[C2] Spare tire size
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Close to DC
C2 of the Year Finalist - Modified 2020
Get a Temp spare from a S-10 Chevy pickup. Fits, and will mount on your car and clear the calipers. The side benefit is, you flip it over in the tub and use it to store things, especially if you drive a lot possibly needing a fuel pump or ignition parts, fan belt, rad hoses. 
Dennis
Dennis
Team Owner
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 37,653
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From: CA
JohnZ:...
AI Overview
As a prominent Corvette Forum expert, JohnZ (John Hinckley) noted that a 1990s-era Chevy S-10 compact temporary spare wheel (T155/90D-16) perfectly fits the C2 Corvette. It has the correct \(5 \times 4.75"\) bolt pattern and clears the C2's disc brake calipers without rubbing.
[[url=https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/c1-and-c2-corvettes/2094442-63-67-spare-tire-tub.html]1, 2, 3]
Context & Fitment Details
AI Overview
As a prominent Corvette Forum expert, JohnZ (John Hinckley) noted that a 1990s-era Chevy S-10 compact temporary spare wheel (T155/90D-16) perfectly fits the C2 Corvette. It has the correct \(5 \times 4.75"\) bolt pattern and clears the C2's disc brake calipers without rubbing.
[[url=https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/c1-and-c2-corvettes/2094442-63-67-spare-tire-tub.html]1, 2, 3]
Context & Fitment Details
- The Spare Tire: The S-10 compact spare is a 16-inch wheel with a smaller outer diameter tire. Because of this, it is the only viable spare that fits neatly inside the C2's stock spare tire tub under the rear, as modern full-size radials will not fit.
- Full-Size S-10 Rims: If you are asking about fitting standard driving tires/rims from a Chevy S-10 onto a C2, you should avoid using them. While the 5-lug bolt pattern (\(5 \times 4.75"\)) is technically the same, S-10 wheels (like stock 15-inch S-10 Rallys) generally feature a front-drive offset or deeper backspacing designed for a truck. They will cause severe rubbing on your C2's control arms and frame.
- Recommended C2 Sizes: For regular street driving, JohnZ and other forum members recommend sticking to a 205/75R-15 or 215/70R-15 radial tire mounted on factory C2 wheels to prevent cracking or rubbing your fiberglass fenders.
- [[url=https://www.speedwaymotors.com/shop/wheels-corvette-c2~8454286-1-949-17-601-7644-45] 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]
Last edited by 66jack; Yesterday at 11:06 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2024
Posts: 183
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From: Cave Creek, AZ
Thanks guys; I should have been more specific; this isn’t a daily driver; also, I want to stay with the original Kelsey Hayes steel spare rim which was just repainted. Again, this is for show mostly but I need a tire that will fit the rim and the carrier. What modern dimensions do I use? I’m thinking 195/75-15??
Last edited by 66 C2 327/350; Today at 12:34 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 37,653
Likes: 1,110
From: CA
AI Overview
To fit a spare in a C2 Corvette, use a 15" x 6" Kelsey Hayes wheel (either an original finned knock-off or a standard steel wheel). Pair it with a \(6.70 \times 15\) bias-ply tire (the modern equivalent is a 205/75R15), and inflate it to no more than 26-28 PSI so the spare tub closes properly. [1, 2, 3]
Key Spare Tire Guidelines
To fit a spare in a C2 Corvette, use a 15" x 6" Kelsey Hayes wheel (either an original finned knock-off or a standard steel wheel). Pair it with a \(6.70 \times 15\) bias-ply tire (the modern equivalent is a 205/75R15), and inflate it to no more than 26-28 PSI so the spare tub closes properly. [1, 2, 3]
Key Spare Tire Guidelines
- Wheel: The original 15x6 Kelsey Hayes knock-off or a standard steel Corvette wheel. Wider wheels (like the 15x7 or 15x8s used on the ground) will not fit in the under-car spare tire carrier.
- Tire Size: A 205/75R15 is the ideal modern radial replacement for the original bias-ply size. Today's radial tires have thicker sidewalls than the originals, making a 205/75R15 a tight fit in the fiberglass spare tub.
- Inflation: Keep the spare deflated slightly to roughly 26 PSI when storing it. This prevents the tire from bulging and rubbing against the carrier hardware or the exhaust.
