a250e - Spare Wheel

[EmilysDad]

..... I have to say that this is the most unhelpful forum I've ever experienced. You all seem convinced that Mercedes Benz are right in everything they do, and .....

No idea what you've based that on. MB are not alone in not supplying a spare ....

 

[andynpz]

Recently traded a GLE 350d for a GCHQ ............. sorry that should read EQC, and I find it characterless; there is nothing that rouses any passion, except exasperation! And there is only a tin of Tirefit. My avatar is the GLE temporary spare wheel in its well, below the boot floor, filled to 55psi, ready in a moment to take over from a wheel with a one inch gash in the sidewall. No amount of gunk is gonna fix that!

Sadly, I have not grown to love the EQC yet. First of all it is ****** difficult to get in and out - with the standard running- board the horizontal distance from edge of car to edge of seat is about 18ins (45 cm) . Secondly, Ive hijacked your thread - excuse me!

Andy
andynpz

 

[Jeff smith]

When did you last need a spare wheel? You bought a spare before checking if there was space to fit one? Hybrid batteries and AdBlue tanks now take the place once occupied by spare wheels.
A couple of cans of tyre weld and a small compressor will no doubt fit somewhere and give you some reassurance.

Another update on storing a spacesaver spare wheel in my E300 Hybrid estate. It hascontinued to annoy me, that thanks to the stupidity of Mercedes Benz, I have to lose some of the load area to carry a spare wheel. I looked at the problem again, and soon realised that the plastic battery carrier Mercedes had fitted, completely filled the space in the wheel well. I decided I had to remove the battery carrier and mount the battery somewhere else. However, given that my car is a hybrid, I did nor want to disconnect the battery, and run the risk of constant dashboard 'error' messages. After a quick measure, I realised that the battery could be relocated just to the right of the wheel well, just above the small auxillary battery. I made a suitable carrier first, out of a block of hardwood (Oak) I had in the garage i fixed a ratchet strap to the carrier, so the battery would be secure. I then carefully slid the battery on to its new location, without disconnecting the connections (there was just enough slack to allow this). I could then remove the enormous battery carrier that filled the wheel well. Once this was out, I carefully fitted my space-saver wheel into the well. It was a tight fit, with the tyre pushed against the battery in its new location. However, this just made the battery even more secure, so I was happy with this, My space-saver came in a plastic carry bag, with wheel removal tools in the recess of the wheel, so once it was in place I had everything I needed to deal with a puncture. A front engine, rear wheel drive estate can be quite wayward on icy roads, so I was even pleased to have the additional weight over the rear wheels. I now have the full load capacity of a large estate car. my dogs are very pleased! Please find a photo attached.

 

[Ron240]

Please find a photo attached.

Reading through your post I was thinking this sounds pretty good and I would be interested to see a photo, so I will be sure to find it when you have actually attached it.

 

[Jeff smith]

When did you last need a spare wheel? You bought a spare before checking if there was space to fit one? Hybrid batteries and AdBlue tanks now take the place once occupied by spare wheels.
A couple of cans of tyre weld and a small compressor will no doubt fit somewhere and give you some reassurance.

Another update on storing a spacesaver spare wheel in my E300 Hybrid estate. It hascontinued to annoy me, that thanks to the stupidity of Mercedes Benz, I have to lose some of the load area to carry a spare wheel. I looked at the problem again, and soon realised that the plastic battery carrier Mercedes had fitted, completely filled the space in the wheel well. I decided I had to remove the battery carrier and mount the battery somewhere else. However, given that my car is a hybrid, I did nor want to disconnect the battery, and run the risk of constant dashboard 'error' messages. After a quick measure, I realised that the battery could be relocated just to the right of the wheel well, just above the small auxillary battery. I made a suitable carrier first, out of a block of hardwood (Oak) I had in the garage i fixed a ratchet strap to the carrier, so the battery would be secure. I then carefully slid the battery on to its new location, without disconnecting the connections (there was just enough slack to allow this). I could then remove the enormous battery carrier that filled the wheel well. Once this was out, I carefully fitted my space-saver wheel into the well. It was a tight fit, with the tyre pushed against the battery in its new location. However, this just made the battery even more secure, so I was happy with this, My space-saver came in a plastic carry bag, with wheel removal tools in the recess of the wheel, so once it was in place I had everything I needed to deal with a puncture. A front engine, rear wheel drive estate can be quite wayward on icy roads, so I was even pleased to have the additional weight over the rear wheels. I now have the full load capacity of a large estate car. my dogs are very pleased! Please find a photo attached.

 

[Jeff smith]

I have tried to reduce the size of the file. I'll try again

 

[Madtutle3]

So what is the trajectory of the battery and wheel / wheels accessories in a crash situation or roll over?

 

[Blobcat]

So what is the trajectory of the battery and wheel / wheels accessories in a crash situation or roll over?

@Craiglxviii will probably be able advise…

 

[Craiglxviii]

So what is the trajectory of the battery and wheel / wheels accessories in a crash situation or roll over?

In this case, not good. I’m used to battery in the engine bay where the bracket is designed to fold the battery usually upwards out of the way as the front deforms- that way energy is absorbed, power is disconnected as the terminals rip off and the chance of a broken casing spilling acid is minimised.

For rear crash conditions the battery is usually mounted in line with, or as part of the rear energy absorption system- say directly above the rear side members/ crash cans, or in line with the horizontal plane of the bumper beam. Here the job will be to stop the battery acting as a 20kg wrecking ball to the back of the seat in front of it when impact occurs; it will deflect down and sideways.

The “stupid MB engineers” stupidly enclosed it in a plastic case to contain any acid spills should the case be cracked, and stupidly fitted it integral with the rear crash system. Why they don’t just use a block of timber & ratchet strap in the design is beyond me. Oh wait, that’s because it wouldn’t pass eNCAP.

As to the rear wheel well being filled, the engineers have had to fit additional volume demand (SCR tank + hybrid battery) into a limited volume- or just lose internal volume, as they had to do it without retooling the chassis metal. Had the glovebox been deleted instead tge moaning would be much greater.

Car design engineers must be especially dumb people.

 

[Jeff smith]

Oh dear, what a sad person you are. I've had countless cars in my life and this is the first one that hasn't had a spare wheel. in 45 years of driving I've never known of anyone that has been injured by a spare wheel. As a consequence, i don't worry about it. Of course, I do ride motorcycles, and fly vintage aeroplanes, so driving a car seems like a harmless activity to me.

 

[EmilysDad]

..... in 45 years of driving I've never known of anyone that has been injured by a spare wheel. .....

because, the point being is that they are generally secured to the boot floor somewhere, along with the battery. A battery needs to be secure for the MOT.

 

[Ron240]

I've had countless cars in my life and this is the first one that hasn't had a spare wheel.

When I was younger all cars carried full size spare wheels, then as wheels got bigger and wider and alloys became standard fitment space saver spares were common.
Nowadays full size spares are virtually non existant and even a standard space saver is becoming increasingly rare, with most manufacturers opting for tyre inflation kits.
The last car I had with a space saver was a 2015 model, then 4 newer after that with inflation kits.
I do not like it anymore than you do, but it is the world we live in now.

 

[Craiglxviii]

Oh dear, what a sad person you are. I've had countless cars in my life and this is the first one that hasn't had a spare wheel. in 45 years of driving I've never known of anyone that has been injured by a spare wheel. As a consequence, i don't worry about it. Of course, I do ride motorcycles, and fly vintage aeroplanes, so driving a car seems like a harmless activity to me.

Speak to the crash engineers about what ballistic injuries look then then…

Am I sad? Yep, I work in engineering.