Hi all

having just purchased my focus I have a spare wheel under the boot carpet but it doesn’t see to make the carpet sit level it has a bump where the spare wheel is underneath it. Is this normal or should it still be level. It seems to be a space saving one but may not be standard one or a genuine one. Is there anyway of telling? Just annoying it’s not level 

1 minute ago, Stephenb79 said:

under the boot carpet but it doesn’t see to make the carpet sit level it has a bump where the spare wheel is underneath it. Is this normal or should it still be level. It seems to be a space saving one but may not be standard one or a genuine one. Is there anyway of telling?

Post some photos so we can see.

Sorry here you go just looks way too think and making my carpet not level at all 

The foam surroundings that are required to fill up the space around the space saver are missing.

Possibly the car did originally not have a space saver and the previous owner installed the space saver but did not bother about the foam surroundings (most likely because the foam surroundings are not particularly cheap). 


Does the car have the jack kit and insulators below/inside the space saver?

Hi 

 

thanks for replying yes there is foam surround and jack etc underneath 

Yes, it looks like a second-hand purchase which may not be the factory recommended size for the car. You should be able to check the recommended spare tyre size from the door pillar sticker.

It doesn't seem to be sitting properly (the retaining bolt should be tightened). Normally you find the wheel sits slightly below the floor level and requires packing - it may be the wrong way round and the outside face of the wheel should perhaps be at the bottom of the wheel well with the tool kit stored within, inside the foam insert. Might be worth a bit of experimentation.

Is this what I need @ £70 I hope not lol 

I can't remember whether Mk3 needed a foam insert or not.  This is the only picture I can find of my old one.  Don't remember the foam but that doesn't necessarily mean it wasn't there.

From this earlier thread it does seem foam is required. I'd be inclined to shape some packing from a bit of expanded polystyrene packaging or insulation, or a  bit of old carpet/underfelt rather than shell out £70!

https://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/topic/70541-mk3-spare-tyre-going-from-full-size-spare-to-space-saver/

 

For a MK3/MK3.5 Hachback the following foam surroundings are required to fit a space saver wheel:



These to raise the boot floor.
 

And this one on top of the space saver wheel.


The estate has a deeper wheel well and does not require foam to raise the boot floor when a space saver is fitted.

When I put a spare wheel in my C Max, I used some of this insulating foam cut to shape to raise the boot floor level with the wheel. I got mine from a local builders merchant, it's relatively cheap and available in various thickness'. 

https://www.nationalinsulationsupplies.com/products/celotex-pir-board-2400mm-x-1200mm-all-thicknesses?currency=GBP&variant=48369610686811&stkn=31e50b327145&msclkid=940e3240354b1b39092855300dd1ab3d

There was foam spacers in both my Mk3s. That is definitely what is missing. Scrap yard visit perhaps? Used to love digging around in scrapyards for bits for my Mk5 Cortina, which still had a lot of Mk4 bits on it. Great days the 80s...