I doubt it's your spare tire smelling from burning.
correct spare would be either 185R14C or 195/75 R14LT.
the hose can only get up to about 180 to 200 degrees max........
that wouldn't cause burning to the side of the spare tire I wouldn't think.
 Just drop the spare and take a temp reading on it with your trusty infrared
temp gun, after a good hot run.
Or even just take the reading from the side without dropping the spare.

----- Original Message -----
From: "neil N" <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, October 31, 2008 12:27 PM
Subject: Rubber Smell from front.

> Hi all.
>
> Since my '81 Westy is now water cooled, the spare 195/14 tire (should
> be a 185/14 I presume), pushes the clamshell metal bar against the
> hose to bottom of rad.
>
> I can only assume the sidewall of the spare is closer to this hose
> than it should be.
>
> Could this hose be heating up the sidewall on the spare thus creating the
> smell?
>
> Is this hard on the sidewall of the spare?
>
> Or is it possible the smell normally comes from the front tires?
> (though I was just driving in the rain on a 12C day)
>
>
> Thanks!
>
> Neil.
>
> --
> Neil Nicholson '81 JettaWesty "Jaco
> http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines
> http://web.mac.com/tubaneil
> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/