Spare Tire

[Bobby]

Hey Mustang Guys!

I have a 15 inch wheel and tire spare to match the 14 inch spec tire and wheel and I actually have 17 inch Torq Thrush wheels with Cooper Zeon tires to match height spec.....  I do not have a fold down rear seat back.  When I put together the spare tire package, I was unaware that our Mustangs used a collapsable spare tire with a factory charged compressed air bottle to expand the spare.  I thought that that silliness was a more modern lack of thinking noting the compact spares that are now an option!!!.....unless you specify that option at the dealership....anyway, my spare combo is huge in comparison with the rinky dink trunk I have on my 72 Mach 1.  The aftermarket J-hook tie down doesn't work very well because it would cause my spare tire to conflict with space in the trunk with my right rear stereo speaker.  Without it being secured somehow, the chances that the spare would move around and damage my tail lights is relatively high.  Any ideas on how to properly secure this spare?

 

[midlife]

Remove the tire and store it in the garage.  Get the proper space-saver tire and inflation bottle.

 

[Bobby]

Given the lack of availability and the very high cost IF one could be found, we're still looking at a 50 to 60 year old piece of collapsable rubber that may not inflate properly.  No replacement rubber is available that I know of and the inflator bottles are even more rare.....IF they would actually hold air.  I would rather stick with a reliable spare with new rubber and is already properly inflated so peace of mind is assured.  Still looking for solutions and one of them is is to purchase a new J hook tie down from NPD but that would require dropping the gas tank to drill holes to secure the new tie down.....or weld......

 

[c9zx]

Personally I'd make sure my AAA Gold card is current. But, if you must you could try this.  https://www.amazon.com/3M-08115-Panel-Bonding-Adhesive/dp/B000PEW4MI   I have no idea if it would work or not. Chuck

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

We have discussed this several times recently Toni found a small temp. spare out of a Kai that fits the Mustang bolt pattern. Go look for his post for details.
Now just for information. The sports roof, coupe and convertible only got space saver spares if you got the Magnum 500 15" wheel option and the spare was a 14" BFG space saver. You would never want to use one of them except for show. In the day they killed several people that pumped them up using a compressor. There was a recall that put a pop off valve in the rim to prevent exploding from over pressure.
If you had a space saver spare originally you would have the bracket in the picture that is off to the RH side. Oddly  enough cars with space saver has the normal bracket also. If you have a fold down then it is hidden under the rear panels. Without fold down you should be able to fit and F-70 X 14" spare in your trunk. The J bolt does not have to go through the center hold can be a lug bolt hole to move it back from seat partition if needed.
You probably know that no sportsroof, Mach 1, coupes or verts got the trunk mat. Only Grande got a woven mat not plastic and no tire covers ever.
If your car has the bracket in the picture it came with Magnum 500 wheels and had a space saver spare. A regular size spare will never fit onto this bracket.

 

[tony-muscle]

We have discussed this several times recently Toni found a small temp. spare out of a Kai that fits the Mustang bolt pattern. Go look for his post for details.
Now just for information. The sports roof, coupe and convertible only got space saver spares if you got the Magnum 500 15" wheel option and the spare was a 14" BFG space saver. You would never want to use one of them except for show. In the day they killed several people that pumped them up using a compressor. There was a recall that put a pop off valve in the rim to prevent exploding from over pressure.
If you had a space saver spare originally you would have the bracket in the picture that is off to the RH side. Oddly  enough cars with space saver has the normal bracket also. If you have a fold down then it is hidden under the rear panels. Without fold down you should be able to fit and F-70 X 14" spare in your trunk. The J bolt does not have to go through the center hold can be a lug bolt hole to move it back from seat partition if needed.
You probably know that no sportsroof, Mach 1, coupes or verts got the trunk mat. Only Grande got a woven mat not plastic and no tire covers ever.
If your car has the bracket in the picture it came with Magnum 500 wheels and had a space saver spare. A regular size spare will never fit onto this bracket.

View attachment 54750

Here is the link to my post. This is the tallest tire I was able to fit in a foldable rear seat application. You may be able to fit a larger one without foldable seats.

 

[secluff]

Hello Bobby,
As already posted, this subject has surfaced occasionally since I have been a member here. Unless you have a concourse-level show car or want your vehicle to be in an as-built condition, I would not use an original spacer saver tire as a spare now. The rubber is way past the manufacturer's expiration date, and replacement inflater cylinders are next to impossible to find. The space-saver spares were utilized on several models through 1980. Unfortunately, the inflator cylinders were discontinued for those in '95 as demand went to zero after the new "Donut" mini spares became more common. As David posted, people were trying to reinflate the space saver with an air hose and were overinflating them, causing them to blow up. A costly mistake for some who didn't want to spend the price of a new inflator canister. There was a recall to install a safety pop-off valve.
There was never a stand-alone option for the space-saver spare. It was included on any model equipped with F60 x 15" tires with steel rims, 15" Magnums, or fold down (sport seat) in a sports roof. My red Mach1 (Money Pit #2) has the F60 x 15" tire option on steel rims (a $49.36 option). It has a single spare tire bracket with the canister holder on the right side of the trunk, as in David's photo. I have heard of some models with both brackets, but it is a screw-up in the body shop as the car went through the buck process.
I have heard of some members in the past using Crown Victoria spares. Other make vehicles have the Ford 5 x 4.5" bolt pattern; just a matter of finding the wheel where there is no interference with front-end components. If ever in a salvage yard, look at some of the new model Ford products as some of them had aluminum spare tire rims. It would be worthwhile to check into Chuck's suggestion to use the body panel bond adhesive to mount a standard spare tire bracket. You could test it on some scrap metal first if you are not sure of the adhesive strength. Anything to avoid dropping the fuel tank would be great. If you had to make an emergency stop or hard maneuver, a loose spare could cause some serious damage.

 

[rackerm]

Well, I was able to install a 17" x 9" rim with a Nitto 45 x 245 size tire in my 70 Mach 1 with a fold down rear seat panel. This spare wheel matches my front wheels and is smaller than my rear wheels. I think the trunk on the 70 might even be smaller than a '71-'73. believe. I did it by relocating the hold down loop. First I sweeeezzzed the wheel in to the trunk where I wanted it. I then placed the hold down bar thru the dust cap hole and marked where to weld the hold down loop to the trunk floor. The space is so tight, that I have to release the latch on the trap door when putting the wheel in, or taking it out, but once in place I can latch trap door again. This process may work for you on you '71 Mach 1. Here is a pic of it....

 

[tony-muscle]

Well, I was able to install a 17" x 9" rim with a Nitto 45 x 245 size tire in my 70 Mach 1 with a fold down rear seat panel. This spare wheel matches my front wheels and is smaller than my rear wheels. I think the trunk on the 70 might even be smaller than a '71-'73. believe. I did it by relocating the hold down loop. First I sweeeezzzed the wheel in to the trunk where I wanted it. I then placed the hold down bar thru the dust cap hole and marked where to weld the hold down loop to the trunk floor. The space is so tight, that I have to release the latch on the trap door when putting the wheel in, or taking it out, but once in place I can latch trap door again. This process may work for you on you '71 Mach 1. Here is a pic of it....

Impressive. In my case I wanted to use the original location, which also gives me more trunk space to carry spare parts and tools in long trips.

 

[rackerm]

Impressive. In my case I wanted to use the original location, which also gives me more trunk space to carry spare parts and tools in long trips.

Unfortunately, for me something had to give. I use the space in the quarter panel and drop down behind the spare was a good place to mount the subwoofer. So not much space went to waste.