Playing devil's advocate, is it really worth all the hassle of trying to fit a real full size spare wheel in a boot not designed to accept it or hang it on a tailgate not designed to take the weight given the chance of needing a spare and needing it to be capable of non-limited speeds? Discuss....!

I was quite interested in how the "standard" wheel fits, as if I ever have to fit the spare, this is where it'll have to sit temporarily !

I presume that's why they seem to have thought about accommodating a full size ?

Not a fan of external mounted spare wheels, OK on an Army Landrover but not a Monster :no:

Problem facing designers these days is safety and green legislation, hence carrying a spare is out of fashion. Anyway probably be fitting Tweels in the near future and the spare will be confined to the auto museum

My link

TP

I want Tweels now! :clap: :yes:

I am not concerned where the spare goes, as long as it is full size. If it fitted then it would go in the well in the boot if it does not fit, then I am going to have to try and put it somewhere else. The roof and the bonnet are out so that leaves the outside of the rear door. Appearance is unimportant to me. Function is important. Obviously the door was not specifically designed for it but these are very light wheel and tyre combinations and will not add significantly to the forces that the door is already subjected too. It is a matter of, what will be compromised and what is acceptable. Rear Vision? Weight? Physicality? Practicality.

aerofurb Hi,

Having anything other than a full sized normal spare is unacceptable to me. It might be one thing to have a puncture within a town where one might live. Where one only has to travel a short distance to a familiar garage or tyre outlet or to drive home. It is another living in rural country areas were the distances to a suitable garage could be anyone's guess, where there might not be a choice where the garage might not even be open. They might not even be able to fix it their and then. They might not be able to quickly get in the correct specification of tyre, meaning a wait of a few days. Every one assumes that punctures are few and far between but that can differ from where one lives. We find here it may be a while from the last puncture, then one gets several one after another. It is not just nails, but here, after they cut the hedges, blackthorn spikes will drive right through a tyre wall or tread. So one could be left for a little while driving around on the wrong size of tyre. Most of my relatives live hundreds of miles away, non of them lives very close. If I drive out to them and get a puncture late at night, I will just want to swap over the spare for the damaged tyre and then drive on in the same way as before. I do not want to have my speed restricted for several hundred miles by a wrong sized tyre. The same if we were hammering up to the West Coast of Scotland over night, its bad enough having a puncture but to have the rest of the journey ruined by having to drive more slowly and taking it easy and all that would entail.

Most people think of a puncture as an easily fixed thing but often enough the tyre is ruined because the side wall has been penetrated or damaged in some way. Then one would be left to drive around with an undersized tyre for a period of time until such time as it could be replaced which could be a little while in rural or remote areas. An undersized spare is just to much of a compromise and inconvenience.

I want Tweels now! :clap: :yes:

I am not concerned where the spare goes, as long as it is full size. If it fitted then it would go in the well in the boot if it does not fit, then I am going to have to try and put it somewhere else. The roof and the bonnet are out so that leaves the outside of the rear door. Appearance is unimportant to me. Function is important. Obviously the door was not specifically designed for it but these are very light wheel and tyre combinations and will not add significantly to the forces that the door is already subjected too. It is a matter of, what will be compromised and what is acceptable. Rear Vision? Weight? Physicality? Practicality.

Hi Anthony,

Cannot simulate properly as I would have to dismantle the boot but if you go with the standard boot arrangement (without raised floor) then I reckon a 17" spare will fit Rover P6 / Jeep Cherokee style. :yes:

Anyway a thought.

TP

So we still don't know...

1. Whether a full size alloy will fit in the spare wheel well.

2. Whether it will fit in between the polystyrene bits that are normally around the speed restricted spare.

3. How much higher it will make the false floor.

tom

So we still don't know...

1. Whether a full size alloy will fit in the spare wheel well.

2. Whether it will fit in between the polystyrene bits that are normally around the speed restricted spare.

3. How much higher it will make the false floor.

tom

Sorry TP, just seen your Flickr pics. Thanks for doing it.

