You can also look to see what I did at http://www.volkswagen.org/Vanagon
There is a fancy little "C" shaped thingie that holds the sparetire holder
flap a little lower.

At 14:37 11/11/98 -0500, you wrote:
>yes it tends to rub.
>
>the solution is to take these two steps:
>
>1. push the tire slightly to the right front of the vehicle
>
>2. get a big washer--like 1/2 inch or larger, and a longer bolt, and
>use the washer so the spare tire carrier no longer gets bolted up
>quite so high.
>
>If you push that tire out of the way and then use a file folder in
>there you can push it around until the tire no longer rubs the
>steering shaft.
>
>At 01:27 PM 11/11/98 -0600, you wrote:
>>Derek,
>>
>>Do you have a problem fitting you spare tire in the stock position?
> Mine
>>is rubbing like hell on the steering connecting shaft.  Just wonder
>what
>>you did or if you're having the same problem.
>>
>>Thanks for your time.
>>
>>Robyn Rudisill
>>91 Syncro Westy
>>
>________________________________________________________
>Derek Drew                              New York, NY & Washington,
>DC
>drew@interport.net
>'90 Syncro Westfalia...
>...seen off-road at http://www.tiu.net/~des/vw/drew/index.html
>
>        Also seen at: http://www.pipeline.com/~tforhan/swrange.htm
>                     http://4wd.sofcom.com/VW/snow.html
>                     http://www.pipeline.com/~tforhan/swmassn.htm
>                     http://4wd.sofcom.com/VW/Campers/Campers.html
>
>        Note: most valuable Vanagon sites on the planet (for owners)
>are:
>
>http://gerry.vanagon.com/cgi-bin/wa.exe?S1=vanagon
>                    ftp://gerry.vanagon.com/pub/
>
>

-- David Marshall                                    --
-- 78 1.8L VW Rabbit, 80 2.0L VW Caddy, 87 Audi 5KSQ --
-- 85 VW Cabriolet, 88 2.0L VW Syncro 16" Double Cab --
-- Volkswagen Homepage   http://www.volkswagen.org   --
-- Volkswagen/Audi Parts http://parts.volkswagen.org --
-- mailto:david@volkswagen.org - Quesnel, BC, Canada --