See now that is naive of you to say something like that. How does the spare tire compare to a set of airbags? What about cars that have run flat tires and don't require a spare tire?

 

The question is not "Why would one remove the donut?" We are speculating the question as to "Blah Blah Blah. The spare must be installed in the vehicle. (What about run flats? So am I also at risk when the spare is being put to use?) It is considered a structural member, it stiffens and supports the area it occupies (What about vans that have a spare bolted underneath the car? What about Jeeps and some mid size SUV?). If it is removed, it weakens the vehicle in that area. (I can careless about an area that is always covered. It is all about the JDM factor and donuts are not it.)

 

I thought about taking my spare out, but I considered what kind of actual performance advantage it would give me VS the hassel of having to call a tow truck if I ever got a flat....

In the end I just said screw it; I would rather at least have the option to get myself mobile than rely on a tow. Stupid tow trucks always end up damaging my cars anyway

To address the original post, I highly doubt a spare tire is a structural component in the Fit.

 

this is starting to get silly. without proof nobody is gonna beleive that the spare is a structural part of the car. this is a huge forum that is obviously a bunch of gear heads constantly look through. most of the people on the forum have some sort of automobile backround and arent going to just listen to some guy telling them that this or that is right or wrong. bring the proof or dont post it and if you do decide to post it expect that your are gonna get everyones 2 cents on the subject so dont get butt hurt when they do. silly coments back typically dont win over the masses either. thats my 2 cents. anyone second me?

 

couldnt have said it better myself

 

verbal irony and hyperbole. i was being sarcastic, not to be a jerk, but to speak plainly about how dumb it is to take out the spare by comparing it to other similarly bad ideas.

the use of the extreme, and plainly bad idea, is to highlight that taking out the spare serves no meaningful performance enhancement (just like taking out the airbags) but certainly exposes you to additional hassle/ risk that i think would be unwise (just like taking out the airbags).

 

i beg to differ. if you are tracking your fit, the whole airbag system weighs about 150 lbs. if your driving it on the street, its dumb to take out all your airbags. that doesnt compare at all to the spare being taken out.

 

seriously i cannot believe that someone had the nerve to start this whole controversey. We all agree, the spare tire is not needed to help the structural integrity of the area it is in right! Obviously if you are going to be driving out on the road and not using your car on the track it is rediculous to take out your spare tire. So, what is the point of arguing. Sorry if i soudn a little harsh I just don't see the intelligence in arguing over something so little

 

Anyways, I took it upon myself to ask the IIHS whether or not the spare tire is considered a structural member of the car. Here is their response:

"We don’t know if the presence of a spare tire would make a significant difference in a severe rear-end crash. We’ve never conducted that kind of test. Even without a spare tire, vehicles have to meet federal rear-end crash standards. It’s also the case that severe rear-end crashes are relatively rare. It’s much more likely that a person would be injured in a low-speed rear-end collision where the protection of good seats and head restraints to prevent neck injury would be much more important than whether the vehicle is equipped with a spare tire or not. I would doubt the lack of a spare tire would have much influence in the outcome of a high-speed rear-end crash."

 

I agree... but I also disagree. Even if you are on the track it might be nice to be able to put a spare on and drive home should you wreck a tire. Probably better than having the track charge you for a 100 foot tow to the lot and then an additional tow from there to the shop where it could sit for who knows how long. You could save yourself a couple of hundred bucks in towing costs and also a few days of hassel if you brought a spare out....

Then again if you are running in something more proffesional you probably have a couple of tires sitting off to the side anyway just in case.

 

the only reason people would take out the spare tire is for weight reduction. you can also take out the jack too for more reduction. but we're talking about 10-20 pounds for the tire and the jack. it still makes a slight difference, but not on your everyday driving. maybe on track use it might help out.

 

i took my spare out because i can only use it on the rear.

im so over this thread.

 

Brake upgrade?

 

nope. but project mu front brake kit is in the mail!

i cant use the spare on the front wheels with j's racing roll center adjusters (because they dont clear the inside of the spare's rim). the roll center adjusters or "ball joints" lower the position of the control arm to correct the geometry of the suspension after lowering it.

 

just punched my spare in the face

 

Oh that is gonna be BADA$$!!!!

 

kennef wrote...
BIG <g>!

 

Heard the spare tire doubles as a shock absorber in an event of a collision. Seriously if you guys are not hard core racer just leave the spare tire alone in its place. Made that mistake with my other car, blew a tire after entering a 2 lane skyramp freeway, boy that was not a fun experience

 

That would have to be one big collision...

 

yep, and dont forget to check the tire pressure every now and then. ive seen people get a flat, pull out their donut and there's like only 35psi in them (while most are suppose to be at 55-60psi).