spare tire compatability
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2014
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From: West Central Florida
2011 E550 P2 4M Sedan
spare tire compatability
My first thread on wheels and it's about the spare tire. That pretty much sums me up. But enough about me...
A colleague of mine helped her daughter out when her Hyundai with a flat tire didn't have a spare by putting the spare from her Toyota on it. And it worked. Her tire shop said it would be fine if the tire size was comparable and bolt pattern matched.
I had never thought that you could use a spare from a different make/model but I guess it is possible if the rim is large enough to clear the calipers, the bolt pattern lines up, and the wheel circumference is close enough. This got me thinking that maybe I should be keeping spare tire kits if I am trading in a car. Apparently a car not having a spare is a thing now.
Anyone ever recycle a spare to use with a car that didn't come with one due to run flats or cost cutting? How would you go about verifying compatibility beforehand?
A colleague of mine helped her daughter out when her Hyundai with a flat tire didn't have a spare by putting the spare from her Toyota on it. And it worked. Her tire shop said it would be fine if the tire size was comparable and bolt pattern matched.
I had never thought that you could use a spare from a different make/model but I guess it is possible if the rim is large enough to clear the calipers, the bolt pattern lines up, and the wheel circumference is close enough. This got me thinking that maybe I should be keeping spare tire kits if I am trading in a car. Apparently a car not having a spare is a thing now.
Anyone ever recycle a spare to use with a car that didn't come with one due to run flats or cost cutting? How would you go about verifying compatibility beforehand?
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Joined: Jan 2009
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From: V E G A S
1922 Ford Model T / no OBD
I am carrying spare from W211 in my W212.
Driving long stretches on desert without spare is not my idea of confidence.
Lot of manufacturers use the same bolt pattern and I see often wheels from Audi, Tesla, VW swapped with MB.
The only issue might be rpm aka rolling diameter, but worse come to worse, you can always turn ESP off.
That said, I am in big favor of full size spare. Had to drive on donut spare years ago for 100 miles and that was not good memory
Driving long stretches on desert without spare is not my idea of confidence.
Lot of manufacturers use the same bolt pattern and I see often wheels from Audi, Tesla, VW swapped with MB.
The only issue might be rpm aka rolling diameter, but worse come to worse, you can always turn ESP off.
That said, I am in big favor of full size spare. Had to drive on donut spare years ago for 100 miles and that was not good memory
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2014
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From: MA
2008 E350 4Matic, 2011 E350 4matic
I suppose you could always pick up a donut tire from a junkyard easily enough. But you could always just get a replica rim or a used/refurbished OEM rim on eBay and just have a full size spare if you're that worried about it.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,107
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From: West Central Florida
2011 E550 P2 4M Sedan
I was thinking just about donut spares, not full size spares, given the space under the trunk liner is normally just big enough for a donut. Fortunately when I've had to use spares it's been for 10 miles or less on side roads.
I have found websites that let you compare tire sizes. I assume that a small difference in rolling diameter of less than 1% will work. Maybe more variance will still work?
But will a 5 bolt donut spare from an MB fit another car also with 5 bolt wheels? Not sure if all 5 bolt are compatible, like using a donut from a MB on a Hyundia or Honda? I haven't found an updated online resource for bolt patterns using Google.
I have found websites that let you compare tire sizes. I assume that a small difference in rolling diameter of less than 1% will work. Maybe more variance will still work?
But will a 5 bolt donut spare from an MB fit another car also with 5 bolt wheels? Not sure if all 5 bolt are compatible, like using a donut from a MB on a Hyundia or Honda? I haven't found an updated online resource for bolt patterns using Google.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 1,550
From: MA
2008 E350 4Matic, 2011 E350 4matic
I was thinking just about donut spares, not full size spares, given the space under the trunk liner is normally just big enough for a donut. Fortunately when I've had to use spares it's been for 10 miles or less on side roads.
I have found websites that let you compare tire sizes. I assume that a small difference in rolling diameter of less than 1% will work. Maybe more variance will still work?
But will a 5 bolt donut spare from an MB fit another car also with 5 bolt wheels? Not sure if all 5 bolt are compatible, like using a donut from a MB on a Hyundia or Honda? I haven't found an updated online resource for bolt patterns using Google.
I have found websites that let you compare tire sizes. I assume that a small difference in rolling diameter of less than 1% will work. Maybe more variance will still work?
But will a 5 bolt donut spare from an MB fit another car also with 5 bolt wheels? Not sure if all 5 bolt are compatible, like using a donut from a MB on a Hyundia or Honda? I haven't found an updated online resource for bolt patterns using Google.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 9,225
Likes: 1,798
From: V E G A S
1922 Ford Model T / no OBD
Good donut wheel can generate higher price on ebay than AMG wheel 
So if you luck out finding one on JY sure go for it.
The W211 wheel, that fits W212 is 155/70 R17 size. On my E250BT even 16" wheel will fit, but big V8 cars might have bigger brakes.
The only good thing about donut is that when I pack up my trunk, it will fit in rear legroom behind front seat. Full size will not do it, unless you push front seat forward.
Than life is about compromises.
So if you luck out finding one on JY sure go for it.
The W211 wheel, that fits W212 is 155/70 R17 size. On my E250BT even 16" wheel will fit, but big V8 cars might have bigger brakes.
The only good thing about donut is that when I pack up my trunk, it will fit in rear legroom behind front seat. Full size will not do it, unless you push front seat forward.
Than life is about compromises.
