removed spare tire, but now the board is bending - Toyota Yaris Forums

gotayaris08 · 07-19-2009, 09:54 PM

I removed the spare tire in order to reduce the weight of the car in an attempt to reduce my fuel consumption. However, the board is beginning to bend because there is no longer a tire supporting it underneath. Is there anything I can buy that is light weight to take the place of the spare tire?

Perhaps a lightweight compartment for emergency supplies that is shaped like a tire?

The little red pill · 07-19-2009, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gotayaris08

I removed the spare tire in order to reduce the weight of the car in an attempt to reduce my fuel consumption. However, the board is beginning to bend because there is no longer a tire supporting it underneath. Is there anything I can buy that is light weight to take the place of the spare tire?

Perhaps a lightweight compartment for emergency supplies that is shaped like a tire?

WHY??? WHY??? WHY???

Spare tires are there for a reason! Weren't you ever in boy/girl (can't tell by your name) scouts. You need to always be prepared. I hope you have at least a compressor and tire sealant, but remember sometimes tires can't be fixed that way and necessitate a spare tire. Not only do I keep my spare tire, but I also have a full tool box in my hatch as well. Can't tell you how many times I've bailed out friends in TRUCKS because they don't even have a screwdriver on them.

pennyracer · 07-19-2009, 10:25 PM

ya forget everything else i just got two 10" subs the hell with the rest :) wieght for milage :( speakers for sound :))

EasyDriver · 07-19-2009, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gotayaris08

I removed the spare tire in order to reduce the weight of the car in an attempt to reduce my fuel consumption. However, the board is beginning to bend because there is no longer a tire supporting it underneath. Is there anything I can buy that is light weight to take the place of the spare tire?

Perhaps a lightweight compartment for emergency supplies that is shaped like a tire?

You can get aluminum flat stock @ Home Depot in various sizes and thicknesses. They usually come in around 3 foot pieces. Something like that might meet your needs.

gotayaris08 · 07-19-2009, 10:51 PM

Thanks! I will consider putting the tire back into the truck as I don't have a pump or sealant.

EasyDriver, thanks for the tip!

Crims0n5 · 07-20-2009, 01:16 AM

styrofoam?

counterfiend · 07-20-2009, 02:02 AM

Road side assistance. And on long drives more then 100 miles, throw the spare back in, so you can keep moving on the road trip or whatever.

Yaris Hilton · 07-20-2009, 07:17 AM

If you ever use sealant, you're going to be buying a new TPMS monitor for that wheel. And what a mess it is to clean out, anyway! Put that spare back in!

Tamago · 07-20-2009, 10:25 AM

pick up some high density foam and make a plug :)

jambo101 · 07-20-2009, 10:30 AM

Throw out the board and while you're at it i'm sure the carpet weighs a pound or two and as you dont have a spare in the car eliminate the jack and lug nut wrench,remove the hub caps if you dont have alloy wheels and if no one ever sits in the back seats,toss em.
Any one else got ideas on how gotayaris08 can save more weight?

Tamago · 07-20-2009, 10:35 AM

engine and transmission weigh around 300lbs. remove them! you could cut a hole in the floorboard where the pedals are now and use your feet. since the fuel tank is no longer needed, you can remove it as well, that'll drop at least 100lbs there.

Yaris Hilton · 07-20-2009, 11:34 AM

Don't know about gotayaris08, but the driver of my Yaris could stand to lose some weight.

TLyttle · 07-20-2009, 11:43 AM

Long time ago, I started replacing the usual fiberboard spare tire covers with Mahogany plywood; it is cheap (doorskin), very light, shapes with a Stanley knife, and with 1/8" thick foam tape, is soundless. I have yet to have one sag, warp, or change shape, in ~40 years. If it needs to be stronger, just glue a couple of strips of 1x2 across underneath it, and it will hold a fair amount of weight.

talnlnky · 07-20-2009, 11:54 AM

take out the back seat.. that'll net you about 2mpg... the spare... maybe .25, and the front seat is about 1mpg..... at least thats what it appeared to be when I stripped my car of everything cept the dash & head liner.

Zaphod · 07-20-2009, 12:44 PM

I understand that relatively anything can break on your car, but they put spare tires on them for a reason.

It's a pretty common thing and it happens to everyone, road debris is just a fact of life. Why would you want to be sitting there waiting for someone else to get you going again when you can be back on the road in less than 20 minutes?

Like someone else said, if you want to save on weight, lose the back seat. I ran my short wheel base Jeep that way for years (not for weight but for trunk space). You can always put it back in when you need it.

ellenbetty · 07-22-2009, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by talnlnky

take out the back seat.. that'll net you about 2mpg... the spare... maybe .25, and the front seat is about 1mpg..... at least thats what it appeared to be when I stripped my car of everything cept the dash & head liner.

Nice to know. But it will be years before I have my 2 Yarises are paid off. Loan rules forbids doing any thing to reduce the resale value of the vehicle. I do not have space to store the back seat. It has been 5+ years since I had any one sit in my back seat. I hate those space saver tires. The only thing those space saver tires are good for is to drive to the nearest tire store. Plus I will bet the space saver tire will need to be replaced before my 2 Yarises wear out. I hate the idea of spending money to replace a space saver tire.

