[saigonsmuggler]

Hey all,

I have been telling people to do this for a long time, but i never thought about it for our G-wagen. I am planning on upsizing my tires to 32" (285/65/18) using stock 18" et43 rims. But, then you have deal with the spare tire issue, right? Well...

Do what a few other SUVs are doing...deflate your big spare tire before putting it on (to decrease the size). Squeeze it into the spare tire cover. Then just carry a powerful tire air compressor with you whereever you go. If you need the spare, then just take it down and inflate it to proper pressure.

This way, you get to keep the nice-looking spare tire cover and not have to resort to (or design) any additional accessory when upsizing!

Just a thought. Is this workable?????

 

[diehardg]

saigonsmuggler - 2/25/2005 10:58 PM

I am planning on upsizing my tires to 32" (285/65/18) using stock 18" et43 rims.

Good idea!! Go for it!!

Do what a few other SUVs are doing...deflate your big spare tire before putting it on (to decrease the size). Squeeze it into the spare tire cover. Then just carry a powerful tire air compressor with you whereever you go.

Just a thought. Is this workable?????

I've just put 315/75-16 on my G. That's exactly what I do except spare tire cover. I don't know if the spare will fit or not. I think tire's diameter won't change when aired down.
I use VIAIR 450 compressor. This one fits in the space under driver seat. When I was using studdless tire (275/60-18), I could inflate one tire with 20 psi to 30 psi in less than one minute.

Yasu

 

[Ken C]

re: "...upsizing my tires to 32" (285/65/18) ... deflate your big spare tire before putting it on (to decrease the size). Squeeze it into the spare tire cover. ...."

Being radial tires, I don't think that their overall circumference will diminish upon deflation. The sidewalls (cross-sectional width) will decrease, but the tread won't shrink.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I remember, back in the late '60's, that Michelin radials (the only radials back then) were all the rage for TSD rallying because the tire's revolutions-per-mile weren't effected by heating up the tire -- which in turn made odometer calculations more reliable (using Curtis mechanical calculators, etc.).
So I suspect that this rule still holds for modern radial tires.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Therefore, I think that the tires won't fit in the metal spare tire case, despite deflation.

I could be wrong, though. Let us know.

 

[ewalberg]

the 285/65's are actually sized more like 33's than 32's. It's the 285/60's that are more like 32's. I think the biggest issue you face is the width, not the diameter. maybe some of the aftermarket spare tire cover makers (which have been posted here and can otherwise be searched out on the internet) make the chrome ring cover that'll better fit a 285 width tire, and then you can keep using your existing back face that slides in.

 

[DUTCH]

saigonsmuggler - 2/24/2005 8:58 AM

Hey all,

I have been telling people to do this for a long time, but i never thought about it for our G-wagen. I am planning on upsizing my tires to 32" (285/65/18) using stock 18" et43 rims. But, then you have deal with the spare tire issue, right? Well...

Do what a few other SUVs are doing...deflate your big spare tire before putting it on (to decrease the size). Squeeze it into the spare tire cover. Then just carry a powerful tire air compressor with you whereever you go. If you need the spare, then just take it down and inflate it to proper pressure.

And hope that you don't unseat the bead on the tire. Most portable compressors do not have enough volume to reseat a bead that's been broken. (A PowerTank does, however.)

 

[mb230s]

DUTCH - 2/26/2005 9:39 AM

saigonsmuggler - 2/24/2005 8:58 AM

Hey all,

I have been telling people to do this for a long time, but i never thought about it for our G-wagen. I am planning on upsizing my tires to 32" (285/65/18) using stock 18" et43 rims. But, then you have deal with the spare tire issue, right? Well...

Do what a few other SUVs are doing...deflate your big spare tire before putting it on (to decrease the size). Squeeze it into the spare tire cover. Then just carry a powerful tire air compressor with you whereever you go. If you need the spare, then just take it down and inflate it to proper pressure.

And hope that you don't unseat the bead on the tire. Most portable compressors do not have enough volume to reseat a bead that's been broken. (A PowerTank does, however.)

Ever see the starting fluid (or other combustible liquid) and match trick?