Dropped the spare on the '79 today to check it. Don't think I've ever had to add air to it before, but today it was dead flat. Got me to thinking about it. Its one of those lightweight temporary units that I'm sure is original to the car. I have 255-60R15 tires so if I were to get a flat I would have to carry the flat tire in the cockpit because it would never fit in the spare tire carrier. I have a spare set of 255's on rims. If I could modify the spare carrier to make it fit, I could use one as a spare and be able to carry the flat home. It would be heavier than the temp spare and I'd prefer not to add the weight. Trying to figure out what to do. What does everyone else do about a spare tire?

 

To replace my old spare which is a 195/80/15 I purchased a 205/75/15 in order to get close to that dimension.

195= 27.28
255=27.05
205=27.11

When you get a flat the 255 will fit in the spare carrier. There is a bolt which you loosen and the carrier drops down enough to slide the flat in. It's only temporary. Just spin the bolt back up after putting the spare back in.

 

I dumped mine a long time ago for less weight and faster driving. I stay local, my 02 doesn't have a spare and it doesn't have run flats. If it stresses you, get a 12 volt compressor and throw it in one of the compartments behind the seats, maybe a plug kit and a few tools also. We have our cell phones etc, these days, I don't worry at all about not having a spare on either car.

 

You've heard of Murphy's Law? I haven't had a flat tire in the 25 years I've owned the car, but I figure the minute I don't have a spare I will get a flat. And I'm really not comfortable dealing with a towing company especially in the middle of nowhere (not to mention I'm too cheap). I can't argue. You're right. Its just not my style. I need to have a plan to deal with it.

It didn't really occur to me that the 255 would fit in the spare tire carrier. I'm going to give that a try.

 

I extended the 2 front mounting bolts with a coupling nut. Did not have to do anything to the rear bolt.

 

Do you do this only to carry the flat? What do you do to take up the extra space in the carrier when you carry the spare?

 

So I spent the afternoon trying to figure out what I would do if I got a flat. The 255's won't fit in the spare tire carrier. My car came with the smaller tires - I added the 255's. I checked the AIM but there is no evidence that the 255's came with longer spare carrier bolts, although I know the factory did this on the midyears for the optional tires. My spare tire carrier bolts measure about 4.75". I would need something about 6" long to accommodate the 255-60 tires. Anyone know if they are available?

 

just get AAA and ask for a flat bed truck.Whether it's a flat or a break down they'll get you home.Cheap insurance.

 

You can get the spare tire bolts in a variety of lengths, these are listed as '64-'67 and should fit in the cross member in place of the bolts you have.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-64...del%3ACorvette

If you unscrew one of the bolts you have you may find that they actually have a couple inches of unexposed thread so they can be unscrewed to allow room for a 255/60. If your bolts do have extra thread on them, just install a correct sized nut on the bolt before screwing it into the cross member or just carry them inside the car. If you can (and need to) lower the stock bolts, unscrew them, install the nuts on the end of the bolts (leaving enough threads to secure the bolt into the cross member) then use them to lock the bolts into the cross member. Probably a task you'll want to rehearse before you need to do it for real, but it can be done.

You can also do what I do and carry a large (clean) garbage bag in the compartment behind the seat to place your 255/60 in if you have a flat and then stow it behind the seat.

Good luck... GUSTO

 

Thanks Karol -
I did not know that the tire carrier would hold a P255! Helped make my day, sir. I've been storing a few dry cleaner bags next to my jack anticipating that they might be necessary to protect my clean carpeting in the unfortunate event of swapping out the spare during a weekend getaway. We always go off the beaten trail enroute to the occasional Michigan Summer/Fall lakeside destinations (corn/wheat fields scenery with favorite music is an amazingly calming diversion from work); and, while we have AAA and Corvette Museum Insurance coverage for such things, let's face it, they require valuable waiting time - and let's be honest as friends are, deep down a wife expects her `mechanical handyman', self-educated car restorer husband who liberally spends $ and hours on the C3 hobby - both, reading and hands-on - to at least be able to change a flat tire!!. Am I the only one who hasn't yet bought in to the "I'll gain .00008 in the quarter mile", or "that's why god made cell phones", or other, `lost my Man Card when actually needed it', logic? If you are too old, that is one (understandable - as we will all be there) thing - but, otherwise, the car was designed, balanced and tested with the spare in mind. Maybe I will reconsider in future years - but, for now, the spare/jack/wrench are my weapons and independence should my trusty BFGs ever become impaled...
Thanks again for pointing out the 255's fit in the carrier, at least to get it to a tire repair store in the next town....where a tow truck would have been required to take it under the AAA tire-change provision, anyway - saving the potential trauma to the car as the OP rightly noted...

