Spare tire, should I bother?

[Zoob]

Hello, can someone answer my question: Will a 986 spare tire be able to fit on a 2005 987? Beyond that would the kit fit in the front trunk of a 987 (concerned about height here)?

Knowing that any ill fated tire that was to come off the car would have to be carried in the passenger seat, should one even bother?

Looking to make Summer CA and NV desert runs and would like to know the spare was on board in addition to the the sealant. ( high heat and long mileage

Thanks

CZ

[berty987]

I have a 986/996 17" x 105 space saver wheel and tyre in my 987S front trunk. Yes it will fit in the trunk and on the car, but should only be fitted to the front axle , so you will need to do some swapping if the rear should get a puncture. The 986/97 space saver wheel has a slightly smaller radius than the front wheel on a 987 so if its fitted to the rear (which is slightly bigger than hte front) you can get issues with the differential after a long run. Neither the front or rear wheel when removed from the axle will fit in front or rear trunks so it needs to go on the passenger seat or alternatively be strapped to the top of the rear boot cover. I posted a long thread with pictures showing how this works on my own car. There is also a 17" space saver available specifically for the 987/997 but its over 400 uk pounds about 600 USD. The tyre width is wider than the 986 space saver (17x 185) so you lose more of the front luggage space too. I bought my 986 space saver with a jack and tools from a breakers yard for about 100 Uk pounds (150 USD). You need the 17" wheel option to clear the front calipers on a 987S.

[Gary H]

But again, I think the issue is what to do with the punctured tyre and wheel...especially if there are two of you!

FWIW, I've got rid of my spare tyre in the 986 and replaced it with a can of Slime sealant and a compressor...and made sure my Roadside Assistance is up to date :D

[berty987]

Would suggest that the 986 has a wider storage bay than the 987 as the DVD drive and CD changer in the 987 takes up more space. Certainly I'm not aware of 986 owners having any issues transporting removed road wheels. The 987 has less space and cannot carry a full roadwheel hence the tyre glue as a substitute.

Once a tyre has been temporary repaired using the glue its written off and cannot be properly repaired , hence my interest in having a spare wheel when running 19" wheels with the more expensive tyre. The tyre glue also has a nasty habit of messing up tyre bay equipment , so a lot of garages wont touch a tyre thats been repaired in this way. The inside of the wheel rim also ends up in a mess too. I'd use it as a last resort, my preference would be to repair the original tyre and put it back on the road. I know porsche frown on the idea of repairing tyres but if you are on holiday you cannot always guarantee the same tyre size and make are available off the shelf. Even in the Uk there are often shortages at certain times of year. I dont track the car so I see no more risk with a porsche tyre properly repaired than any other tyre on another vehicle. Properly repaired tyres are road legal so why not repair , especially if the tyre only has minimal wear ? There is more of an issue with fitting a new tyre on the same axle as a worn item due to issues with diferentials etc , another arguement for repairing the original tyre.

Edited February 23, 2010 by berty987