shok

Like the topic says, does that rather smooth carrier help at all? I ask because I've seen some cars with smooth panels in that area to clean up the air on the underside.

gbvette62

Probably not enough for you to ever notice, on a street car.

The finish of the underside of the tub, is not so much of an aerodynamic advantage, as the presents of the tub itself. Without the spare tire tub installed, the rear valance panel (or rear bumper on rubber bumper cars) can catch a lot of air, causing aerodynamic drag. At normal highway speeds, it might have a minuscule effect on gas mileage, and it could effect your top speed, but on most street cars, you probably couldn't tell the difference.

DUB

...not worth the effort to try to get the tire carrier smooth.

DUB

Sluefoot

After totally rebuilding my rear suspension & using the carbon fiber spring, I like the looks of the rear without the herky spare tire covers! I don't care if it does cause some
sorta drag, I'll take the cleaner look & less weight!

jim in oregon

FWIW..After I replaced the unused 38 yr old original spare tire on my C3 on my '78 SA... I removed carrier, hdw, bolts and ALL and it quietly now resides in my garage.Perhaps the next owner will want it.THO hopefully my wife and I will enjoy the pristine '78 for a few more years. Car is in near perfect condition.tires are excellent..and I keep tabs on all systems every time b4 we take it out..Avoid any roadside hazards of course..drive sensibly..

I have AAA and seldom drive the old gal where there's no cell phone service..After brain surgery to remove a terminal glioblastoma last feb...with the radiation-chemo ordeal..
I'm thankful for being able to drive and get around at all..I have little appetite and NO strength at this time.
Perhaps that will improve..but the fast growing tumor is tenacious and few survive very long even after a 'successful surgery and every treatment known thus far.....talking months..not years..

Even when I was young, strong and fit..changing a flat on a C3 on the roadside would have been a pita..and the flat tire/wheel would have to be placed in the carrier again.Won't go in the small cargo cpt very easily.
Having it GONE reduces weight a bit..and IF there is a bit more air drag..doesn't matter. Car gets up and goes far faster than the law allows anywhere in the USA..Jim

slickfx3

delete mine, sold it all off, including the hardware an jack made maybe 500 bucks, i carry aaa card

shok

Yeah I think it's the original spare so basically useless, or sketchy at best, so I would just call AAA if I got a flat. Just wondered if there was a downside to removing all that stuff and putting it in the storage shed.

BKbroiler

I leave my spare tire carrier in place for the aerodynamic benefit, whether that's real or not. I drag race my car but I only get to 110 mph so any benefit is probably still minor.

kingkohlmn

Some have removed the spare tire and used the empty carrier as an additional storage compartment.

7T1vette

Can't imagine any "aero" benefit with car at less than 100 mph. How often are you going to reach that amount of speed?

Yep. The carrier might make a pretty good dirty clothes/bag repository on a long road trip.

DUB

I often times get asked to take the spare tire carrier out for customers.

One of them that I had removed it for them.... needed it on a trip when they were in an area with no cell reception...needless to say...he had me out it back in and make sure it was all good to work if needed.

DUB

gdh

That's what I do.

shok

That occurred to me. Does the carrier rattle or anything without the weight of a tire and wheel in it?

Soon I will drive it to work, which is 75 miles in each direction. I probably would not go over 70 mph too often, figured if anything losing the tire will offset some of the weight of all the tools and junk I always carry in it until I learn to trust the car

gdh

I keep a couple of old pillows in it, no rattles. We have put a cooler bag filled with water bottles and ice packs on a few long trips during the summer heat. Works great as there just is not much room in the 72. Can easilly fit a gym bag or 2 in there if needed.
I read somewhere that the spare tire would help in a rear end collision, always hoped that I would never have to find out. Wish that the gov'ts would mandate automatic vehicle anti collision on all new cars and trucks sold.

REELAV8R

I had my carrier on minus the spare tire for aero for quite a while too. I have since removed it when I had the rear diff rebuilt by tracdogg.
Even with it in I just carry a can of fix-a-flat, if desperate I'll use it, but prefer those flat repair kits that has you push a sticky length of rubber into the hole. That and a small air pump that runs off of the cigarette lighter will fix any puncture. A blow out is a different story.
I haven't ever had a blow out, and only a couple of puncture flats in the 30+ years I've been driving. Tire tech is very good these days so a flat is a much rarer occurance than it used to be.

shok

Yeah I haven't had a tire go out in years, and hopefully I'm good for awhile since these are brand new tires. Maybe the carrier would be a good place to store the car cover in a plastic bag, I only plan to use the cover when I know its going to rain.
Thanks for all the replies!

theandies

If I ever took my convertible on a long trip I might do this as well. With the top down there is little room for not much more than a small dufflebag. I do have the luggage rack though.

loup68

I say that the spare tire can be helpful in a rear end accident. And I had a flat on a freeway in the middle of nowhere once. Lou.

F4Gary

I think the C2/3 looks odd without it. Kind of an emaciated look. Use it for storage if nothing else.