Technical Spare wheel.

[Peleno2]

Hi, hopefully somebody will know the answer to my query!
I have an Abarth from 2016 with diamond cut alloys. I need to get two refurbed as the lacquer has lifted. They are on opposite corners, so to make life easy was going to buy a fiat 500 space saver so I can get two done at once.
My question is, will the space saver fit temporary in the garage while I get mine done or are the centres different?

Thanks, Mark.

 

[RichardH13]

Space saver should fit on the rear, so there may be some swapping around required.

Its the size of the front brakes that makes the difference

 

[Gina500]

:shrug: how is one space saver helping you to get 2 wheels done at a time ? :shrug:

If you won't drive it while the the wheels are being done, you might as well use blocks for the car to rest on while u wait...

 

[bl4desman]

I have a Fiat Marea spacesaver, a 6mm spacer and some longer bolts. Just clears the front brakes ok. I know it's not ideal to drive with a spacesaver on the front, but it'll get me to a safe place in an emergency.

 

[Peleno2]

The wheels that need doing are on opposite corners, so although I will need to Jack it up, I would be happier to only have it Only jacked up at one point, fitting the space saver at the rear. It’s tight in my garage with the car in, so I don’t want to risk Anything happening while it’s jacked up, as I have to get past it,because it’s my workshop as well, and my drive isn’t suitable to leave it on.....hope that makes sense.
Thanks for the info anyhow...��

 

[chris3234]

Get all 4 powder coated at once they will last a lot longer as well

 

[jrkitching]

Get all 4 powder coated at once they will last a lot longer as well

I'd give this some serious thought.

No matter how well the job is prepared and executed, diamond cut alloys don't really work in the UK climate; corrosion will set in sooner or later, and probably sooner.

 

[Peleno2]

What would you recommend colour wise to look similar to the originals though.......anthracite?
I’d like them to look as close as the original colour.....

Is that what everybody else does?
I must admit, mine is a low mileage car, that only goes out in the dry, but it doesn’t seem to take much For the lacquer to get damaged and the wheel to look pretty poor once the corrosion starts......?

 

[Gina500]

I gave my alloy wheels a high gloss polish (not a fiat) and am extremely satisfied with it.

https://blic-inox.com/strojno-poliranje-felgi/?lang=en

Very durable if not exposed to salt or acidic detergents, which is fine for summer wheels. The idea is that nothing sticks to the hardened and polished surface - I am in the 3rd year now and so far that works.
It can only be done to the whole wheel though, no painted parts remain because paint won't stick either ;-)

Cost was around 500 for 4 wheels.

And a car sitting on blocks is perfectly safe - that's what you do when you work underneath it...

 

[The Pretender]

I have a Fiat Marea spacesaver, a 6mm spacer and some longer bolts. Just clears the front brakes ok. I know it's not ideal to drive with a spacesaver on the front, but it'll get me to a safe place in an emergency.

I would do it per axle front or rear, not one side and then the other side.

 

[chris3234]

I gave my alloy wheels a high gloss polish (not a fiat) and am extremely satisfied with it.

https://blic-inox.com/strojno-poliranje-felgi/?lang=en

Very durable if not exposed to salt or acidic detergents, which is fine for summer wheels. The idea is that nothing sticks to the hardened and polished surface - I am in the 3rd year now and so far that works.
It can only be done to the whole wheel though, no painted parts remain because paint won't stick either ;-)

Cost was around 500 for 4 wheels.

And a car sitting on blocks is perfectly safe - that's what you do when you work underneath it...

On blocks what sort of block house brick's?
If so not what I'd call safe

 

[portland_bill]

Axle stands can be found cheaply. One on each corner will do nicely. If you're only using the car's jack, axle stands are a must.

 

[Gina500]

„On blocks what sort of block house brick's?
If so not what I'd call safe“

Agree, I use wooden blocks, grain direction vertical.

 

[portland_bill]

„On blocks what sort of block house brick's?
If so not what I'd call safe“

Agree, I use wooden blocks, grain direction vertical.

Ouch!

That could lead to the wood splitting if the grain is vertical, just like splitting it with an axe.
Needs to be a dense wood, with the grain horizontal. Old railway sleepers, when they used to be made from wood, are good for all sorts of support stuff, as they are already well-proven and compressed, at least where the rails sat.

Proper axle stands are best. It is always a good idea to place any removed wheel flat under the car when working on it. It will support the car if it falls off its support, and make it difficult to trip over.
Won't work for the OP of course, as he wishes to send his wheels away for a holiday on their own.

 

[Gina500]

It is always a good idea to place any removed wheel flat under the car when working on it. It will support the car if it falls off its support, and make it difficult to trip over.

:yeahthat: