Space saver wheel option

Martin Leech

New Member
Hello there,

New to A2 ownership, and looking at options going forward. My 2005 A2 doesn't have a spare wheel or space saver option only a compressor and repair sealant. I'm a bit of a belt/braces type and would like to have a space saver wheel just in case. I've seen a couple of wheels on e-bay but they are 15inch rather than the 185/50/R16 currently on the car. Please would members let me know if a 16inch option space saver wheel exits and if anyone has one for sale, or could direct me to someone who may be able to help me.

Best Regards Martin
 
Hello there,

New to A2 ownership, and looking at options going forward. My 2005 A2 doesn't have a spare wheel or space saver option only a compressor and repair sealant. I'm a bit of a belt/braces type and would like to have a space saver wheel just in case. I've seen a couple of wheels on e-bay but they are 15inch rather than the 185/50/R16 currently on the car. Please would members let me know if a 16inch option space saver wheel exits and if anyone has one for sale, or could direct me to someone who may be able to help me.

Best Regards Martin
Hello Martin and welcome, does your car have the lower secret boot compartment with false floor shelf or is it just an open single boot area?
 
Hello there,

New to A2 ownership, and looking at options going forward. My 2005 A2 doesn't have a spare wheel or space saver option only a compressor and repair sealant. I'm a bit of a belt/braces type and would like to have a space saver wheel just in case. I've seen a couple of wheels on e-bay but they are 15inch rather than the 185/50/R16 currently on the car. Please would members let me know if a 16inch option space saver wheel exits and if anyone has one for sale, or could direct me to someone who may be able to help me.

Best Regards Martin
I thought the space saver wheel was designed so that it about matched whatever standard A2 wheel you had on the car, it's the circumference that matters.

Andy
 
Hello Martin and welcome, does your car have the lower secret boot compartment with false floor shelf or is it just an open single boot area?
Hello , My Car has the false floor ,which has a Jack locking wheel nuts, spanners, battery compressor and sealant. but no space saver that I can see. Martin
 
Hello , My Car has the false floor ,which has a Jack locking wheel nuts, spanners, battery compressor and sealant. but no space saver that I can see. Martin
Ah, the floor cover where the battery and toolkit is located beneath isn't the false floor I'm referring to. All A2's have this but some also have an additional shelf located several inches above the bottom of the boot floor with the battery flap I think you are referring to. It sits on two rails, one on either side and folds in a consatina effect to allow access and in effect gives you two boot floors to use.

My reason for asking is that if your car has the false floor you can conceal a lightweight factory 15" x 5.5j A2 alloy with a 175/60/15 tyres beneath it and still use the upper boot as normal.

This wheel and tyre combination gives almost an identical rolling circumference to your standard 16" x 6j alloy wheels wearing 185/50/16 tyres so is perfect to fit and use as a spare although the alloy is an inch smaller but the larger tyre sidewall accommodates for this. The 16" wheel would not fit under the false floor correctly as it's too wide for the false floor to sit correctly 👍
 
This is the false floor, the space saver and the bracket (bottom left) to hold the space saver.


from

If you look at the 8 o'clock position by the side of the wheel you see a hole in the false floor. The large "bolt" (shown on the plastic disk) goes through the wheel centre, through the plastic disk and through the hole in the false floor and then into the bracket. The bracket bolts over the battery. When putting the wheel on the disk it is easy to bend the 5 plastic locating lugs and they might break if that happens too many times.

PS The site search engine is not brilliant. Use google or duckduckgo and the site url as prefix

site:a2oc.net space saver
 
Ah, the floor cover where the battery and toolkit is located beneath isn't the false floor I'm referring to. All A2's have this but some also have an additional shelf located several inches above the bottom of the boot floor with the battery flap I think you are referring to. It sits on two rails, one on either side and folds in a consatina effect to allow access and in effect gives you two boot floors to use.

My reason for asking is that if your car has the false floor you can conceal a lightweight factory 15" x 5.5j A2 alloy with a 175/60/15 tyres beneath it and still use the upper boot as normal.

This wheel and tyre combination gives almost an identical rolling circumference to your standard 16" x 6j alloy wheels wearing 185/50/16 tyres so is perfect to fit and use as a spare although the alloy is an inch smaller but the larger tyre sidewall accommodates for this. The 16" wheel would not fit under the false floor correctly as it's too wide for the false floor to sit correctly 👍
Hi , Thanks a lot for the information, I think I was getting fixated on the 16inch wheel size rather than circumference of the actual wheel. I'll make a bid for one on Ebay now I have the knowledge. Many Thanks Martin (2005 1.4 TDI)
 
Hi , Thanks a lot for the information, I think I was getting fixated on the 16inch wheel size rather than circumference of the actual wheel. I'll make a bid for one on Ebay now I have the knowledge. Many Thanks Martin (2005 1.4 TDI)

You might find searching for an 18" space saver rim easier if you use the OEM part number, ie. 1J0601027M.

