different size.)"... I assume the 16" vs 17"?
Edited by rtj70 on 11/03/2009 at 23:07
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I put that comment after the tyre size should have been before.
The temp, tyre that comes with the car is 65
The tyres on the car alloys are 60
So im surprised that it calculates 4mm diff.
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The 65 and 60 bits are percentages and not sizes. The actual measurement would be the percentage of the tyre width, in this case both 215. So one is:
0.65 x 215
and the other:
0.6 x 215
So taking into account the different size tyre walls and wheel diameter I believe (from that website) they work out 4mm different.
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Yes i've used the web site. I find all this very confusing, obviously tyres will wear, 7mm new down to 2mm over the tyres usefull life.
But i find it odd that nissan don't even provide a spare that is of the same diameter to start with.
I've looked at some 17" alloys this morning, but too much damage for my liking.
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The fact the spare is nearly the size of the 17" means it is a cost saving reason. I wonder why they say not to tow. As you say tyres do wear.
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The dimensions of the existing, temporary spare are the same as your proposed new spare, so it is unlikely that the tiny difference in radius will damage the transmission.
The difference is the speed rating which will be adequate for normal use on your new spare.
There was a time when the sensible advice would be "yeah, carry your proposed new spare, in the unlikely event of a puncture you would not need to use it for too long before getting a repair done so things would be OK."
These days so many legal issues complicate matters. If you were involved in an accident whilst using the spare, would your insurer make an issue of it? Would the police prosecute?
I just don't know the answer to these queries, who does?
Maybe, as the car is new and still covered by free breakdown, you should just stick with the existing spare. If you get a puncture whilst towing then you will just have to be recovered.
Of course, this depends on whether the recovery people can cope with your combination of vehicle/trailer and number off passengers!
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Thank you both for your replies.
I have spoken again to nissan this morning. The chap admitted that he had asked a nissan dealer if the steel wheel could be uprated with a "proper" tyre and then used for towing.
Seeing he asked a dealer i suspect i am being fed poor imformation.
Following that, i phoned my local tyre fitter, he tells me that the steel wheel will be a normal wheel but fitted with a temp' tyre.
So i should be able to fit a tyre of the correct loading, and speed rating. He will have a look at it, so i will let you know.
Interestingly he tells me that plenty of taxis come in to have there steel spare changed to an alloy, or they can't get signed off as a Taxi !!
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Also the tyre fitter said the 4mm difference in diameter, could occur with part worn tyres anyway.
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Today my temporary spare tyre was removed and replaced with a normal road tyre.
I've had a dunlop SP20 fitted 215/65 R16 98H.
Should this tyre be pumped to 44psi, same as the original temporary spare?
Was the original pumped to 44psi to make up for the 4mm smaller dia?
I am happy that i am now safe to tow with this spare, but still intend to limit speed, shoud i need to use it.
At the very lest it is an improvement.
According to the tyre man a temporary tyre is more expensive to replace than a normal tyre.
So what Nissan is the point???
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I would match the pressure in your new spare to the tyre on the other end of the axle that you fit it to.
Temporary spares usually run at a significantly higher pressure to normal which must be something to do with their design.
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Cheers Docter, i,ll do that
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