Modern skinny spare for older mopars

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Syleng1

Syleng1

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Looking for information on a modern 5x4.5” bolt pattern skinny spare tire and rim that fits in the wheel well of the older MoPars - specifically early ABodies.

Has any tried to with success using a space saving spare from a new charger, challenger, or even a smaller car like avenger spare in an older wheel well in place of the original spare?

When I switched to bbp and 73-76 disk brakes- I need a 15” rim to clear calipers. A 25”x 8wide tire and rim will not fit in my factory 66 spare tire well. (Binds up between trunk latch mount and rear fold down.)
I need a 23” od spare, bbp and min 15” rim to clear calipers.
Thanks- Joe
 
Late 80's Chrysler Fifth Ave rear wheel drive.Dodge Diplomat ,Plymouth Grand Fury.
Gives you a nice flat floor.
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Just buy a steel wheel the diameter and width you want and radial tire the height and width you want?

summit lets you sort by size.
 
Syleng1 said:
Looking for information on a modern 5x4.5” bolt pattern skinny spare tire and rim that fits in the wheel well of the older MoPars - specifically early ABodies.

Has any tried to with success using a space saving spare from a new charger, challenger, or even a smaller car like avenger spare in an older wheel well in place of the original spare?

When I switched to bbp and 73-76 disk brakes- I need a 15” rim to clear calipers. A 25”x 8wide tire and rim will not fit in my factory 66 spare tire well. (Binds up between trunk latch mount and rear fold down.)
I need a 23” od spare, bbp and min 15” rim to clear calipers.
Thanks- Joe
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None of the cars mentioned are going to have a skinny 23" tire. I think in order to get a skinny tire that diameter you'll end up buying something like a Coker Firestone F560 125-15 or 135-15 tire.

But how does 23" match up to the other 4 tires on the car? Seems way small to me.
 
I often wonder about that in the last 30 years I've used a spare twice. Both times on the car trailer. I still have the spare that has never touched the ground in both of our daily drivers. One is 25 years old and the other car is 12.
 
I use a never on the ground space saver spare from a 90s Cherokee. 5x4.5 BP.
It clears my 73 ABody discs and rear 10x2.5 drums.
 
66jim said:
For spb I used a 13 inch wheel with a tiny 165 80 13 tire. PM if interested
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Thanks but I don’t think a 13 will fit over my aftermarket disc brakes.

I bought a $5 one at the junkyard off a small dodge compact. It was metric & the bolt pattern was close, but not close enough.

I also have sure grip, so that is an issue too. Right now I have a 215 14 & it is about 2-3 inches too wide for the trunk floor to be level. Oh well, I don’t really use the trunk much anyway.
 
69_340_GTS said:
None of the cars mentioned are going to have a skinny 23" tire. I think in order to get a skinny tire that diameter you'll end up buying something like a Coker Firestone F560 125-15 or 135-15 tire.

But how does 23" match up to the other 4 tires on the car? Seems way small to me.
Click to expand...

My rims are 15x7 and I have 25” tall tires. I just want a spare to get me off the highway.
It’s for “just in case.” But if I don’t have a spare- I expect a flat.
 
KosmicKuda said:
I use a never on the ground space saver spare from a 90s Cherokee. 5x4.5 BP.
It clears my 73 ABody discs and rear 10x2.5 drums.
Click to expand...

Hi, I was wondering what car you used this in and if the floor was flat with it in it? I'm looking for an inexpensive spare for my 71. Thanks
 
I used to carry a 17" spare from a '07/08 Infiniti G35 before I removed my spare tire well. It fits in the well, clears my DoctorDiff 13" cobra style brake kit in the front too. I had to do a little clean up on the hub bore as it was maybe a mm too small, took 5 minutes. It has a 145/80/17 on it (~26" tall), which is the tallest tire that will fit in the spare tire well, at least on a '67-76 car anyway. Not sure about the early A tire well. There is also a steel version for the G35's depending on the year/options, that might be a 15" wheel.

