Space saver tyre fitting. Excel CHR 2021 1.8

Surprised to learn that no space saver was fitted so I fitted  Kwikfit Road Hero Kit £279. It comes with carry bag for the accessories jack etc and a 18" tyre. I removed the moulded plastic base which had spaces for all accessories but only contained tow bolt,  pressure charger and charge.About 15 to 20% boot space was lost but there was space gained below for space saver tyre and all accessories  jack etc and my spares such as Battery charger, jump start unit, tyre compressor, torque wrench etc with the safe saver tyre.  For those prepared to lose a little boot space to have a spacesaver spare tyre it works with the Kwikfit Road hero kit. Enter car registration online and pick up at local store or have it delivered. Local Toyota dealer wanted £480. In last 12 years I have has 2 punctures but had spare or spacesaver. Our roads are not kind to tyres. Ready for it now. 

Anthony, lucky you, 2 punctures in 12 years.  I had two in two months (Mar/Apr) but both our fault, sort of, where we hit 12 inch kerbs that were both damaged. 

However, you mentioned a pressure charger and charge.  These were still in my car after the spare wheel was fitted.  I was interested to read that the can of gunk was a lifed item.  Having no need of it I sold the kit on eBay. 

Have further investigated fitting a space saver kit but, as far as I can gather, this would raise the deck of my luggage compartment by about 10 cms.(4 inches). I am not comfortable that I could accept this loss of deck height on a permanent basis.

I am considering the possibility of carrying out my own modification to accommodate the wheel and associated tools - one idea being to have the wheel vertical to one side of the luggage compartment.

There would be no structural changes as far as the vehicle is concerned - just possibly a cut out in the deck floor to accommodate more height for an upright space saver wheel.  Could this cause an insurer to brand it as a modification that would increase the premium?

21 minutes ago, Haliotis said:

Could this cause an insurer to brand it as a modification that would increase the premium?

You need to check with your insurer. 

Aside from that how would the spare wheel be secured, as usually with well mounted spares they are bolted down. You wouldn't want an unsecured spare wheel flying about the cabin in the event of an impact.

28 minutes ago, Haliotis said:

Have further investigated fitting a space saver kit but, as far as I can gather, this would raise the deck of my luggage compartment by about 10 cms.(4 inches). I am not comfortable that I could accept this loss of deck height on a permanent basis.

It will raise the boot floor up to the same level as a 2 litre hybrid C-HR.

Actually had 5 screws in tyres in the past 6 years, 4 tyres went flat, 1 no air was lost. The first of the five took it to a tyre shop as I haven't learnt how to plug it yet. Plugged 4 of them myself all with rubber strips, one happened just recently on holiday in Cornwall.

Really good to know and be able to do this, save so much inconvenience, save cost too £10-£15 each at the tyre shop, but it's the hassle of time waiting for breakdown service. Or some tyre shop will try to screw you for a new tyre. 

57 minutes ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

You need to check with your insurer. 

Aside from that how would the spare wheel be secured, as usually with well mounted spares they are bolted down. You wouldn't want an unsecured spare wheel flying about the cabin in the event of an impact.

I would probably use the luggage anchor points on that side of the vehicle

52 minutes ago, forkingabout said:

It will raise the boot floor up to the same level as a 2 litre hybrid C-HR.

That’s a helpful bit of info. The dealership did not have a lot of knowledge about the space saver - apparently it isn’t a normal after sales component - but I can do a bit of browsing 2-litre C-HRs on the used car forecourt.

12 minutes ago, Haliotis said:

That’s a helpful bit of info. The dealership did not have a lot of knowledge about the space saver - apparently it isn’t a normal after sales component - but I can do a bit of browsing 2-litre C-HRs on the used car forecourt.

This may help give you an idea of the floor height - this is my 2 litre hybrid C-HR.

On the 1.8 version you should still have a little storage under the boot floor as your 12 volt Battery is under the bonnet. 

While on holiday in Cornwall last week, we saw a car opposite already parked near/on the kerb, on a 50 mph single carriageway. I slow down a little and move closer to the kerb to give the man space. Car was jacked up and changing the wheel.

Was not pleasant for the man having to do that on a high speed road. Though as we passed, saw the space saver were on so shouldn't be too long before it's done. 

