[Rodewaryer]

Just finished setting this up. Thankfully, SVT wheels aren't hard to find on ebay, hard to find a reasonable deal though.

Wheel/tire fits a little snug in the well, and of course sticks up above where it was intended to. The tool holder and some dense foam strategically placed levels out the trunk floor 'mat' so it's stable enough. I lose nearly 2" of depth but I think the gain is worth it. Did the same in my SVTF, worked fine in that car too.

It feels so much better now that both the stock hancook junk and the space saver spare are gone.....

 

[Drivenapollo]

very cool. I will have to look into this! Thanks for the info!

 

[Rodewaryer]

It's just another little thing about the car that adds to the list of plus's. I hear certain Mustangs don't even have a spare and yet it's pretty easy to put a full size spare in the back of a Fiesta......gotta love'm.

 

[GapBoyPCS]

It's just another little thing about the car that adds to the list of plus's. I hear certain Mustangs don't even have a spare and yet it's pretty easy to put a full size spare in the back of a Fiesta......gotta love'm.

Yup, I believe the Shelby was one of 'em. Instead, there's an air compressor with special puncture sealant that's supposed to fix the flat. Even the current Focus had the spare as an option on the very base/fleet models.

I did something like this with my Focus and put in a 15-inch spare. With the tire sticking up about a half inch, I just used styrofoam insulation, cut a sheet to fit the floor, and that "raised" the floor just enough to clear the spare. I was able to shove the lug nut wrench off to the side and kept it from sliding about. I ended up going back to the mini-spare only because it was a pain to dump out the full-sized spare for the track (it wasn't secured).

Oh, and side note: Give us an update how you like the Continentals. Are your running the DWS?

 

[Casca]

It's just another little thing about the car that adds to the list of plus's. I hear certain Mustangs don't even have a spare and yet it's pretty easy to put a full size spare in the back of a Fiesta......gotta love'm.

Many "luxury" cars are moving away from spares and instead use runflat tires. I think they just assume most owners of those cars will not change their own tire and will call AAA or similar.

 

[FeistyFordFiesta]

There's a spare back there? I hadn't even noticed... I assumed that since the car comes with roadside assistance that a spare is not needed.

 

[bramos09]

That's awesome that you fit a full sized tire. Good to know.

 

[eRic]

There's a spare back there? I hadn't even noticed... I assumed that since the car comes with roadside assistance that a spare is not needed.

what do you think roadside assistance is going to do when they get to your car? they put the spare on for you. or use the fix-a-flat can if you don't have a spare. I've never used roadside assistance. ever. the one time I got a flat tire, I put the spare on myself then took the tire to discount tire co. they offer free flat repair. the fix-a-flat stuff in a can makes a mess when they remove a tire that has that inside it.

 

[LMTech]

It also kills the tire pressure sensor.

 

[tjl]

There's a spare back there? I hadn't even noticed... I assumed that since the car comes with roadside assistance that a spare is not needed.

Well, I'd much rather install the spare tire than have to get towed somewhere if I get a flat when tire shops are all closed. Better to be able to drive home on the spare tire and go to the tire shop at your convenience the next day.

 

[tjl]

Many "luxury" cars are moving away from spares and instead use runflat tires. I think they just assume most owners of those cars will not change their own tire and will call AAA or similar.

I wouldn't be surprised if most people these days are unable or unwilling to install the spare tire themselves. Especially with larger vehicles that have larger tires (a wheel and tire for a full size pickup or SUV is quite heavy -- luxury cars are also quite heavy and have large tires to handle their weight).

Run flat tires are often used in situations where the vehicle does not have a good place to fit a spare tire. For example, the AWD versions of the Toyota Sienna minivan use run flat tires because the spare tire storage area is taken up by the AWD stuff. The lack of availability and high price of the run flat tires seems to be a common complaint for owners of this vehicle.

 

[Tink75]

You'd be surprised how many people don't even know HOW to change a tire, or even know where the spare it.

My in-laws had a full size van and they totally ripped it apart looking for the spare. My brother in law found it attached to the underneath of the van and then proceeded to use a hacksaw to cut off the bolt and the holding bar that attached it to the van. Little did he know all he would of had to do was put the turning rod from the jack in the little hole on the floor and turn it to get it off. Needless to say it cost them a bit of money to get the tire and the attachments to hold it to the van fixed!

 

[tjl]

My in-laws had a full size van and they totally ripped it apart looking for the spare. My brother in law found it attached to the underneath of the van and then proceeded to use a hacksaw to cut off the bolt and the holding bar that attached it to the van. Little did he know all he would of had to do was put the turning rod from the jack in the little hole on the floor and turn it to get it off. Needless to say it cost them a bit of money to get the tire and the attachments to hold it to the van fixed!

They didn't look first in the glove box, where they would find a small book labeled "OWNER'S MANUAL" that would have all of the needed instructions?

 

[Rodewaryer]

Continentals are Extreme Contact DW, and I like them every bit as much as I do my Pirelli's (well....except for the Corsa's maybe) on my SVTF. I have not had an issue with them yet, they grip great, no real noise, no premature squeeling, etc. Right down to how they look, so far, so good.

 

[Chan]

AAA or AMA is must if you have a motorcycle. Plus it's only $50 a year for free towing and all the discounts you get from AAA or AMA.

 

[Rodewaryer]

I could change a tire and be gone well before a service/tow truck ever arrives. I have AAA as well but the wait times are almost always 45 min or longer so heat or no, I'll do my own tire.

 

[Tink75]

AAA or AMA is must if you have a motorcycle. Plus it's only $50 a year for free towing and all the discounts you get from AAA or AMA.

We've had Motorcycles for years and never had either. My dad always had his motorcycle ripped apart other winter and I would work with him to put it together. There has be only 1 time when my husbands bike broke that we couldn't get it fixed on the side of the road and that is when he blew the engine on a crappy old bike, nothing could help that bike other than replacing the whole engine and it was so not worth it.

 

[rwbronco]

It also kills the tire pressure sensor.

I'd not heard that. I've got an Elise and always make sure I've got a tiny air compressor and a can of fix-a-flat or something similar. I've heard it can be messy on the inside but not that it will destroy a tps. I guess it depends on if it's a band-type sensor like most Ford's use or if it's in the valve like the new Focus' are. The band would probably suffer more from the goop on the inside but I still doubt it would kill it.

 

[anverc]

I'd not heard that. I've got an Elise and always make sure I've got a tiny air compressor and a can of fix-a-flat or something similar. I've heard it can be messy on the inside but not that it will destroy a tps. I guess it depends on if it's a band-type sensor like most Ford's use or if it's in the valve like the new Focus' are. The band would probably suffer more from the goop on the inside but I still doubt it would kill it.

I'm pretty sure I read in the manual somewhere that you should not use it

 

[LMTech]

I'd not heard that. I've got an Elise and always make sure I've got a tiny air compressor and a can of fix-a-flat or something similar. I've heard it can be messy on the inside but not that it will destroy a tps. I guess it depends on if it's a band-type sensor like most Ford's use or if it's in the valve like the new Focus' are. The band would probably suffer more from the goop on the inside but I still doubt it would kill it.

The sensor uses a small opening to allow the air pressure to be applied inside the electronics of the sensors. Fix a Flat is designed to seal small openings and punctures in a tire so it will also fill any opening in the sensor.