Quick Question - Spare Wheel Moving around in boot!

casabonka · 02-11-2009, 09:30 PM

Hey Guys and Gals,
Just a quickie - My Spare wheel seems to be moving around in the boot a fair bit. Is there a way to secure it? I was thinking of getting some thin foam from Clark Rubber to cover it.
Its just very annoying when the music isnt up loud :P

Cheers
Chris

Tj-zetec · 02-11-2009, 10:22 PM

The way it needs to be fastened down is a little tricky to get right.
If the Jack, it's under the spare wheel, isn't collapsed properly and in the right spot it makes it tricky to tighten the retainer.

It's a white disc (to the best of my memory anyway) with a thin T shaped bolt through it. It screws through the centre of the wheel and into the floorpan.

That's if it's still there at all.

I'd say at some stage it's all been taken out to change a tyre and wasn't put back properly. It's a bit of a pain in the balls so it probably hasn't been put back properly.

casabonka · 02-11-2009, 10:33 PM

Yeah a white cap isnt looking familiar. Ill have to have a look in the morning.

~Spyne~ · 03-11-2009, 12:08 AM

the LT has a gold/brass coloured retaining screw that kinda looks like a question mark, with a flat(ish) black "disc" (rectangular shaped) on it. the edges of this disc sit over the inside edge of the wheel, and the screw then screws into the jutty-outy (very technical) thing that sits in the middle of the wheel well.
you could buy it as a spare part, or probably get a normal bolt from bunnings to suit the screw hole and maybe a small scrap of sheet metal to replace the "disc"

casabonka · 30-11-2009, 09:01 PM

So I finally got off my **** and stuck my head in the boot - Outside Bunnings of course, and I am missing that black disc, so when I stick my head in next I think some aluminium angle under the hook question mark thingy should do the trick - If not, Im going to throw the spare out - It looks about as usefull as not having one! haha

819_FLY · 30-11-2009, 11:13 PM

Not having a spare is an instant defect from memory.

Tj-zetec · 01-12-2009, 10:15 AM

Doubt it, seeing as a number of cars these days come with a can of that filler stuff instead of a space saver.

casabonka · 01-12-2009, 12:46 PM

I know it used to be a defect, but not sure if it is anymore - although Im sure if I took it out, Id get a puncture that day!

YUSLOW · 01-12-2009, 04:53 PM

I believe the rule is you don't have to carry a spare but if you do it must be roadworthy, but I could be wrong. May also be different rule state to state?

svo supporter · 01-12-2009, 06:25 PM

Strangely enough, the new crumpledores come with a can of woosh and electric air pump as standard. No spare. So technically speaking, with the way others are going on, the cars are a defect before they're sold, regardless of the make of them.

On the subject of a car being a defect not carrying a spare. Never heard of that one. But stranger things have happened

819_FLY · 01-12-2009, 06:53 PM

I was always under the impression that if a car was issued with a spare, you needed to carry either a space saver or a full sized spare. Yes some other cars come without spare wheels (i.e. New Commodores and other European Cars such as Smart For Two), but yet again that is what most people believe RACQ and NRMA are for.

I am not entirely sure of the legislation involving spare wheels, but it is something I have heard from time to time.

I could be wrong.

Velociraptor82 · 01-12-2009, 09:57 PM

What evidence have you got to say that it is the spare wheel moving? I've noticed that the jack rocks from side-to-side during hard cornering no matter how tight you turn the screw to hold it down. If its only hearing a sound then then I'd have to say it is that and not the wheel moving.

I have a full size spare in my car due to the fact that the space saver (not even the origial zetec wheels) will fit over my brakes. I have modified the "question mark" screw acordingly to hold it, but It's not designed to restrain the extra weight of a bigger wheel. Believe me, when I stomp on the brakes hard, I FEEL the thump of the spare wheel moving in the boot. Later on I have to wash the black rubber marks off the inside of the wheel well, where the tyre has been bouncing around.

TJ: the boot design / wheel well differs significatly between the ST and the standard models and I'm afraid I'm not sure of this "white disk" which you are referring to. Maybe only on the ST? I do know that on the screw that holds the jack in place there is a white cardboard spacer acting like a washer. However if your taking the jack in and out all the time, this carboard spacer gets torn up pretty quick and as such may not be there.

Spynes description of the screw that holds the wheel in place is spot on. However the rectanguler thing which hooks over the inner edge of the spare wheel can't be removed without damaging the screw itself. If Casablanker doesn't have this screw & rectangluar "thing", then the wheel is completely free to move about and you'll have huge black rubber marks all over the wheel well.

svo supporter · 01-12-2009, 10:47 PM

I think the spare wheel thing varies from state to state. The 2 states I've lived in have never checked the spares, even with full inspections. I'm not referring to a roadie, but the full transport inspection.

casabonka · 02-12-2009, 08:40 AM

Im 99% certain its the wheel, as the jack is really tight and secure, whilst the wheel moves around easy at the touch of one finger. There is nothing to hold it down, so Im assuming its the wheel but pretty sure

Velociraptor82 · 02-12-2009, 06:12 PM

If there is nothing holding the spare down then you would have to be missing this item:

casabonka · 02-12-2009, 08:56 PM

Thanks velo, ur a legend. Taking that photo in to ford tomorrow to see if i can order it in!

casabonka · 03-12-2009, 04:27 PM

Well after waiting 15 minutes in City Fords Service Dept (including staff looking direct at me) I was told they dont have the part - I would have to ring around and find it!

Thanks a lot Ford - and at $25 I think A bit of aluminium will do the trick!

Velociraptor82 · 03-12-2009, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by casabonka

Well after waiting 15 minutes in City Fords Service Dept (including staff looking direct at me) I was told they dont have the part - I would have to ring around and find it!

Thanks a lot Ford - and at $25 I think A bit of aluminium will do the trick!

Why doesn't that surprise me??

casabonka · 03-12-2009, 07:31 PM

Haha yeah, they really shouldnt call it a service dept.

svo supporter · 03-12-2009, 07:42 PM

Have you tried the wreckers? Surely there'd be one floating round in a wreck that the wreckers would throw at you

casabonka · 03-12-2009, 07:45 PM

I live 5 minutes away from one and dint even think about that! Theres my sat morning sorted!