Corsa - spare wheel

perthperson

Hi

I've got a Corsa (2003)

I've got a flat tyre and after much aggro - didn't have the thing to take off the hubcap cover - presume should be a key - managed to get it unscrewed with pointy pliers; then much huffing and puffing and jumping up and down managed to get tight bolts on wheel loosened

Now can't get the spare wheel out of the boot.

I can't get it to move. There's a threaded spindle up through the middle of it, looks as though it should have something screwed on to it, but doesn't. Does it keep the wheel in the boot. Can't budge the wheel at all.

It might be just I'm not using enough strength (or not got enough strength) to get the wheel out. Really annoyed with myself as was determined to get the wheel changed myself. My son will figure it out when he gets home from work but would rather try and do it myself! - girlpower, well womanpower I suppose.

Kept meaning to check out the wheel changing arrangements on this car before I got stuck with a flat tyre - I would have known I didn't have a key for the hubcap and could have figured out the spare wheel unmoveability problem, or asked on here.

On a side note, why do they put the the wheel nuts on so tight. I had to call the AA once to change my tyre because I couldn't move them.

I bet it's something really simple for getting the wheel out of the boot!

MX5huggy

I think the wheel is just stuck due to heat making the rubber and paint sticky, try to leaver it out with a spade or something?


The wheel nuts are so tight because people don't like their wheels falling off. They should be done up to a specific torque using a torque wrench but never are, they just use the air gun. You would need to get the tyre fitter to do it properly (good luck with that).

Gandalfthesecond

MX5huggy wrote: »

I think the wheel is just stuck due to heat making the rubber and paint sticky, try to leaver it out with a spade or something?


The wheel nuts are so tight because people don't like their wheels falling off. They should be done up to a specific torque using a torque wrench but never are, they just use the air gun. You would need to get the tyre fitter to do it properly (good luck with that).

Doesn't your tyre fitter use a torque wrench then? I'd stop using Kwick Fit if I were you.

perthperson

OK, next episode in the saga...

Got wheel out of boot - it did just need levering out. (thanks MXShuggy)

The tyre appears to be bigger than the other tyres on the car... will that work? Am I (or the car) likely to die driving approx 30 miles tomorrow morning to drop it off at garage before I go to work?

Strider590

^^ Oh dear, does the car have aftermarket wheels?

The classic mistake is buying new wheels the same size as before and then fitting low profile tyre's..... Funnily enough it always seems to be Ford Escorts, Ford Mondeo's, Renault Megane Coupe and Vauxhall Corsa's.....

perthperson

I haven't a clue about aftermarket wheels whatever they are.

I haven't bought any new wheels, haven't had to put the spare wheel on the car myself. Have had new tyres fitted a couple of times.

paddedjohn

What size is the spare tyre and what size do you have fitted to the car?

perthperson

Ill go and look...

perthperson

tyres on car - 195/50 R14

spare - 175/70 R15

Presume those are the sizes? I'm in unknown territory for me now, getting a bit advanced this.

optimus_primera

Put wheel on go straight to tyre place,get them to replace flat tyre,and refit onto car.
Look on e bay for another spare wheel the same size as others.

It is illegal to have different sized wheels/tyres on the same axle.

perthperson

would I be OK driving it 30 miles?