This 18" space saver was also used on the Golf MK4, which uses a bigger outside diameter 125/70R18 tyre. So check with the seller to make sure the tyre is a 125/60R18 and not a Golf MK4 sized 125/70R18.

The below two OEM part numbers are just for the 16" and 18" steel rims, without the tyre. However, many will be sold with a tyre.

The 16" space saver is far less common than the 18" space saver. If you go for that size, make sure the tyre size is 125/70R16.

Audi A1 space saver steel rims
11J0601027MSteel rim for
space-saving emergency wheel
3.5Jx18 ET38
5/100 57.1
1
1J0601027M 03Crally black
16R0601027QSteel rim for
space-saving emergency wheel
3.5Jx16 ET38
5/100 57.1
1
6R0601027Q 03Crally black

Outside diameter of tyres
165/70R14 586.6mm
175/65R14 583.1mm
175/70R14 600.6mm
185/65R14 596.1mm
185/70R14 614.6mm
195/60R14 589.6mm
195/65R14 609.1mm
155/65R15 582.5mm
165/65R15 595.5mm
175/60R15 591.0mm
175/65R15 608.5mm
185/55R15 584.5mm
185/60R15 603.0mm
185/65R15 621.5mm
195/55R15 595.5mm
195/60R15 615.0mm
205/50R15 586.0mm
205/55R15 606.5mm
125/70R16 581.4mm (space saver)
135/70R16 595.4mm (space saver)
125/60R18 607.2mm (space saver)

At 595.4mm, the outside diameter of 135/70R16 is a close match to the standard A2 tyre sizes...a closer match than either 125/70R16 or 125/60R18.

135/70R16 space saver

As you can see in the chart below, a 135/70R16 tyre can be fitted to a 3.5J rim.

ETRTO approved rim widths
135/70 3.5-4.0-4.5
 
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Hi , Thanks a lot for the information, I think I was getting fixated on the 16inch wheel size rather than circumference of the actual wheel. I'll make a bid for one on Ebay now I have the knowledge. Many Thanks Martin (2005 1.4 TDI)
Martin, just buy a full size lightweight 15" A2 alloy wheel and tyre and forget about the space savers especially 18" ones! 😱

This really is the best option going.

I'm sure I have many in my unit/workshop if I check if you decide that you want to go that route? 👍
 
Martin, just buy a full size lightweight 15" A2 alloy wheel and tyre and forget about the space savers especially 18" ones! 😱

This really is the best option going.

I'm sure I have many in my unit/workshop if I check if you decide that you want to go that route? 👍
Hi, I must admit getting rather confused regarding the space saver options, if you could have a look for the full size option, Id really appreciate it. Many thanks Martin
 
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Hi, I must admit getting rather confused regarding the space saver options, if you could have a look for the full size option, Id really appreciate it. Many thanks Martin
Like this, ideal spare.
Will fit under false floor, if/when you fit one. They are good to have, (false floor and spare).
Mac.
Screenshot_20230614-161354.png
 
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New to A2 ownership, and looking at options going forward. My 2005 A2 doesn't have a spare wheel or space saver option only a compressor and repair sealant. I'm a bit of a belt/braces type and would like to have a space saver wheel just in case. I've seen a couple of wheels on e-bay but they are 15inch rather than the 185/50/R16 currently on the car. Please would members let me know if a 16inch option space saver wheel exits and if anyone has one for sale, or could direct me to someone who may be able to help me.

You can get a 6Jx16 ET35 5/100 57.1 steel rim that exactly matches the specification of your 16" alloy rim with the 185/50R16 tyre on. These have only been available since around 2019 when VAG released various models that used this size such as the VW T-Cross, Skoda Scala, etc. According to "skoda eshop cz" it weighs 7,430grams, which if correct is lightweight for a 16" rim, steel or otherwise. 7,430kg probably is correct, because the similar 6Jx16 ET40 5/100 57.1 steel rim is listed at 7,300kg. Most 16" alloy rims weigh more.

6Jx16 ET35 5/100 57.1 steel rim

Notice in the below chart, that a 185/50R16 tyre fitted to a 6J rim is about 11mm wider than a 175/60R15 tyre fitted to a 5.5J rim.

Notice also, that a 185/65R14 tyre fitted to a 5J rim is exactly the same width as a 175/60R15 tyre fitted to a 5.5J rim.

Actual width of inflated tyre (measured sidewall to sidewall)
185/65R14 fitted to 5J rim = 183mm
175/60R15 fitted to 5.5J rim = 183mm
185/50R16 fitted to 6J rim = 194mm

mytyres.co.uk are listing them for £49.40 each including shipping from Germany.
oponeo.co.uk are listing them for £55.00 each including shipping.

Alcar 6664 6Jx16 ET35 5/100 57.1 steel rim
1686771132402.png

 
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