David,

Easy solution:  Carry the old steel wheel mounted tire as a spare, along
with a set of nuts and bolts for it and get your money back for the
fifth wheel.

Harder:  Remove and bend the steel rods installed over the spare tire
pan to fit the bigger tire/wheel.  Alternatively, throw out the rods and
strap the tire to the pan.

Most elegant:  Buy and install the wire rods from a later model.

"MOST,DAVID" wrote:
>
> I just finished switching over alloys from an '87 to an '85, and there
> were no problems.  However, when I tried to put the alloy with a 205/70r14
> tire into the spare tire holder for the '85, it just wouldn't fit.  I know
> that the fit can be tight, but this would have required much more force,
> and I'm not sure that it would have closed at all.
>
> I took the spare alloy from an '87 that was factory equipped with alloys,
> and I'm wondering if, independent of differences between the '85 and '87,
> the spare tire holder in such a vanagon allows for a larger tire.
>
> If there is a difference in size, what options do I have to carry the
> alloy spare in the '85 (besides carrying with me inside the camper)?
>
> Thanks,
> David

--
Stuart MacMillan
Seattle

'84 Vanagon Westfalia
'65 MGB (Driven since 1969)
'74 MGB GT (Restoring)

Assisting on Restoration:
'72 MGB GT (Daughter's)
'64 MGB (Son's)

Parts cars:
'68 & '73 MGB, '67 MGB GT