Marthos · 08-05-2009, 12:56 PM

Thats what junk yards are for!

10 Bucks and ya got a new space saver and the wheel!!

07-19-2009, 09:54 PM	#1
gotayaris08 Drives: Yaris 2008 Sedan Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 2	removed spare tire, but now the board is bending I removed the spare tire in order to reduce the weight of the car in an attempt to reduce my fuel consumption. However, the board is beginning to bend because there is no longer a tire supporting it underneath. Is there anything I can buy that is light weight to take the place of the spare tire? Perhaps a lightweight compartment for emergency supplies that is shaped like a tire?

07-20-2009, 01:16 AM	#6
Crims0n5 Need More Mods! View User's Garage Drives: 09 Flint Mica S Sedan! Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: CARSON! Posts: 175	styrofoam? __________________ Giggity, Giggity

07-20-2009, 11:54 AM	#14
talnlnky Audio Junky Drives: 08 liftback Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Spokane, Wa Posts: 1,412	take out the back seat.. that'll net you about 2mpg... the spare... maybe .25, and the front seat is about 1mpg..... at least thats what it appeared to be when I stripped my car of everything cept the dash & head liner. __________________

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07-19-2009, 10:25 PM	#3
pennyracer boydstir View User's Garage Drives: 08 yaris liftback Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: grants pass Posts: 424	ya forget everything else i just got two 10" subs the hell with the rest :) wieght for milage :( speakers for sound :))

07-19-2009, 10:51 PM	#5
gotayaris08 Drives: Yaris 2008 Sedan Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 2	Thanks! I will consider putting the tire back into the truck as I don't have a pump or sealant. EasyDriver, thanks for the tip!

07-20-2009, 02:02 AM	#7
counterfiend Banned Drives: 2005 Ford Focus Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Dallas, tx Posts: 140	Road side assistance. And on long drives more then 100 miles, throw the spare back in, so you can keep moving on the road trip or whatever.

07-20-2009, 07:17 AM	#8
Yaris Hilton Half a Bubble Off Plumb Drives: 2009 Yaris Sedan Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Bristol, Tennessee, USA Posts: 1,593	If you ever use sealant, you're going to be buying a new TPMS monitor for that wheel. And what a mess it is to clean out, anyway! Put that spare back in!

07-20-2009, 10:25 AM	#9
Tamago Start another Oil Thread! View User's Garage Drives: ZZW30 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: South FL Posts: 4,890	pick up some high density foam and make a plug :)

07-20-2009, 10:30 AM	#10
jambo101 Drives: yaris 08 sedan Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Montreal Canada Posts: 1,286	Throw out the board and while you're at it i'm sure the carpet weighs a pound or two and as you dont have a spare in the car eliminate the jack and lug nut wrench,remove the hub caps if you dont have alloy wheels and if no one ever sits in the back seats,toss em. Any one else got ideas on how gotayaris08 can save more weight?

07-20-2009, 10:35 AM	#11
Tamago Start another Oil Thread! View User's Garage Drives: ZZW30 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: South FL Posts: 4,890	engine and transmission weigh around 300lbs. remove them! you could cut a hole in the floorboard where the pedals are now and use your feet. since the fuel tank is no longer needed, you can remove it as well, that'll drop at least 100lbs there.

07-20-2009, 11:34 AM	#12
Yaris Hilton Half a Bubble Off Plumb Drives: 2009 Yaris Sedan Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Bristol, Tennessee, USA Posts: 1,593	Don't know about gotayaris08, but the driver of my Yaris could stand to lose some weight.

07-20-2009, 11:43 AM	#13
TLyttle Drives: 07 Yaris sedan Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Keremeos BC Posts: 986	Long time ago, I started replacing the usual fiberboard spare tire covers with Mahogany plywood; it is cheap (doorskin), very light, shapes with a Stanley knife, and with 1/8" thick foam tape, is soundless. I have yet to have one sag, warp, or change shape, in ~40 years. If it needs to be stronger, just glue a couple of strips of 1x2 across underneath it, and it will hold a fair amount of weight.

07-20-2009, 12:44 PM	#15
Zaphod Drives: Big Yellow Join Date: May 2009 Location: Somewhere in the vacinity of Betelgeuse Posts: 179	I understand that relatively anything can break on your car, but they put spare tires on them for a reason. It's a pretty common thing and it happens to everyone, road debris is just a fact of life. Why would you want to be sitting there waiting for someone else to get you going again when you can be back on the road in less than 20 minutes? Like someone else said, if you want to save on weight, lose the back seat. I ran my short wheel base Jeep that way for years (not for weight but for trunk space). You can always put it back in when you need it.

08-05-2009, 12:56 PM	#17
Marthos View User's Garage Drives: 07 3Dr LB Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: NEPA Posts: 58	Thats what junk yards are for! 10 Bucks and ya got a new space saver and the wheel!!