VW makes a set of radiator hoses for vehicles originally equipped with
205/75 -14 tires. I have these hoses on my '87 Wolfsburg w/factory alloys &
205/75 -14 tires. I do not have a problem with closing the spare tire
'door', only with the price of replacing these 'special' hoses: ~$80 bucks
each from Bus Depot vs. about ~$30 for standard hoses. I don't exactly know
what the difference is, but these special hoses are likely formed to hug the
chassis and routed over the spare, allowing clearance, Clarence.

Perhaps the best thing to do is to have a standard sized (185~195 series?)
spare in there that will fit; not unlike those tiny inflatable spares on new
cars.

Regards, Mike

----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan Pickersgill" <alanpick@MAGMA.CA>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2002 3:27 PM
Subject: Spare Tire Too Big?

I recently bought 4 new tires and threw out all but one of the old ones.
Kept the best of the old as a spare. The "new" spare is nominally the same
size as the old spare, 205/75 -14 but the guy who put the new tires on
couldn't make the tray close without seriously forcing the tire against the
rad hoses that run throught the spare tire compartment. He didn't want to do
that, so I put the spare in the back. Anybody had this situation. Any big
problem in making contact with the hoses - doesn't seem like a good idea,
but would like some experience advice.

Alan Pickersgill
Ottawa ON
Canada
'85 Transporter converted to Westfalia.