Spare Tire Spacer
 

Attachment 325175

I've been looking for a clear indication of which cars came with the pictured spacer. My impression was that the spacer was only used with the spoked aluminum inflatable spare, but the P&I manual seems to imply that it was used on all 87 to at least 91 cars.

https://www.austinthirdgen.org/parts...mages/8-25.gif

From first hand knowledge, it doesn't seem that the black painted aluminum inflatable spare will fit under the panel with the spacer in place. My 91 Formula didn't have the spacer when I got it, but the spare and jack had been used at least once, so it's possible a previous owner removed it. :hmmm:

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

I have only found one of these in a wrecked car and it also had the spoked aluminum inflatable spare which I bought. None of the 8 other original 3rd gens I have owned had this spacer or the spoked aluminum inflatable spare, so you might be right about this part. I also found a painted aluminum inflatable spare which I bought and it didn't have the spacer.

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

I have found them in a variety of cars, but I believe they were for all the inflatable spares, not just the aluminum one.

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

Seems that no small part of the spare tire and related hardware confusion seems to come from all the variations of the wheel/tire, and the use of the "1LE" term. I want to say there's a steel mini-spare, a steel inflatable spare, a spoked aluminum inflatable spare, and painted aluminum inflatable spare. Am I missing any?

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

My Mini-Space Spare Tire Has A Insulator/Spacer Under The Tire As I Recall,But Looks Different Than The One Pictured.

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

My experience is that the cars that came with the large 1le rear discs did not have this piece. Instead they had a square pad of tar like material. The spare was larger to fit over the larger 12" rear discs. This wouldn't be just 1le cars as the 90-92 GTA's had these rear brakes as well.

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

My 86 TA has that part,the RPO for the spare is N65,Wheel & Tire,space saver wheel,Steel

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

So it sounds like any inflatable spare except the black painted aluminum spare should have the spacer, and no spacer for the compact mini-spares. Does that seem right?

Trying to get everything to a complete set of spare/jack/related hardware is harder than it ought to be.

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

I think that's correct. I just pulled out my alum inflatable spare are it doesn't seem to fit with the pictured pad.

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

88 GTA with inflatable steel spare uses spacer shown in post #1.

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

What is your RPO code?
The ones without the pad that I've seen are N64.

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

I have that spacer that came with my 87 IROC and it is a steel wheel inflatable tire.

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

N65

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

So it's looking like N65 uses the spacer and N64 does not which makes sense due to the larger diameter spare with N64.

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

FWIW,my spare tire size is,P195/750/14

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

I Have The Same Size,mantaguy That Should Be P195/75D/14

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

Thanks for the correction LOL, eyes aren't like they used to be:(

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

My 87 Formula with the inflatable spare had one... ( I put bigger Baer Brakes on it so there was no use in having a spare tire.)

John

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

This will add more to the confusion about RPO (N65) and RPO (N64) inflatable spare tires.

I just found the complete opposite results on the two latest original 350 cars that I have purchased and decided to take a look at the spares today . My 350 cars have the RPO (N64) and use the 1"spacer under an aluminum spoked inflatable spare and my 305 RPO (N65) car does not.

My all original 1985 "California" IROC with a 305 TPI has the RPO (N65) and has no plastic 1" spacer under the spare and it is a steel inflatable spare.

My all original 350 TPI 1988 GTA Notchback has an unused RPO (N64) spare with a spoked inflatable aluminum wheel its even in its original plastic bag and it has the 1" plastic spacer under it.

My all original 350 TPI 1987 IROC with a T-Top has an unused RPO (N64) spare with a spoked inflatable aluminum wheel and it also has a 1" plastic spacer under it.

Could the difference in the type of spare have to do with the T-Tops or the 350 Engine vs the 305 engine?

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

I'm not all that concerned with which spare should come in which car or why, the rpo codes and equipment should answer that question.

Part of the confusion is the two different N64 spares. The first style is spoked cast aluminum. The later is stamped aluminum, painted black, 15" to clear PBR rear discs. The only real hint it's aluminum aside from the weight is the lack of rust on any scratches.

My 87 Iroc has the spoked aluminum N64 spare, and the spacer. My 91 Formula has the larger aluminum spare, and with the spacer in place the cover won't fit. I'm assuming it never had the spacer originally, the parts catalog illustration just had me second guessing.

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

So it looks like N64 codes for two types of Aluminium spare. The smaller spoked Al spare needs the spacer, the larger AL spare does not use it.

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

I always thought that regardless of wheel material (steel vs. aluminum) the spacer was added depending on the stowed spare tire diameter. Stowaway spares (stored flat with an inflator) got the spacer, compact spares (stored inflated) came without the spacer.

:huh:

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

This isn't the case because my 85 "California" IROC is all original,has the steel inflatable or stowaway spare wheel that you have to inflate with the canister. It is RPO (N65) it doesn't have the spacer and never did have it. I still have the unused inflater canister and the spare has never been used. There are other factors that determined whether your spare got the 1" plastic spacer under the spare.So the question goes on?

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

That would make sense!,don't ya think.I'm sure GM's (Bean Counters) wouldn't put a part in that wasn't needed($$$$$):2cents:

Re: Spare Tire Spacer
 

Include the larger AL inflatable spares for PBR brakes in that group. From reports above the spacer won't even fit if you try to put one in. I've had three of these cars - all without the spacer. They were all Canadian cars - don't know if that makes a difference though.