MK5 Golf GTI

All Things Mk5 => Mk5 General Area => Topic started by: WhiteGTI on March 14, 2010, 02:44:03 pm

Title: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: WhiteGTI on March 14, 2010, 02:44:03 pm
Assuming that I don't go over 50mph as per the guidelines, is it safe to drive the car far with the spacesaver fitted? Possibly 200miles this week?? Or is it only really advised to do like 20 miles using the spacesaver?

Unfortunately a pothole has caused a 6inch crack in one of my lovely TD's, so I'll be ordering a new wheel from TD tomorrow morning!

Thanks in advance for your help!  :smiley: :smiley:
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel?
Post by: Ifti on March 14, 2010, 03:13:39 pm
The general guidance is to only use the spare wheel to get you to the garage!

Nevertheless, I dont see why it would be a problem to do a lot of miles on the spare - as long as you stick to a lower speed and keep an eye on the tread etc.
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel?
Post by: Moschops on March 14, 2010, 04:19:05 pm
That's a bummer.... : :sad1:

Get a claim in the council...take some pics of the pothole and them to cough for the replacement wheel... :driver:

Not much fun driving round with the "comedy wheel" on.... :surprised:
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel?
Post by: WhiteGTI on March 14, 2010, 04:20:17 pm
Here is the damage!!

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.static.flickr.com%2F4025%2F4432543954_d74c38d25a_o.jpg&hash=5aaec6381f2ea198de20ad3ec677d5d886d114e9)
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel?
Post by: WhiteGTI on March 14, 2010, 04:21:29 pm
Well annoyingly I hit the pothole about 1 week ago on my way home (its about 250metres from my house). And haven't used the car much since. Went out last night and felt it pulling a bit, so when I checked it out this morning in the daylight you can imagine my face hahaha!

The council have since filled the pothole, so im not sure if i have a case really??  :sad1:
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: dajonic on March 14, 2010, 04:49:16 pm
I think theres something in the handbook saying that if you have to use the sparewheel and the damaged wheel is on the front then its best to swap a good wheel to the front and use the spare on the back. You spot plenty of nutters hammering it around with their spacesaver on the front wheel as if it doesn't make a difference. :stupid:
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: WhiteGTI on March 14, 2010, 04:50:10 pm
Good advice  :happy2: I'd read about that myself! It will definitely be going on the rear!
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: Golfgirl on March 14, 2010, 05:22:02 pm
You spot plenty of nutters hammering it around with their spacesaver on the front wheel as if it doesn't make a difference. :stupid:

I was on the motorway last week doing 50mph through some roadworks and got overtaken by a Mk 5 with a spacesaver on the front doing at least 70mph! As if speeding through roadworks/SPECS cameras wasn't bad enough they want to take their life into their own hands and drive like a twat with a spacesaver on! :confused:
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: Moschops on March 14, 2010, 05:54:26 pm
You spot plenty of nutters hammering it around with their spacesaver on the front wheel as if it doesn't make a difference. :stupid:

I was on the motorway last week doing 50mph through some roadworks and got overtaken by a Mk 5 with a spacesaver on the front doing at least 70mph! As if speeding through roadworks/SPECS cameras wasn't bad enough they want to take their life into their own hands and drive like a twat with a spacesaver on! :confused:

 :pomppomp: :congrats: :pomppomp:
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: Top Cat on March 14, 2010, 06:23:46 pm
I cant see why you would not be able to drive on the space saver for a extended period. They would not provide you with a wheel that was only safe for short journeys and the speed rating will be way down on the safety scale just to be safe. Again they are not going to provide you with a tyre that is just going to explode above 50.

Disclaimer: this is all in my own sometimes daft opinion.  :star:
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: WhiteGTI on March 14, 2010, 06:25:46 pm
Cheers TC,

I completely agree with you. At the end of the day it is a tyre with proper tread and properly inflated, so i see no reason against driving it for an extended period - providing that i am sensible!

If its true that it could take 2weeks+ for a new TD 1.2 wheel to arrive then I will have to drive it with the space saver!
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: VeeDubDan on March 14, 2010, 06:37:33 pm
I once drove a week on a space save whilst having a wheel refurbed with no issue.
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: Moschops on March 14, 2010, 06:40:50 pm
I cant see why you would not be able to drive on the space saver for a extended period. They would not provide you with a wheel that was only safe for short journeys and the speed rating will be way down on the safety scale just to be safe. Again they are not going to provide you with a tyre that is just going to explode above 50.