8 minutes ago, Mojo1010 said:

While on holiday in Cornwall last week, we saw a car opposite already parked near/on the kerb, on a 50 mph single carriageway. I slow down a little and move closer to the kerb to give the man space. Car was jacked up and changing the wheel.

Was not pleasant for the man having to do that at a high speed road. Though as we passed, saw the space saver were on so shouldn't be too long before it's done. 

In most cases I would always call out Green Flag to change the wheel.  A lot more safer with a commercial vehicle parked up as a barrier.

21 minutes ago, Mojo1010 said:

While on holiday in Cornwall last week, we saw a car opposite already parked near/on the kerb, on a 50 mph single carriageway. I slow down a little and move closer to the kerb to give the man space. Car was jacked up and changing the wheel.

Was not pleasant for the man having to do that at a high speed road. Though as we passed, saw the space saver were on so shouldn't be too long before it's done. 

Unless the tyre is totally destroyed and off the rim its often safer to temporarily pump the old tyre back up and drive to somewhere quiet to change the wheel. Hence why I keep an electric tyre pump in the car. I'm amazed at the crazy places I've seen people changing wheels over the years. Frankly I'd rather slowly drive a short distance on the rim and risk damaging the wheel than risk being wiped out by a truck!

My car had a flat at Cornwall recently, luckily it was an overnight loss of air from a screw. Car was at accomodation on a farm, this was one rare occasion where I did not check the status of all the tyres before driving off.

Loss of tyre pressure warning beep came on after driving very slowly on the farm track for about 15-20 metres. Took about 30 mins to plug and on our way again. 

15 hours ago, Haliotis said:

I would probably use the luggage anchor points on that side of the vehicle

 

That’s a helpful bit of info. The dealership did not have a lot of knowledge about the space saver - apparently, it isn’t a normal after sales component - but I can do a bit of browsing 2-litre C-HRs on the used car forecourt.

This was my 2-litre kit from Toyota. Different polystyrene sections for 1.8 required

20 hours ago, forkingabout said:

This may help give you an idea of the floor height - this is my 2 litre hybrid C-HR.

On the 1.8 version you should still have a little storage under the boot floor as your 12 volt battery is under the bonnet. 

Looks neat.  Without the space saver wheel kit, when I drop the backs of the rear seats it leaves me with a split level situation, where the seat backs are about 50mm (2 inches) higher than the luggage boot floor. 

Would it be possible to say how this modification compares to your 2-litre C-HR?  This would help me to decide whether to go ahead.   The nearest “estimate” I have got is that it would raise my luggage boot floor about 100mm (4 inches).

The Toyota dealership do not seem able to give this information - only that they could acquire the kit if I wish for them to proceed.  With the cost involved, I feel I need to know what I would be letting myself in for. 😗                 Best regards, Albert.

2 hours ago, Haliotis said:

Looks neat.  Without the space saver wheel kit, when I drop the backs of the rear seats it leaves me with a split level situation, where the seat backs are about 50mm (2 inches) higher than the luggage boot floor. 

Would it be possible to say how this modification compares to your 2-litre C-HR?  This would help me to decide whether to go ahead.   The nearest “estimate” I have got is that it would raise my luggage boot floor about 100mm (4 inches).

I'm going out in the car in a few hours, ill get a picture with the rear seat folded down so you can see.

FWIW - The 2 litre C-HR hybrid already has the higher boot floor from the factory due to the 12 volt Battery location - something 3 separate people at my Toyota dealer mentioned when I originally ordered the vehicle & said I wanted the 2 litre version. 

Here you go

15 hours ago, forkingabout said:

Here you go

 

That looks as if the folded rear seats and boot floor are on about the same level.  If the kit for a 1.8 litre would bring my boot floor up to the same level I could live with that.

The 100mm (4 inch) raise that has been mentioned would bring my boot floor about 2 inches higher than the folded rear seats, and that could be a problem.  I carry a walker in the boot for my wife which, when folded and laying on its side, takes up most of the boot floor area.  Shopping bags have to fit between what space is left.

I have just had the car MoT’d, and had asked the dealership to help me with details at the same time.  The best info I got was that the kit is not a Toyota OE item, but “they could obtain one if I wish to go ahead.”

