For those who will be running alloy wheels but keep a steel wheel as a spare, consider also carrying a set of appropriate / previous lug nuts/bolts. The shoulders (and sometimes the diameter) of the lug nuts/bolts vary from the alloy to the steel. 

My new alloy wheels came with new nuts and I converted the fronts from bolts to studs that take the nuts (came in the kit). These have a slightly different size, too, so I have a different wrench for them.

In my jack bag - still have the original plastic bag that came with the van, which seems incredible to me that a plastic bag would last 34 years - I keep a set of the old nuts (from the rear, which was always studs) so that I can use my old steel spare.

…r

> On Apr 2, 2021, at 9:29 AM, Jack R <jack007@COMCAST.NET> wrote:
> 
> I keep a tire puncture repair kit handy, as well as a compressor, and have never had to put my spare on since I bought my van in 1987!  I've put over 120k miles on it.  
> 
> The only tire issue I had was in 1992, when I hit ice on the highway, was blown off the road, and my tire was knocked off the rim and deflated.  Needless to say, a tow truck was needed, and the tire was remounted and was driving again using the same tire.  The HD multi-ply tires tend to hold up very well.  Frankly, I'd rather keep a 185/R14 in the clam shell, for safety and short drives. 
> 
> I've upgraded to 16" rims, and as Dennis said, the diameter is close and I have 2WD, so I'm glad to have it set up this way.
> 
> Jack R.
> 84 Westy
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Chris S
> Sent: Thursday, April 1, 2021 8:33 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Spare tire location
> 
> I recently engaged in same conversation on FB Vanagon group because I thought so too. I’m not so sure now because there does not seem to be a lot of structure behind the spare.  After 21 years of Vanagon ownership put me in the “plausible” club. 
> 
> Chris. 
> Wysłane z iPhone'a
> 
>> Wiadomość napisana przez Rob <vwrobb@gmail.com> w dniu 4/1/21, o godz. 18:05:
>> 
>> The vanagon spare tire laying flat right up front like that is there to
>> absorb energy when you run into something.
>> 
>> Rob
>> Vwrobb@gmail.com