Modern skinny spare for older mopars

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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.
 
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

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.
 
For spb I used a 13 inch wheel with a tiny 165 80 13 tire. PM if interested

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.
 
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.

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.
 
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.

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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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

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.
 
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.

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.
 
...not that you care but perhaps it will help someone else looking too.

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.
 
I don't see the point other than to limit both your speed and distance when the spare is on. Seems counterintuitive.
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.
 
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.
Ok,I got it now. I thought he wanted a stupid space saver spare. lol
 
Ok,I got it now. I thought he wanted a stupid space saver spare. lol

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?
 
I have a sure grip rear end. How close does the tire size need to be to drive it with a spare?
Very. Width not critical, but the height needs to be the same as close as possible.
 
Very. Width not critical, but the height needs to be the same as close as possible.
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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