samcooke Posted April 13, 2002 Share Posted April 13, 2002 My spare wheel is held with a single bolt passing through the wheel bolt hole, through a small riveted ally panel and into the glass behind - biting on the ally and body. At a recent trackday the extraordinary cornering forces my skillful driving generates managed to pull the 10mm thread clean out of the body and the spare went bouncing off the car. Luckily there was no one behind me (there never seems to be either, funny that considering my mighty 84bhp). I've put a 12mm thread bolt in which holds it fine in normal driving but am worried about reoccurance. Any tips? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samcooke Posted April 13, 2002 Author Share Posted April 13, 2002 PS - First person to advise me to remove my spare before going out wins a cash prize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westfieldman Posted April 13, 2002 Share Posted April 13, 2002 Remove it for track days the extra weight is in the wrong place and if it was to fall off it could kill someone. Me I have no spare threfore no problem [till I have a flat] Paul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricdiggle Posted April 13, 2002 Share Posted April 13, 2002 Definately take it off on the track! Didn't Senna die because of a wheel hitting him on the head? Mind you it was one of his, not the spare from the Westfield he was trying to catch up with. Ooops! That seems in bad taste now I've typed it. Sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stanton Posted April 13, 2002 Share Posted April 13, 2002 Hence you will see one of the requirements of a WSCC organised track day is to remove spare wheels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Wood Posted April 13, 2002 Share Posted April 13, 2002 The spare wheel should be held on by more than a thread into the fibreglass / ali. Westfield make a bracket which is a steel member which runs across the width of the spare wheel behind the body panel. The wheel is bolted to this member through holes in the bodywork. This effectively clamps the bodywork between wheel and bracket. Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterg Posted April 13, 2002 Share Posted April 13, 2002 I happen to have a spare wheel bracket for sale....it's the big round metal one that bolts through the rear bodywork with 6 bolts and the wheel is held on by all four nuts - please see my ad in the Parts for Sale forum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blatman Posted April 14, 2002 Share Posted April 14, 2002 Senna was killed by a flying bolt, or nut or something, which penetrated his visor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stanton Posted April 14, 2002 Share Posted April 14, 2002 And it don't matter how many bolts or straps you have securing your spare wheel - spare wheels should always be removed at any track days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricdiggle Posted April 14, 2002 Share Posted April 14, 2002 Senna was killed by a flying bolt, or nut or something, which penetrated his visor Sure I've seen the footage of him being hit in the head by his own front wheel. Mind you - I'm usually wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westy Posted April 14, 2002 Share Posted April 14, 2002 spare wheels should always be removed at any track days. And if you ever buy someone else’s build don’t leave it to the track day to find out they put locking wheel nuts on. Especially when you have just blown a tyre falling off the grey stuff at 70+ and want to get back on track asap. [btw thanks for letting me ruin one of your sockets Porky Boy] Westy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westy Posted April 14, 2002 Share Posted April 14, 2002 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george Posted April 15, 2002 Share Posted April 15, 2002 Oh Westy, that's doubly tough. A flat tire and someone's stolen your steering wheel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordy Posted April 15, 2002 Share Posted April 15, 2002 A wheel did hit senna, but thats not what killed him. Blatman was right, it was a bolt that went through his visor and into his head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACW Posted April 15, 2002 Share Posted April 15, 2002 Westy, Which Track were you at ? Looks like a rally-X track ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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