[Kryssa]

I read somewhere that the full size spare reduces the cargo area. Is that true???

I ordered one and had measured a hatch without the Sport Handling Package to make sure my dog's crate would fit! It didn't have more than an inch or 2 of extra room.

As you can imagine, I'm going a little crazy here!

 

[safetyguy14]

I read somewhere that the full size spare reduces the cargo area. Is that true???

I ordered one and had measured a hatch without the Sport Handling Package to make sure my dog's crate would fit! It didn't have more than an inch or 2 of extra room.

As you can imagine, I'm going a little crazy here!

It most definitely does, you lose about 3" of height.

 

[Kryssa]

It most definitely does, you lose about 3" of height.

I'm not doubting you, but I don't understand how it's possible... do the seats still fold flat? If the bottom of the back area (hatch area?) is raised up 3", wouldn't that make the seats 3" lower than they should be when folded down?

Thanks for any info you can give!

 

[Dgc333]

Yep! The seats are still in the same location, so when they are folded the backs will be lower than the floor in the hatch area.

 

[Kryssa]

Yep! The seats are still in the same location, so when they are folded the backs will be lower than the floor in the hatch area.

UGH!!! I cannot believe the dealership didn't tell me this! They know I have a big dog crate I have to put in the car! Sport handing package was not something I really wanted, just something that happen to come on the car that was on its way with everything else I wanted.

Grrr... now what to do??? They already have my trade and gave me a loaner. I know the deal isn't done until I take delivery (which I will NOT be doing...) Do I get my car back? Or do they give me a check for the trade in value?

 

[e350 coupe]

You could always get a smaller spare and remove the spacer which should lower your floor 3" to be at the same height as the seats folded down

 

[Nutty 5.0]

I'm sure as mentioned above someone on the forums here lives close enough to u and would be willing to swap there mini spare for your full size.

 

[RDJTX]

You could always get a smaller spare and remove the spacer which should lower your floor 3" to be at the same height as the seats folded down

This is likely what I will be doing when i have to haul crap. I will get a smaller spare to put there during those times.

 

[Kryssa]

I'm sure as mentioned above someone on the forums here lives close enough to u and would be willing to swap there mini spare for your full size.

Will the stock mini spare fit on the 18" wheels?

 

[willcraft]

Will the stock mini spare fit on the 18" wheels?

Spares don't go on the wheels... a spare is an extra wheel...

I'm guessing you're asking if a normal spare works OK with the other wheels being 18"?

 

[Nutty 5.0]

It is the brakes that you need to clear and yes as the front brakes and rear should be the same. Ours has mini spare and rear disc brakes. Someone will correct me of I'm wrong but pretty sure I'm right on this. Plus the dealer could swap one from on they have too but I know it would benefit another forum member too.

 

[Kryssa]

Spares don't go on the wheels... a spare is an extra wheel...

I'm guessing you're asking if a normal spare works OK with the other wheels being 18"?

Yes, that's exactly my question

In my 10 years of driving I've never had to change a flat tire, so when people say "spare" I always thought it was a "spare tire."

 

[Nutty 5.0]

Yes the spare will fit.

 

[Kryssa]

Thank you everyone for your help. This forum has been really great to read.

So are all the focus wheels/tires the same size when you consider both the wheel and the tire? I always thought 18" would be bigger than 17", but it would seem they make up the difference with a thinner tire. Obviously it would be tough to drive with a 17" spare if the total wheel + tire size was smaller than my 18"ers.

Thanks again

 

[Vittleking]

This was an issue in purchasing my Ti hatch with the handling package. The wife REALLY wanted the sedan because of the trunk room, but I really liked the body style of the hatch. The solution was to remove the "spare" and the styro inserts and but the amp in the spare tire wheel well, then replace the mat. Gives you a lot more room. You run the risk of not having a spare, but they do include roadside assistance, and very rarely do you use the spare.

 

[oldpueblo]

Does your amp just bang around or is there a place to lodge it without the inserts? I'm in the same boat mine came with the sport package and I didn't realize I'd lose cargo space, so I might consider trading the large tire as well. Anyone have a picture of your cargo with lifted cover to expose what's underneath? (non sport)

 

[Nutty 5.0]

Thank you everyone for your help. This forum has been really great to read.

So are all the focus wheels/tires the same size when you consider both the wheel and the tire? I always thought 18" would be bigger than 17", but it would seem they make up the difference with a thinner tire. Obviously it would be tough to drive with a 17" spare if the total wheel + tire size was smaller than my 18"ers.

Thanks again

Well, it depends on every model, brand etc. as far as the total diameter, but the mini spare is designed to fit around the brake caliper and associated bits. Since the handling package doesn't increase the brake sizes, the mini spare from all models will fit over. The mini spares are usually close to the size of the diamter of the wheel/tires that the model comes with, but a spare is just that: very brief trips to get repaired. When you have an all wheel drive vehicle or something with a limited slip differential, it becomes even more important that you have the same diameter spare so as not to ruin components being mismatched due the the diameter differeneces, etc.

Alternatively, you could take the advice above and leave the spare out of the vehicle altogether and substitute a can of flix a flat or use roadside assistance.

Hopefully I made some sense above???

 

[Dgc333]

Thank you everyone for your help. This forum has been really great to read.

So are all the focus wheels/tires the same size when you consider both the wheel and the tire? I always thought 18" would be bigger than 17", but it would seem they make up the difference with a thinner tire. Obviously it would be tough to drive with a 17" spare if the total wheel + tire size was smaller than my 18"ers.

Thanks again

The way Ford spec'd the tires for the different rim diameters the overall diameter stays the same. So the 235/40-18 has a 25.4" diameter as does the 215/55-16. This means the no recalibration of the speedo or tranny shift points is required for the different size tires/wheels offered.

 

[e350 coupe]

I am pretty sure that all the tires are basically the same diameters and just different widths and profiles depending on actual tire size. Our 235/40/18 have a diameter of 25.4"

I did notice that my full size spare was a 16" continental tire I am now sure of the exact size probably around 215/55/16 which would give it an overall diameter of 25.3".

These tires are probably identical in overal diameter and appear to be off by .1" but given different makers are probably the same.

 

[Kryssa]

Thanks again everyone for all the information! I'm really impressed. You know more than every salesman I've ever talked to about the car.

I've come up with a list of solutions to my situation of the back being too small for my dog and thought I'd share them with you:

Plan A: Dealer swaps for mini-spare
Plan B: Swap with someone on Focus Finatics forum
Plan C: Buy a mini spare (only if the price is reasonable--- anyone know???)
Plan D: Drive around the South Bay (to/from work, mall, ect) with no spare, knowing if I wound up on the side of the road and needed it, Husband or Sister could bring me the spare. Put the spare in the car for longer trips (Russian River/So Cal) and have the dog crate sit on the folded down seats and put the luggage in the “too tall for the dog crate” back area.

Now if I could only get my dealership to call me back. Long story short, I bought this car of Sunday (signed all paperwork) and they told it would be here on Friday at the latest. Well, here we are on Friday and nobody (salesman or manger) will return my call!!! SO FRUSTRATED!!! They took my trade-in and gave me a loaner Mustang to drive around.