Looks like the alloy raises the boot floor pretty high.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/skodayeti/

tom

Hi TP The Plumber,

You really do go the extra mile for people, it is a most outstanding attribute. Thank you again for the time and efforts, it is most appreciated.

If their was a club Yeti or a Yeti Club or association, I would nominate you to be its most principal member. Your knowledge of the Yeti is apparent you seem to be able to find information from across Europe to answer our every question questions and if you don't know the answer you seam to find it sooner or later usually sooner. Do they have a moderator of the Yeti Forum.

Any way thank you for trying the spare along-ships. It might fit their but the boot is small. I might go along to the dealership and have a chat perhaps ask to try a bit of wheel moving my self. If it will be forced into the well with a bit of Vaseline then that will do but out side I think is where it will end up or I will either have to think again about my full size policy or or look at something else. I suppose that I could let some air out or have the well remade!

I suppose that I could let some air out or have the well remade!

Letting the air out was crossing my mind as well. Then use the compressor to pump it up when needed!!

tom

or I will either have to think again about my full size policy

Hi Anthony,

obviously whatever you decide has to suite your needs but I would go with the standard spare if the decision is in favour of the Monster.

Much happier myself with the idea of running with this option as my backup than the skinny thing that came with the Golf or a can of tyre weld.

Regards,

TP

Anthony 1, I fully appreciate what you are saying about the need for a spare in your area. Personally, I don't think the tailgate mounted spare is the answer or an option, not for the strength of the tailgate per se but the difficulty in opening it (upwards) and the hassle of accessing the lock to do so, moving numberplates, lights etc. Are there any more resilient 'anti-puncture- tyres available in the right size that wouldn't destroy the Yeti's handling/ride/noise (or rather lack of)? One other option might be using some kind of towbar mounted rack that would pivot out of the way to allow access to the tailgate?

To give you an idea of how much of the window would be obscured by mounting a spare on the back with the full size 17" spare sitting 1/2" above the bumper, the top of the tyre would be where the top of the masking tape is (apologies for all the reflections but the Snow Monster had just been washed!):

(apologies for all the reflections but the Snow Monster had just been washed!):

She's looking nice aero

Tp

She's looking nice aero

Tp

Thanks, TP - I think so too! And even the car washers at our local Asda came over to have a look when I parked up tonight and thought it looked 'cool'! :yes:

I currently drive a Smart Fortwo which came without a spare wheel or any kind of tyre repair kit. The most basic of repair kits was an extra cost option! Anyway, a lot of Smart owners have their tyres treated with a permanent sealant so that if they get a puncture the tyre does not deflate (similar to rally mousse tyres). This would certainly be an option for anyone fearful of being stranded and is highly recommended by a lot of Smart owners. Of course, if the tyre is ripped apart on the sidewall then it would be of no use but for typical tread punctures it is ideal.

Be thankful all you drivers of posh Yetis; I intend to order a Yeti 'E' on which the option of a spare tyre is sadly not even available (if the brochure is correct).

Gentlemen,

Thank you for your thoughts. Debate is a useful tool.

aerofurb,

Thank you for measuring out the wheel on the rear door. It is helpful to visualise space..

I think their are alternatives to mounting physically on the door. In the 4x4 World their are already devices available to mount a wheel on the back negating the need of door mounting. It is called the swing away carrier. These can be mounted on the bumper and by removing pins, they can be swung away to allow the door to hinge open. It would also be possible to mount a hinged contraption on a tow bumper. This would then remove the necessity of drilling or altering the structure of the car. their are plenty of these devices about but I think that a carrier specially designed would be best. Thinking laterally it would also be possible to design a carrier that mounted on the roof carriers that hung down over the boot normally but then swung up when the boot was opened up. It is difficult for me to explain exactly how it might look and operate but I can visualise it. A Yeti Industry could spring up just like it does for full size 4x4 vehicles.

I would appreciate any thoughts on these ideas!