Leaves me a bit in limbo, and more researching needs to be done - the need for the walker came after I bought the C-HR - with changing the car still in my sights.

The part numbers required are on here somewhere in a thread - I know genuine complete kits with everything required can be obtained online from Toyota dealers that sells parts online & on eBay.

As for your dealership, it sounds more like the parts person can't think outside the box & just types your VIN in & replies " I don't know the answer " 

There's a few of us on here that have retrofitted the genuine Toyota space saver equipment to both 1.8 & 2 litre C-HR hybrids, it's a easy enough job to do.

20 minutes ago, forkingabout said:

The part numbers required are on here somewhere in a thread - I know genuine complete kits with everything required can be obtained online from Toyota dealers that sells parts online & on eBay.

Like here: https://toyotadirectparts.co.uk/parts/toyota-c-hr/toyota-c-hr-mk-1/c-hr-mk-1-accessories/space-saver-spare-wheel-chr-1-8ltr-version/

Not cheap but there are quite a lot of bits ... 😉

3 hours ago, philip42h said:

Like here: https://toyotadirectparts.co.uk/parts/toyota-c-hr/toyota-c-hr-mk-1/c-hr-mk-1-accessories/space-saver-spare-wheel-chr-1-8ltr-version/

Not cheap but there are quite a lot of bits ... 😉

I emailed Toyota Direct Parts on June 8, and received exactly the same details as above.  The reply was “no reply@……….”       They said that as they did not stock this item they “could not say for sure , but they did know the whole kit would raise the boot height by 4 inches, maybe” in answer to my question about boot floor height.

This reply is a bit puzzling.  I am assuming that they buy in to order from another source, but do not have any great technical knowledge about the product.  With a purchase price in excess of £400, you would expect some professional advice for a prospective customer, particularly when we are discussing a safety critical product.

32 minutes ago, Haliotis said:

my question about boot floor height

It will raise the height of the boot floor to the level of the rear seats when folded flat, exactly as shown in the post from @forkingabout above and as it is in a C-HR 2.0. They are just another Toyota dealership so you shouldn't expect them to be any more knowledgeable than your local dealer.

You have received essentially the same reply from both dealers. It is not an "OEM part" that they can look up in the catalogue, but they can order in the necessary set of [OEM] parts if you wish.

It's an option should you wish to carry a space saver spare. The obvious alternative is to stick with the OEM repair kit and call out the recovery service should you ever find that you need to use it.

My local Toyota dealer asked Toyota UK for advice as they had done this modification several times before on the C-HR but mine was the first GR Sport model they had been asked to retrofit a space saver spare wheel kit to. 

2 hours ago, philip42h said:

It will raise the height of the boot floor to the level of the rear seats when folded flat, exactly as shown in the post from @forkingabout above and as it is in a C-HR 2.0. 

That would be an ideal situation, and is basically what I was looking for.  

Regarding the OEM repair kit, this is only useful in the case off a simple nail puncture - a cut would be unrepairable, and would leave the car’s occupants stranded until either (a) a rescue low loader could be provided to take vehicle and occupants home or to destination, or (b) if only a van type vehicle, the rescue driver would have to take the wheel to a service centre for replacement.  This is why I once traded a previous 7-seater car for a 5-seater with a spare wheel.  Can’t fit a full-sized spare in the C-HR, but a space saver would nbe better than what I have at present.

In all honesty, I think manufacturers should have been mandatorily required to design every car to have a full-sized spare wheel.

16 hours ago, Haliotis said:

I emailed Toyota Direct Parts on June 8, and received exactly the same details as above.  The reply was “no reply@……….”       They said that as they did not stock this item they “could not say for sure , but they did know the whole kit would raise the boot height by 4 inches, maybe” in answer to my question about boot floor height.

This reply is a bit puzzling.  I am assuming that they buy in to order from another source, but do not have any great technical knowledge about the product.  With a purchase price over £400, you would expect professional advice for a prospective customer, particularly when discussing a safety critical product.

When I ordered mine the parts person was very helpful (more than can be said of the rest of the dealership) and they were shipped from the main Toyota stores, wherever that is and arrived in 2-3 days.