Trunk doo-dad

DK914 · 03-05-2000, 05:00 PM

So what the heck is that little eyelet in the trunk carpet for? It corresponds to a threaded hole on the trunk floor--can't find any mention in the owners manual. And, when viewed from a creeper perspective, which lay do you turn the front suspension's ride-height adjusters to lower the car? Thanks in advance!

Dave at Pelican Parts · Dave at Pelican Parts's Garage

The eyelet appears to be for the spare tire. The tire fits there, and is held down with a big bolt, same as up front. I keep the spare in the rear trunk full-time now. After I discovered just how much room the front had when you got rid of the spare, there was no question! (The beach trip with the big cooler worked real well after that!)

I think that the front adjusters work such that when you tighten them, the car goes UP.

--DD

mejulihn · mejulihn's Garage

It is for mounting the spare tire in the rear trunk. This works well if you don't mind not having a air source for your windshield washer (or have replaced it with an electric pump). The spare is secured with the threaded hold-down bolt thru the grommet hole in the carpet and into the trunk floor. The targa roof still fits in nicely and it gives you a lot more storage space in the front trunk!

jmcleod · 03-06-2000, 09:54 AM

someone told me the spare in the front was designed to be there for crash protection (i think the source was very reputable)

mejulihn · mejulihn's Garage

I can't believe that a spare tire in the front trunk affords much additional crash-worthiness.

Baloo914 · 03-06-2000, 07:22 PM

The design of the entire car is setup to eat the impact. The tire would definitely make a difference in the speed at which the front trunk area collapsed. The tire would blow, the rim would crush... and all this adds up to ENERGY ABSORBTION... The engine block in a 4000 lb vehicle is used in a similar manner -- the design of the firewall and transmission tunnel are done in a way to force the car up and then engine down...

My 2 cents...

Germain · 03-07-2000, 10:12 AM

Ok, any accident that I hit another car hard enough that causes the spare tire to pop and the rim to crush is gonna kill me. And if it doesn't, its not because the tire saved me. Yes cars are designed with more safety features in them, but frankly a spare tire is not going to offer any significant additional energy obsorbtion. This rates up there with people telling me that having a gas tank in front is more dangerous then the gas tank in back. Either way if the tank explodes, Im dead.