VW T5 Transporter - Spare Wheel - You Must Check This

[@briantyler9687]

A good tip when you replace the spare is to ensure you have the valve near the rear in a position where you can check the pressure occasionally, no good being able to get at the spare and find its flat!!!

[@caspervanlife8466]

Great feedback Brian, much appreciated 👍

[@stevegrace6164]

Thank you; had my 07 T5 for several weeks and getting ready for my first proper trip. Sure enough one of my nuts is seized, but I’ve two weeks to fix. I also discovered that I had no jack or wheel brace - a few more jobs off my list ❤

[@JesterBushcraft]

Oh there’s always unexpected jobs 🤣 hope your trip went well…

[@MCAYBOY]

Good advice. I found that removing the pin and taking the whole carrier bracket off allowed me to have it shot blasted and powder coated. It’s as good as new now. The other main reason to do this regularly is to check the condition of the spare wheel and tyre and check the air pressure

[@DesGreene]

Hi Mick! Cheers for the reminder 😁 Had our T5 about eighteen months and this is still on my to do list! All the best👍

[@jimmywilson6388]

Had mine for 13 years and take it off once year to check the tyre, repaint and grease everything up. I installed a locking securing stud back then as t5 spare wheels were being pinched on a daily basis. Fortunately, I've never had a puncture in all that time so have never needed to drop it in anger at the side of the road. ( touch wood)

[@JesterBushcraft]

Nice idea 👍 no, I’ve not had to either 🤞

[@damirkolar5197]

There is a hole in the wheel carrier in witch you insert your bolt tool. It is easier to lift a carrier with wheel into a right position. Use the leverage.

[@caspervanlife8466]

That’s genius and now I think about it…obvious. Thank you for sharing, much appreciated 👍

[@vasek987]

Thats what i wanted to write in forst minutes in 🤭 I changed my wheel yesterday

[@mynty2864]

Nice Job

[@glyn829]

Good advice mate

[@JesterBushcraft]

Thank you for your comment, much appreciated 👍

[@daddyfixit5188]

That longer bolt unhooks lift wheel slightly with the jack or a well placed foot and the bolt will unhook from metal work. This is important vid my spare was so rusty it could barely be used last time 👍👍

[@colinwestwood1162]

Excellent tip,something that's easily forgotten.

[@caspervanlife8466]

Thanks Colin for your comment…

[@scopex2749]

Great video. In that 'well' in the spare wheel I keep a ziplock bag containing rubber gloves and rags! You never know WHEN you will need them! Another tip I do with mine - cut 2 fingers off an old Marigold glove - put one over each bolt thread and secure with a rubber band. It helps stop them rusting and/or getting muddy! A great grease to use is 'copperlube' copper grease - guarantees it wont sieze😉👍 Happy trails!

[@aitorgomezares9721]

Me fué de lujo👍🏼 gracias.

[@clivemillington8452]

Yes it is a good idea to check and grease these two bolts occasionally .for instance , I was on a campsite and this fella comes up to me with a t5and he could not move the bolts at all ,so the only alternative was to lend him my tyre inflator and pump the wheel up with the slow puncture, and off he went to a local garage to get it repaired . Lesson learned he said .

[@vwtransportersandmotorcycl3729]

I fancy painting mine now 😂. I had the plastic cover above the spare wheel off a few weeks ago and sprayed underneath with black wax oil. Messy job but worth it.

[@caspervanlife8466]

Sorry if I’ve created more work for you 😆

[@jimmywilson6388]

Are you still alive Mick? Have you still got your T5 van? I have a 2008 T30 which I converted 13 years ago and am still tinkering with storage ideas. Half man - half mega stretch carpet like your good self. Cheers, J😊😊😊

[@JesterBushcraft]

I am Jimmy, thanks for asking, had a bit of a ‘life’ change, so not been active on YT. But hope to be back soon with more outings and vids 👍

[@wailingshin7645]

@Casper Van Life great tips

[@jamskof]

great tip thanks my fellow yorkshireman

[@RichardStefanits]

I had the right one so rusted that it made the nut spin in the chassis. Had to put a vice grip on the nut to get it somewhat out and then use a saw to cut the bolt. Then bought a new bolt, and welded the nut back. Since then I remove the spare twice a year, just make sure it is not rusted together.

[@hulmedav]

Good reminder,I will put my best hoody on then roll bout on the floor in the oil and grease and Check mine thanks.

[@caspervanlife8466]

😆not my best hoody, I promise…

[@daddynugent]

Just thinking that the spare should probably have a lock or secure bolt on the underside to stop the spare wheel from being stolen now that you have greased the bolts. Thanks for uploading the video btw.

[@caspervanlife8466]

Great idea Graham, thank you for your comment…👍

[@AJ-qn6gd]

Mine has one bolt that is the same as the locking wheel nut, I thought this was standard, obviously not !

[@jBagz12345]

Another honest great video. Thanks. Question if I can. I know this is over a year ago but........if you can remember are the nuts the long securing bolts attach to fixed on the metal bracket? My bolts & nuts are missing (locked up & seized U bolts used ☹️) & was wondering if I can refit originals? Thanks, John.

