But if it is running the same OD, what does it matter?  The variation  is in
how much of the sidewall is rubber and how much is rim, but the same  amount
of rubber hits the road.

Right?

In a message dated 4/28/2006 3:04:42 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
sam.cooks@verizon.net writes:

Rob,

You can take a 14" spare, but also take the tools so that  you can be
sure you are able to remove the drive shaft if you did have a  flat and
had to use the 14" spare.  I would loosen all 8 nuts and  bolts and lube
them and re torque them before the trip to make sure I  didn't find
myself unable to remove the drive shaft if this was needed at  night on
some less than optimal road for such a mechanical  operation.

You would likely do damage to your VC, front differential,  or transaxle
if you drove with that one much smaller wheel and tire on the  Syncro.

It is somewhat of a Syncro dogma that you should have 5 tires  for the 5
identical wheels of the same size, make and model, and with  essentially
even wear in a rotation on the Syncro to prolong the life of  the VC and
avoid damage to the transaxle.  Slight variations can be  tolerated, but
nothing like what the 14" wheel and tire is likely to  generate.

Sam

--
Sam Walters
Baltimore, MD

89  Syncro GL, Zetec Inside
85 Westy Weekender
85 Mercedes Benz 300D  Turbodiesel - to become veggie oil powered