Here's a question, my car has the 16 inch alloys as standard and was supplied with a full size spare (dealer said that this was an option but that they would not supply a vehicle without a full size spare?). Any way my question is about the spare which a steel wheel, but it is very clearly marked that it is speed rated to 50 mph. Just wondering why the restriction when the only difference is alloy vs steel wheel. Any ideas ???

Our HSE is just the same with a steel wheel limited to the same as yours. I thought about it, but didnt query.

My assumption is that it will be due to wheel fixing and bolt security-but I might just be wrong.

If your truck had steel wheels as OE, as I remember, if you changed to alloys to save weight, the torque was different, and I thing you needed different bolts changing from steels to alloys.
My trucking days were a long time ago with Scammells and Atkinsons, with D20 wheels, long before tubeless !.

Showing your age there Transman !

Now you mention it the bolt issues rings a bell. The profile of the shoulders on the bolts is different between alloy and steel fitment. Since there aren't any additional bolts to use with the steel wheel then it must be a case of using the alloy bolts and the speed rating ...

By the way, have you tried lifting the spare wheel out? Not a job for those with back problems !

Just checked my spare this weekend- upgraded to 18" 12 spoke HSE alloys as an option when ordered - have discovered that my spare is a steel rim limited to 50mph, fair enough but it is a 17" rim not 18" to suit upgraded alloys. Going to phone dealer today to find out what's going on, suspect wheels have been swapped at dealership and not fitted from factory and forgotten to swap spare. Can anyone else with upgraded 18" alloys or an HSE confirm that they have an 18" spare. Can't see it driving too well with 3 x 18" wheels and 1 X 17" wheel if I need to fit spare, not to mention confusing the diff/gearbox.

Your Freelander will be fine on the 17" spare as long as the overall height (or rolling radius) of the spare wheel and tyre combination is the same (to within a few percent) as the normal wheel and tyre.

Normal practice in the motor industry when offering an increased wheel rim diameter is to reduce the tyre profile height to maintain the same overall size.

What width/profile size are the normal tyres and what size is the spare tyre?

Martin,
Width & profile of 17" spare are the same as the 18" wheels (can't remember what they are though- possibly 265/65) - so the car would sit 1/2" lower on the spare wheel corner. Have phoned dealer - they forgot to swap spare when they put 18" wheels on - They're sending somebody out to swap my 17" spare for an 18" so problem resolved. Cheers anyway.

OK - glad to hear they're sorting it for you

Just for info, our HSE is on 235/60 x 18, steel spare is 235/65 x 17. As Martin rightly says, the difference in profile should make the difference, so to speak !

Checked my wheel/ tyre sizes - same as Transman's. Done the maths- 235/60 x 18 = 739mm O/Diameter, 235/65 x 17 = 737mm O/Diameter. Therefore only 1mm ride height difference and marginal circumferential difference - Have phoned dealer back - he thought it should have 18" spare but now realises that tyre ratio is different so the 17" is OK. Cheers for that Transman/Martin.

The problem is that you no longer have the luxury of rotating the spare tyre to save some money at some point in the future. You will always have an un/ under used 17" spare