Disclaimer: this is all in my own sometimes daft opinion.  :star:

 :stupid:
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: Beddie on March 14, 2010, 08:14:38 pm
I once drove a week on a space save whilst having a wheel refurbed with no issue.

Same here, just took it easy and drove sensibly  :happy2:
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: candy turbo on March 14, 2010, 08:24:26 pm
the roads are a joke just lately some of the holes are big enough to live in let a lone f&** your rims up !!!!!! :fighting: :fighting:
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: john_o on March 14, 2010, 09:26:38 pm
drive sensible and youll be fine  :happy2:
maybe put a sticker on you speedo to remind you / set your speed warning lower if you have highline  :happy2:
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: scotta on March 14, 2010, 10:16:29 pm
should be ok if you stick it on the back.

My old 54 plate Leon Cupra had a full size steel 16" wheel with a 195\65\16 tyre on it ad SEAT stuck a 50 mph sticker on it  :stupid:
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: FamilyDub on March 15, 2010, 10:09:16 am

When I was a lad I ran my Mk2a Punto on a space saver for about three months. A few days will be fine.

Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: WhiteGTI on March 15, 2010, 12:31:38 pm
Thanks for the replies everyone, it actually drives pretty well with the spacesaver!!  :happy2:
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: WhiteGTI on March 15, 2010, 12:32:49 pm
Also, the wheel was cracked right the way through! Bl00dy scary!!!!!!
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: Top Cat on March 15, 2010, 01:51:45 pm
Also, the wheel was cracked right the way through! Bl00dy scary!!!!!!

Its one of the problems with lightweight wheels the trade off is strength. I would guess Robins OZ wheels are made of chocolate to get them so light.  :happy2:
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: cmdrfire on March 15, 2010, 04:13:56 pm
Ouch! That's harsh to hear Chris :/ too bad that it's happened, especially so close to your swap!
I thought I saw you on Sunday on the A30 near the petrol station - was that you?
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: neg on March 15, 2010, 07:04:30 pm
I drove a hundred or so miles on mine and it was fine - was on the back but like others have said must be quite odd when its on the front.

this was on the mk2 - I was suprised to find a space saver on a 20yr old car.
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: xxx_mojo_xxx on March 15, 2010, 08:49:24 pm
Also, the wheel was cracked right the way through! Bl00dy scary!!!!!!

Its one of the problems with lightweight wheels the trade off is strength. I would guess Robins OZ wheels are made of chocolate to get them so light.  :happy2:

Interesting you say this... I asked the very same thing some time back when RR was show casing his new rims...

He had me convinced that there would be no such issue.... hmmmm!  :confused:
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: WhiteGTI on March 15, 2010, 10:15:46 pm
Ouch! That's harsh to hear Chris :/ too bad that it's happened, especially so close to your swap!
I thought I saw you on Sunday on the A30 near the petrol station - was that you?

Hey Neo,

Nope that wasn't me! There's quite a few colour-coded White GTI's going around the area, so it must have been one of my twins  :grin:
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: WhiteGTI on March 15, 2010, 10:18:01 pm
This is from the inside of the wheel, so you can clearly see that the crack goes right the way through, and the deformation of the wheel!!!!

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm5.static.flickr.com%2F4048%2F4435912367_e35c81654b_o.jpg&hash=00238b10e58aaec543a6c3cfa4668434e32daaeb)
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: cmdrfire on March 16, 2010, 12:03:47 pm
Eek  :surprised:
Looks like a major structural failure resulting in a shear of the rim...

Whilst people are reminiscing of their time spent on space-saver-spares, I just remembered that I drove from Calais to Ascot via Canterbury with one on my front nearside. Didn't go above 55mph the entire way (which was painful) but it held out fine.
Title: Re: How many miles can I do on the spacesaver wheel? *now with photo!*
Post by: Greeners on March 16, 2010, 12:14:27 pm
Unlucky Chris!  :sad1:

That is quite scary the way that wheel has split!  :scared:

Hope you get it sorted soon bud!  :happy2: