Wheel size versus boot/trunk size

[user 3172]

Anyone ever had a wheel off their i3 in their boot/trunk?

Interested to know if one would happily sit on the floor with the seats up?

 

[PluviaPlumbum]

Seen a few pictures over on the FB forums of owners with the full winter set in the back ( seats down), Not sure if you would get one in flat. Upright perhaps with the parcel shelf removed.

 

[user 3172]

Thanks

Not a fan of the no spare tyre solution to save weight!

Whilst I'm fine with cars on runflats or indeed if I'm on my regular commute close to home, I just don't fancy being stuck in the wilds of rural Wales on a dark, wet winter's night with no garages nearby and not a hope in hell of anyone having a spare tyre to fit an i3 anyway :roll:

In the past I've acquired a spare wheel / tyre / jack and a suitable tyre bag and just thrown it in the boot if I'm going anywhere stupid where a puncture would be a PITA.

I was just wondering if a standard i3 alloy / tyre would fit in the boot.

 

[I33t]

Well, jack it up, take off the wheel and try!

 

[bwilson4web]

Well, jack it up, take off the wheel and try!

Perhaps we need more details about how to jack up an i3?

Bob Wilson

 

[alohart]

Perhaps we need more details about how to jack up an i3?

I agree. Jacking up an i3 with the kind of scissors jack included by Japanese car manufacturers or available from the usual auto supply stores and designed to work on welded seam jack points won't work safely or without damaging the i3's plastic jack points in my experience. BMW sells a jack kit that is designed to work with older BMW's (newer ones apparently have run-flat tires and no jacks), but my local BMW parts department wouldn't guarantee that it would work with an i3's jack points. Apparently, the i3's jack points are deeper than those on other BMW's, so I don't know whether the jack sold by BMW would lift an i3 by its metal frame rails or by its plastic jack points. Anyone know?

 

[user 3172]

Well, jack it up, take off the wheel and try!

I would but mine is still vapourware until early Sept hence the question

I've got the traditional BMW emergency jack here already but obviously don't know if it fits yet.

 

[alohart]

I've got the traditional BMW emergency jack here already but obviously don't know if it fits yet.

I've seen a couple of different BMW jack designs. If yours looks like the jack included in this kit and it will lift your i3 on its metal frame rails and not on its plastic jack points (i.e., it will fit inside the jack point and extend up to the metal frame rail), please let us know.

 

[user 3172]

It is the type that is designed to fit into the jacking point. Used it successfully on Z4, X1, 123 and 320 previously of a variety of ages from 2008 to 2014.

And of course I'll let you know. I was just deciding whether to source a spare wheel before the car arrives or is that tempting fate :roll:

 

[user 3172]

Just called in the showroom with a tape measure :lol:

A spare wheel might just fit in the boot with the rear seat backs upright but it'll be a bit of a squeeze. Think I'll wait and see when it arrives.

And while I was there I got down on my hands and knees to grope the jacking points. They look absolutely bog standard to me so I cannot see why a normal BMW emergency jack wouldn't fit them.

 

[alohart]

And while I was there I got down on my hands and knees to grope the jacking points. They look absolutely bog standard to me so I cannot see why a normal BMW emergency jack wouldn't fit them.

I have no prior BMW experience, but a BMW jack point adapter that I bought did not extend far enough into our i3's jack point to lift our i3 by its metal frame rail instead of the jack point itself. The sharpish lower edges of the jack point cut into the jack point adapter. One other i3 owner familiar with other BMW's suggested that the i3 jack point is deeper than those on some other BMW's.

 

[user 3172]

I'm not talking about using a jack point adaptor though. The later BMW emergency jack comes with a proprietary shaped nylon head which fits snugly into the recess in the jacking point to stop the jack moving around. I'll take a pic of the jack head shortly and post it.

Like this one!

That's the sole purpose of the jack point, it's a location device to hold the jack in the correct position so it's lifting the chassis at the strong point and so the jack can't move or slip from there whilst lifting.

If you go into any non BMW garage that has to lift your car with a multipoint hydraulic lift, they will just put flat plates on the lift arms and lift the car on its jacking points. They are easily strong enough to withstand these compression forces as long as its a flat plate lifting it. But ideally, the lift should have an insert like the adaptor to ensure there is no risk of the car moving during the lift.

 

[jadnashuanh]

I have a metal puck designed to fit into the jack point that I use...it works fine on both of my BMW's. I use a floor jack, which I do not carry around with me! when I need to swap a tire (from winter to summer).

 

[websterize]

I've got the traditional BMW emergency jack here already but obviously don't know if it fits yet.

I've seen a couple of different BMW jack designs. If yours looks like the jack included in this kit and it will lift your i3 on its metal frame rails and not on its plastic jack points (i.e., it will fit inside the jack point and extend up to the metal frame rail), please let us know.

I've used the BMW Wheel Jack set in alohart's link above to swap the i3's summer and winter tires for two seasons — no problems.

 

[alohart]

I've used the BMW Wheel Jack set in alohart's link above to swap the i3's summer and winter tires for two seasons — no problems.

Thanks for the confirmation that this jack will lift an i3 without damaging its plastic jack point because the jack's lifting surface extends to the metal frame rail at the top of the jack point and does not apply lifting force to the jack point itself.

 

[jadnashuanh]

IF you use a flat plate to lift at the jack point, and there's any misalignment, it is not hard to crack the jack pad socket's walls. Even the BMW dealer has been negligent in that. The use of the proper pad is highly recommended.