DV

 

Couldn't have said it better myself. Thanks.

 

Drwet, your premise was that the tire was flat, therefore you are loading your rim in the spare tub. These rims are wider than the spare rim. You need to spin the bolt (front bolt with the spare tire lock) all the way down enough to catch the slot. That will get you home.

Now if you want to always carry a regular wide 255/60/15 in there you might need to buy 2 longer bolts (as Gusto pictured) and always have that the lock bolt spun all the way down. It will look like this (not mine). Myself, I would rather have the smaller spare:

 

I always carry a 255-60 spare.

 

I keep my spare tire in my wallet, along with a spare fuel pump, extra gasoline, and any of a dozen other things that can fail unexpectedly. But that decision is based in part on where I live and drive. I have the tub, and would use it for luggage for a long trip before using it on a tire. I'd prefer a 12V compressor and patch kit to a spare and the dodgy stock jack.

 

I heard that the spare tire acts as rear end crash protection. It helps keeping the gas tank from crushing and spraying gas all over.

 

You don't need to carry a heavy 255-60 tire on a steel wheel as a spare tire.
Find a super light weight aluminum wheel, 6" wide that will fit with your disc brakes on all four corners.
Mount a narrow tire that is close to or the same diameter as your 255-60"s and keep it in your tire carrier.
Keep a scissor or small hydraulic jack, a plug kit and a 12V compressor on board and you should never get stranded.
I also have AAA and if I have cell service I would call them, tell their dispatch that it is a classic car and request a flat bed, to come out and tow me to a tire shop.
My wife would think I'm a genius if I called AAA for a tow rather than crawl under and around the car in the dirt on a California highway, which could be considered suicidal.

 

So this is what I've learned about my car after crawling around under it and experimenting for a few days: The 235-60R15 tire will fit in the spare tire carrier if it is fully deflated, and the front carrier bolts are backed out as far as possible. (About 3/4" is what I could get.) 11/16" (for the lock nut) and 3/4" (for the head) open end wrenches are what's required. Also in order to get the tire in the tub, I had to jack up the car and turn in the rear carrier bolt as far as it would go. Doing that, I can just barely get the tire in the tub. I also packed a large garbage bag. I'm thinking if I were to get a flat when I don't have the back of the car full of luggage, it would be easier to throw the tire in a bag and put it inside the car. Hope this helps someone.

 

Ugh drwet, that's too much like work.

 

Should I need a tire repair, my strategy is to call Hagerty for Roadside tow to nearest tire facility...OR...call AAA to have them change over to my spare. Making a tire change by myself when on the road is NOT in my play-book. I do carry a jack...but only as a last-resort.

 

For all those saying they will just call Roadside Service or AAA let me tell you a little story....

8:00 PM on the 4th of July my Corvette won't start at a local restaurant. I call Hagerty and the tow truck finally arrived at 2 in the morning. The tow truck driver and Haggerty both apologized for the long wait but informed me all the local tow companies were swamped.

Once the two truck driver arrived he informed me his company had stopped answering AAA Calls at 9:00 because they couldn't handle the load they already had and were only handling their high end customers. I didn't ask exactly what that meant but inferred it to mean AAA customers are near the bottom of the to-do list as I'm guessing they negotiate a bargain price.

I've had to be towed 3 times in my life with Haggerty and the other two times they arrived in less than 30 minutes. But as I discovered occasionally there is a massive shortage of tow trucks that can't be helped.

Anyhoo... food for thought.