[Tires & Wheels] Spare wheel Rattle

[Mozziecat]

Hi. We've just got a new -second hand- Berlingo 59 Reg. There is a rattle over uneven surfaces which comes from the area of the spare wheel mounting. The bolt is fully tight. my husband has tried packing round the spare wheel but cannot solve it. It seems there must be something loose about the actual mounting. Anyone else have this and can it be solved? My husband hates unexplained rattles.

[3rensho]

Hello. First thing I'd do is to take out the spare and have a good look around the underlying area to see if anything is loose. Exhaust pipe maybe? When the spare is mounted in the carrier and the bolt is tight is there any play in the spare or is it rock solid??

[evdama]

Like 3rensho says -badly fitted exhaust/towbar- get underneath and swing the pipe to see if you can duplicate the rattle.

Also when the spare wheel bolt is tight, is the carrier still loose?-it could be a replacement clamp from another car that gets fully tight before the wheel carrier has clamped the tyre up properly

[Mindyerlingo]

All good advice. One good tip on this forum is of note, when re mounting your spare is to ensure the tyre valve is on the inside, ie when you put the tyre back in the cradle you can see the valve. Just a deterent for would be "spare tyre" thieves. They can't deflate the tyre to get it out of the cradle, Oh, and I smeared a tiny bit of grease on the retaining bolt threads aswell.
I've got an 09 XTR and have just put my tyres to 2.3 all round and the suspension is slightly more audible over the speed bumps etc

[j90xxx]

Have you tried taking the spare wheel and carrier off to check it definately is the spare?
Not sure if carrier is as easy to remove on Mk3 as Mk2, but is a 10 second job on the latter (it just lifts off when wheel is removed).

Also hiding your valve (upwards) is NOT a good idea, as it means you have to drop the spare wheel everytime you check the tyre pressure. illyme:

[evdama]

Have you tried taking the spare wheel and carrier off to check it definately is the spare?
Not sure if carrier is as easy to remove on Mk3 as Mk2, but is a 10 second job on the latter (it just lifts off when wheel is removed).

Also hiding your valve (upwards) is NOT a good idea, as it means you have to drop the spare wheel everytime you check the tyre pressure. illyme:

Its only flat at the bottom

[j90xxx]

Hope the spare isn't on a cold, wet winter evening. illyme:

[nil by mouth]

Hope the spare isn't on a cold, wet winter evening. illyme:

Is that the voice of experience ? :whistle:

[j90xxx]

Hope the spare isn't on a cold, wet winter evening. illyme:

Is that the voice of experience ? :whistle:

No.
Don't want to tempt fate, but...
Only had one puncture in 27 years! It was on a Boxing Day morning in a Volvo 340 with the 'under bonnet' spare.
Took about 15mins to change, so no trauma.
Obviously now I have mentioned this.... illyme:

[nil by mouth]

Hope the spare isn't on a cold, wet winter evening. illyme:

Is that the voice of experience ? :whistle:

No.
Don't want to tempt fate, but...
Only had one puncture in 27 years! It was on a Boxing Day morning in a Volvo 340 with the 'under bonnet' spare.
Took about 15mins to change, so no trauma.
Obviously now I have mentioned this.... illyme:

I have picked up many screws off sites which have so far . . .illyme: not now I've posted this of course , always been repairable . The only flat I've had unfortunately happened at 70mph in the outside lane of the A52 near Nottingham in 1998 , my 1.1L fiesta turned left on its own missing all other road users and came to rest down a handilly placed slip road , 400 yards earlier or later and there was no slip road only pain :eek: Lucky boy :thumbsup: