Spare wheel advice

[dundeedek]

Hi everyone,

Just bought a used Leon FR ST and have been using this forum massively for advice. Now my first post is something I can't get an answer on through searching (that I can see).

Going from a Peugeot 308, I was surprised there was no spare wheel. I'm looking to save a bit of money - I've seen a few of the 16" ones (I have 18" wheels but know this is fine) from the Golfs/Leon/A3 all with tool kits which all apparently work with this.

However, someone local is offering a great price on a Seat Arona 16" spare and reckons this would suit the Leon. It's a spare but it looks full sized - tyre is 205/55/R16.

Question is - would this be absolutely fine? Comes with the foam holder and jack etc.

Let me know -I'll go local if I can but need to buy in the next week for a big trip up north. The repair kit does not fill me with much confidence!

 

[Seriously?]

I have a feeling the PCD on the Arona/Ibiza is different.
I'm sure someone here can confirm.
Welcome BTW!

 

[Glosphil]

Tyre & wheel diameter OK but wheel won't fit due to bolt hole pattern being different (smaller).

 

[RUM4MO]

Remember that the limitation of the smallest size of wheel diameter that you can use will be the front brake size, my wife's 2015 VW Polo has 288mm front discs and the smallest wheel that can it is 15", so I'd reckon that with 312mm front discs the smallest size will be 16" etc etc.

 

[Seriously?]

Tyre & wheel diameter OK but wheel won't fit due to bolt hole pattern being different (smaller).

Yep, found it.
Arona PCD 5x100
Leon PCD 5x112

 

[Mr Pig]

Why not buy a used 18'' alloy the same as the ones on the car? That's what I did. The ST boot will take it. Seat do not sell jack kits for the car but Skoda do. It's the same chassis so works perfectly. This is the best kit I could find as it has a better jack than most. This kit will fit on an alloy from 16'' up.

 

[RUM4MO]

Hi everyone,

Just bought a used Leon FR ST and have been using this forum massively for advice. Now my first post is something I can't get an answer on through searching (that I can see).

Going from a Peugeot 308, I was surprised there was no spare wheel. I'm looking to save a bit of money - I've seen a few of the 16" ones (I have 18" wheels but know this is fine) from the Golfs/Leon/A3 all with tool kits which all apparently work with this.

However, someone local is offering a great price on a Seat Arona 16" spare and reckons this would suit the Leon. It's a spare but it looks full sized - tyre is 205/55/R16.

Question is - would this be absolutely fine? Comes with the foam holder and jack etc.

Let me know -I'll go local if I can but need to buy in the next week for a big trip up north. The repair kit does not fill me with much confidence!

I wish that my younger daughter based in London thought that way!
They are driving up to near Edinburgh in two weeks times, and their Arona only has a foam kit, as frugal young professionals, they "know" that carrying a spare wheel etc around will affect MPG/emissions - and in 11 months of motoring they have not had a puncture, hummmmmm? They must feel very lucky!

 

[DEAN0]

I wish that my younger daughter based in London thought that way!
They are driving up to near Edinburgh in two weeks times, and their Arona only has a foam kit, as frugal young professionals, they "know" that carrying a spare wheel etc around will affect MPG/emissions - and in 11 months of motoring they have not had a puncture, hummmmmm? They must feel very lucky!

They have obviously only accounted for a simple puncture should it happen.
IF on the other hand the tyre gets damaged by clipping debris on the motorway or split due to a pot hole - the foam kit is pretty useless.

 

[Mr Pig]

They are driving up to near Edinburgh in two weeks times, and their Arona only has a foam kit, as frugal young professionals, they "know" that carrying a spare wheel etc around will affect MPG/emissions..

My wife and I were up North last week and I deliberately took my wife's car as it's the ST and has a full-sized alloy spare. Puncture? Fit the spare and forget about it. My car only has a space saver which is pretty limiting. At least there are plenty of garages in the central belt ;0)

Car manufacturers get away with too much. Foam cans should not be allowed.

By the way, my wife's 2.0L TDi FR got 61.4 mpg. Not with her driving though ;0)

 

[DEAN0]

Car manufacturers get away with too much. Foam cans should not be allowed.