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ACME SS said:
Hi, I was wondering what car you used this in and if the floor was flat with it in it? I'm looking for an inexpensive spare for my 71. Thanks
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It's in my 68 Barracuda and the spare tire cover sits flat on the floor.

Note that earlier Cherokees had a 4.5 bolt pattern and matches my converted brakes. If your 71 has the original 4" B.P., this won't work for you.

Anyone with the SBP can use a skinny 14" X 4-1/2" wheel with a skinny tire and gain some room. Not a 70 series tire but the earlier 78 or 80 aspect tire. I consider my spare just for emergency use to get to a safe place at a slower speed.
 
KosmicKuda said:
It's in my 68 Barracuda and the spare tire cover sits flat on the floor.

Note that earlier Cherokees had a 4.5 bolt pattern and matches my converted brakes. If your 71 has the original 4" B.P., this won't work for you.

Anyone with the SBP can use a skinny 14" X 4-1/2" wheel with a skinny tire and gain some room. Not a 70 series tire but the earlier 78 or 80 aspect tire. I consider my spare just for emergency use to get to a safe place at a slower speed.
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Thank you so much. I went to a junk yard and found a spare in a mid-60's dart for $20 and ordered a firestone E155R14 which has a 6.2" bulge width which is perfect for my 71 and probably most A bodies...not that you care but perhaps it will help someone else looking too.
 
ACME SS said:
...not that you care but perhaps it will help someone else looking too.
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I do care. Glad to help out when I can.

The standard 14" wheel on SBP Mopars was only 4-1/2" wide.
The "big" 5-1/2" wide wheel came on HP and HD suspension cars. Basically, any car with a D70 or E70 tire.
 
I don't see the point other than to limit both your speed and distance when the spare is on. Seems counterintuitive.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I don't see the point other than to limit both your speed and distance when the spare is on. Seems counterintuitive.
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The point is nothing "modern" comes close to fitting in the stock spare tire well. I have pretty modestly sized tires on my '69 Dart, at 225/60R15, but try getting one of those in the well. You won't.
 
All the factory spares were 13” or 14” too. Even modestly sized disk brakes need a 15”, and 15” modern spares are fairly cheap/plentiful at wrecking yards. If you’ve gone 5x4.5” that’s a lot of options. And yeah, the 17” G35 spare fits over my 13” cobra style disks. Pretty much the minimum to clear those brakes, and when I still had a spare tire well that spare I posted basically fit in the well with the cover almost flat. The spokes in the middle were maybe a smidge higher than the floor. But the cover still fit over just fine.
 
69_340_GTS said:
The point is nothing "modern" comes close to fitting in the stock spare tire well. I have pretty modestly sized tires on my '69 Dart, at 225/60R15, but try getting one of those in the well. You won't.
Click to expand...
Ok,I got it now. I thought he wanted a stupid space saver spare. lol
 
RustyRatRod said:
Ok,I got it now. I thought he wanted a stupid space saver spare. lol
Click to expand...

For me it is a perfect solution. I either put a block of styrofoam in the wheel well to support the masonite or I actually have a spare that will work and looks original.
 
I have a sure grip rear end. How close does the tire size need to be to drive it with a spare?
 
Mike69cuda said:
I have a sure grip rear end. How close does the tire size need to be to drive it with a spare?
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Very. Width not critical, but the height needs to be the same as close as possible.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Very. Width not critical, but the height needs to be the same as close as possible.
Click to expand...
Agree on the height issue when looking for a spare for a car with a Sure Grip.
I ended up canceling the idea of finding the right size spare and bought a can of Fix a Flat and a 12v tire pump.
Figuring short of a complete blow out that will get me as far as a non perfectly matched spare.
So along with the can of Fix a Flat and the 12v tire pump, I use the spare tire well to store tools and some spare parts that I am likely to need in the event of a minor breakdown.
So now I have some coverage for a flat tire as well as some coverage for a mechanical or electrical break down all stored in the spare tire well.
 
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