[@caspervanlife8466]

Thank you for your kind words… one bolt is just a bolt that unscrews and comes out, the other unscrews to a point then is held in the bracket by a collar at the end of the bolt, so would just appear to keep turning, without dropping out…👍

[@mariekeegan2216]

Very useful to know, thanks very much 😊

[@701Adventures]

Is the fixing of the spare under the van the same on a T6?

[@teabagzukkini]

I discovered a slot in the spare wheel bracket.(between the bolts). You can use the wheel brace as a lever to lower and raise the spare. Hope that helps someone.

[@caspervanlife8466]

That’s brilliant, wasn’t aware of that. Thank you for the feedback 👍

[@baloobear7838]

Great! thanks very much. Had my van 2 years and never given it a thought. Any idea where the jack is?

[@dgcharlie5360]

should be bolted to the left wall of the trunk under a plastic piece, it should be possible to detach it with no tools. I was cleaning my mom's spare today and that's where I got the jack. There should also be a wrench clipped in under that plastic piece. Hope this helps and wasn't too late😅

[@baloobear7838]

@@dgcharlie5360 Thanks for the info. I think it must have got lost when the van was converted. I have bought a new one now., and a towing eye.

[@johnhoward7252]

The bloke who had my van before me obviously didn't believe in lubricating anything. Instead, he paid a garage to do all his work, who didn't lubricate anything either! One of the spare wheel carrier bolts actually sheared off despite getting it hot, so I had to weld another nut on the van and also fitted a new locking bolt which I bought on eBay.

[@davidspencer4893]

Watch out when it drops down .crushed my hand.

[@JesterBushcraft]

Yes,definitely worth being aware of 👍

[@allonwne]

Use the wheel wrench/lug wrench supplied with the vehicle (Mine is from 2014 - not sure if they are all the same). First loosen the left hand (safety) bolt about a cm. +/- 0.5 inch, perhaps a little more. This stops the wheel and folding bracket falling on your hand. You then remove the right hand bolt completely. The assembly now rests on the safety bolt. Note that the wheel wrench has a small 'tongue' at the end. Remove the screwdriver inserted in the wrench. Now insert the wrench into the hole provided and wiggle it around until the tongue slots into a small hole at the bottom of the tube. Lift up the wrench until it fits securely into the channel provided and then pull it firmly across to the right until the larger hole is over the safety bolt. Lower carefully, use both hands if you want. The 'pistol grip' on the wrench should prevent your hand being crushed, but you could put a block of wood under the folding bracket if you are worried. I carry a 77 cm wheel wrench which fits nicely and could make this even safer, but I think it is overkill.

[@Jeffreya348]

Where can I find the jack and spinners in the Volkswagen t5?

[@caspervanlife8466]

I think it all depends on the vehicle I.e if it’s a standard panel can it would of been in the back somewhere. Mine was converted and never came with one. So I bought a bottle Jack…

[@Jeffreya348]

Well said. I buy one soon, thanks

[@Meza201]

Cringing for your Apple watch on that floor 😬

[@JesterBushcraft]

I know 🫣

[@steve_and_lolas_hikes]

Why did you put it back with an almost slick tyre? 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@caspervanlife8466]

I know it’s not great, it does need swapping…

[@keepitbluezola]

Checked, not f*cling there!!

[@peterdevenny7367]

Hi Mick, I'm hopefully telling you how to suck eggs. ..... it would be ALOT easier to carry out maintenance on a part ....on a bench. AND youd do ALOT better job too. It's not a difficult job to remove that entire bracket and do the job properly, plus you would be able to clean and maintain the bracket that is welded to the chassis as well. The bits you didn't clean will just rust and from where I'm standing you just wasted time and effort doing half a job. Not unless this was a temporary fix. If anything you should have given the bracket at the back a clean, rustproof and paint, as when this rusts.... its welding time, and if you have to pay someone to do this it will be expensive, compared to maintaining it properly. Nice video. I learned how to take me wheel off AND put it back on the right way round. 👌👍😎🚴‍♂️🚴‍♂️🚴‍♂️

[@pierrecardin5292]

You call that a spare wheel, I would be ashamed of that, there is not enough profile on it for the inspection with regard to imagine that in winter conditions you have to change your wheel, then you are there with a bad tire without sufficient pressure, then you might as well leave home without a spare wheel, my spare wheel is just like my other wheels set with conti all wheather with 8mm left on the spare wheel, at least the pressure of this is also measured during the inspection, so once a year and all that on my T5 bussie of the first month of 2005, SAFETY FIRST!! at all time, one more question, have you ever read the manual?! Greetings from the Netherlands

[@caspervanlife8466]

Maybe, just maybe I’ve only recently bought the van and after making this video and inspecting the spare wheel, realised how bad it was and replaced it for a new one…just saying’ thank you for your comment…

[@nickpritch3152]

Don't worry about his comments about yr tyre my friend it's still legal to me 👍 keep up the good work

[@eugenemcgurk1068]

your not to safety minded on the tyre on that spare, bolts would have been better not taken out so you could never use spare wheel

[@caspervanlife8466]

Or, remove the bolts, discover you have a dodgy spare tyre and replace shortly after the video was completed…👍