This was not instigated by the manufacturers.

The EU clowns said that the emissions tests must be done as the car is supplied.
A spare wheel + tools and Jack is far heavier than the foam kit.
To save weight for the emissions test - the wheel + tools + jack got ditched ( and was only available as a dealer supply after registration )

If the EU clowns had thought about it - they should have insisted that a spare wheel + jack and tools was to remain standard.

As it is now - the space saver when fitted is still a waste of time.
Most modern cars have nowhere to put the full size wheel when it comes off the car.
The wheel well is just big enough for a space saver.

 

[RUM4MO]

They have obviously only accounted for a simple puncture should it happen.
IF on the other hand the tyre gets damaged by clipping debris on the motorway or split due to a pot hole - the foam kit is pretty useless.

A friend at work, had a FIAT and it only had a foam kit, on the way home from his daughter's wedding with the car fully loaded with "stuff", they had a puncture, he stopped ASAP and checked the tyre, a huge hole/opening, so phoned maybe FIAT assist, ie the AA for help, they would not respond in this case as the foam kit that was there in the car would sort any puncture - really? So the AA operating as FIAT assist, gave in after 10 hours and transported that car back to their driveway as dumping it on a deserted industrial estate where typically many main dealerships reside, did not appeal. I had tried to encourage he before this happened to take action, ie buy a spare wheel with tyre and set of tools - he did that the day after he got a new tyre fitted, again that was not as easy as it could have been as that FIAT seemed to be an early user of that size/rating of tyre, it never rains but it pours!

 

[RUM4MO]

This was not instigated by the manufacturers.

The EU clowns said that the emissions tests must be done as the car is supplied.
A spare wheel + tools and Jack is far heavier than the foam kit.
To save weight for the emissions test - the wheel + tools + jack got ditched ( and was only available as a dealer supply after registration )

If the EU clowns had thought about it - they should have insisted that a spare wheel + jack and tools was to remain standard.

As it is now - the space saver when fitted is still a waste of time.
Most modern cars have nowhere to put the full size wheel when it comes off the car.
The wheel well is just big enough for a space saver.

Of course the next explanation is "it is not safe for the standard driver to try to change a wheel" H&S breaks cover to join their green mates. Though there is some truth in that and likewise the emissions issue/reason, but where does convenience come into the equation, for me, convenience along with preparation comes high up my lists of "must haves".

 

[TheSwede]

Buy a repair kit. I did to my mk3 Cupra R. I also bought a oem jack, never used, on a scrap yard.
Then it is possible to remove the wheel and repair the puncture. Since I have the 4 pot bremo calipers/370mm brake discs it is not possible to use space save spare wheel in front.

 

[Mr Pig]

Buy a repair kit.

Have you ever actually used one of those?

 

[TheSwede]

Have you ever actually used one of those?

Yes but not for my Cupra.
This is just an alternative, a bit complicated but if the hole isn't to big is should work.

Description on youtube .

 

[TheSwede]

One of them

 

[Mr Pig]

Yes but not for my Cupra.

Just not sure I would trust it. When the plug them in a garage they take the tyre off the rim and put the plug in from the inside. If this method was reliable wouldn't they just use it instead as it would be easier?

 

[TheSwede]

The method is to put it in from the outside since the vulcanize rubber string turns 360 and is bigger inside. The air pressure will come from inside and push it, out. Self vulcanizing. Could be used together with rubber cement on the string.
In any case you can drive to a workshop after mending it .
I admit, not the ideal solution.
I don't trust the repar fluid kit that comes with the car. Now i have 2 alternatives.

 

[Seriously?]

Just not sure I would trust it. When the plug them in a garage they take the tyre off the rim and put the plug in from the inside. If this method was reliable wouldn't they just use it instead as it would be easier?

Never used one myself but Aussie truckers have used them for years as 'get you home' repairs.

 

[Mr Pig]

It trust the repair fluid kit that comes with the car. Now i have 2 alternatives.

No, neither would but it's supposed to be temporary. You're supposed to drive slowly and take the tyre to a garage as soon as possible but who's going to do that? My bet is that most people just forget about it.