i bought my HHR like 2 years ago, and like an idiot, never checked the condition of my spare

turns out there is a rip in the sidewall, which of course is un-repairable

asked about ordering a new tire from my tire dude, and he said its not cost effective

went to a local junk yard, and they dont have any spares

so i went to ebay where the HHR spares are harder to find, and more money

i did find spares for the newer 04-07 Malibus, that im pretty sure has the same bolt pattern and general rim size

the ones im seeing are 125/70/15, and it looks like the HHR is 110/70.15

as long as the bolt pattern is right, the offsets should be similar and that difference in tire size shouldnt matter right?

have any of you had to replace your spare? if so, what did you do?

thanks in advance

 

The compact spare tire on the HHR is a T115/70D15 mounted on a matching rim with a 5 x 110mm bolt pattern. Just off the top of my head, I'd not try experimenting with another size of compact spare, you might damage the vehicle or transmission if you use it on the front.

This is a case of spending the extra dough now and avoiding potential trouble and damage further down the road if you ever need to use the compact spare.

 

isnt the size difference between a 115/70/15 and a 125/70/15 only a bit wider and not much taller at all?

i believe most spares are smaller than the factory tire anyway arent they?

 

I'm sure that the 125-70-15 would work....

 

thats what i was thinking too

im gonna roll the dice and go for it

 

I know that this is a VERY old thread.
I went to a local big name tire shop to have a tire repaired thanks to the old construction screw in the tread trick.
This is the shop where I purchased my tires.
They would not install my donut spare as it is over 10 yeard old.
I ended up driving home, a whole 2 miles, and changing the tires myself.
Has anyone replaced just the tire in their spare?
If so, then where did you find the tire and what size.
All that I can find have the statement 'currently out of stock'.

 

I didn’t change the tire on the donut and I don’t know anyone who would.
I'm surprised you're refusing your donut a job just because he's ten. The other day I was looking at my 13-year-old bagel - I did not find any damage, cracks or even turbidity on it. The product is ready for intensive work, if required.
If you still want a replacement - go to a car dump, but! .. expand your search. Look not for an HHR-donut, look for a donut with a bolt pattern like that of an HHR. Don't forget about the center hole as well - it should fit too. Don't worry about offset or tire size. You need a donut only for follow to the nearest tire shop. At least the manufacturer does not recommend using even a standard bagel for more than 20 km, so as not to spoil the suspension.

 

I agree with you geg, BUT,
here in the good ol U.S.ofA. their are some really stupid corporate rules.
A lot of them have to do with the fact that we americans are sue/litigation happy.
With that said, rules are rules, and I have to abide in them.
I spend a lot of time in the recycling yard with not much success with this issue,
And the adventure continues

 

damn law..
I sympathize, friend

maybe this option:
you find a regular rim with a 5 * 110 bolt pattern at a car dump (it’s good if it is narrow), you put an ordinary tire on this rim, thus you get a home-made spare tire. Most likely it will be thicker than a donut and will not want to lie down neatly on a regular place, but you will temporarily get rid of the lower "basin" and return it back when you have a new donut in your hands.
A temporary solution that gives you the freedom to search slowly. Maybe it's even legal? Worst case scenario, paint the wheel yellow and write "THIS IS A SPARE" on it.

 

The donut spare is an assembly; sold as a mounted tire on wheel.
The shop won't do it because people lie. Look around the shadier side of the city and count the number of cars running on a donut. The last time I was in Brooklyn I saw several.