Space Saver tyre for MG ZS EV 2022

[Squeak]

Hi all .. today I tried my space saver tyre on my Sept 22 MG ZS EV Essence (that's what we call it here in OZ) .. the one with the sun roof . I was not happy with the idea of a small air compressor and a can of tyre goo .. to fix flat tyres. I have read many threads about this and after doing some home work I went to a Auto parts wreaker and brought a VW golf GTi 2017 space saver tyre and the wheel bolts also. The tyre and bolts cost me $90 (CASH) AUD. The tyre and rim size was 125/70/R18. The tyre was never used!! The other thing to get was a 16inch / 340mm long pry bar. This helps remove the wheel covers off the rim. Just slip it behind the cover and between the cover and wheel you twist the bar 90 degrees and it pops the cover off. I coated the shaft with electrical heat shrink so the metal shaft would not scratch the paint off the rim of the car. It makes removal of the wheel caps very easy. I also brought a 17mm wheel bolt socket and a 1/2 drive extension bar. Better than a wheel brace and makes the job a hell of a lot easier also. As you can see from the photos listed. The best thing to do is go out and get some soft surf board wax !! I rubbed this on the holding prongs behind the wheel cover. It makes getting the wheel covers on and off with without the pain of thinking they will break Note: you must get the VW Golf wheel bolts as the taper on the bolt heads are different to the MG wheel bolts. Last thing was a scissor jack for $39.00. Hope this helps ... hi from downunder !!
PART 2 : Thanks for all the great views ... As for the pry bar coating I used 26mm wide heat shrink and a hot air gun. The prongs on the wheel cover (after being coated in surf board wax) are easy to get off. Getting them off for the first time is a worry, but the pry bar makes the job simple. So I removed all 4 wheel covers and coated behind all of them with the wax. The reason for surf board wax is it's harder for water / rain to wash it off when driving. I also coated the centre progs of the wheel hub too. I did NOT have to remove the MG factory factory foam insert or the air compressor or tyre goo. The space saver wheel and wheel removal bar / socket and pry bar + jack all fit under the rear cover with ease, with all the other items supplied with the car. I also had space for a 7kw type 2 charge cable and a 15 metre 240volt 10amp power lead ...

 

[Lovemyev]

Hi all .. today I tried my space saver tyre on my Sept 22 MG ZS EV Essence (that's what we call it here in OZ) .. the one with the sun roof . I was not happy with the idea of a small air compressor and a can of tyre goo .. to fix flat tyres. I have read many threads about this and after doing some home work I went to a Auto parts wreaker and brought a VW golf GTi 2017 space saver tyre and the wheel bolts also. The tyre and bolts cost me $90 (CASH) AUD. The tyre and rim size was 125/70/R18. The tyre was never used!! The other thing to get was a 16inch / 340mm long pry bar. This helps remove the wheel covers off the rim. Just slip it behind the cover and between the cover and wheel you twist the bar 90 degrees and it pops the cover off. I coated the shaft with electrical heat shrink so the metal shaft would not scratch the paint off the rim of the car. It makes removal of the wheel caps very easy. I also brought a 17mm wheel bolt socket and a 1/2 drive extension bar. Better than a wheel brace and makes the job a hell of a lot easier also. As you can see from the photos listed. The best thing to do is go out and get some soft surf board wax !! I rubbed this on the holding prongs behind the wheel cover. It makes getting the wheel covers on and off with without the pain of thinking they will break Note: you must get the VW Golf wheel bolts as the taper on the bolt heads are different to the MG wheel bolts. Last thing was a scissor jack for $39.00. Hope this helps ... hi from downunder !!

Very helpful and informative from down under.
Thank you for posting this very detailed thread a lot of owners will be grateful.
Owners have said they are scared of trying to remove their aero covers, in the belief they are going to split.
Good tip on using the protected pry bar .
I can see in your photo another circular central holding circlip holding the trim to the wheel hub as well I think ?.
Did this put up much of a fight to release ?.
Thanks !.

 

[Susanna]

Thanks from me too! I have now ordered soft surfboard wax (never ever thought I would need that……..), and a 40cm pry bar. I already have my 10mm spanner, and a host of other must-have accessories.

Now I just need a handy electrician to apply some heat shrink tape to the pry bar. That won’t be quite so easy
In theory, I will never need half of this stuff - it’s just insurance!

 

[Lovemyev]

Thanks from me too! I have now ordered soft surfboard wax (never ever thought I would need that……..), and a 40cm pry bar. I already have my 10mm spanner, and a host of other must-have accessories.

Now I just need a handy electrician to apply some heat shrink tape to the pry bar. That won’t be quite so easy
In theory, I will never need half of this stuff - it’s just insurance!

As a OAP my surfing days are well and truly over ( in fact they never really got started ).
Therefore, I don't have any "surf board wax" hanging around the house.
My wife said see has some wax ? ........... But say's it's no good for the car .
I guess you could use some candle wax ( on the car ) or any type of silicone grease ?.
With the pry bar, you could wrap the blade with some electrical tape or even some gaffer tape.
Not as neat or professional as the heat shrink job of course, but it would do the job.
Hopefully, your not likely to be using it on a daily basis @Susanna.
I wonder what a police officer would say if they conducted a spot check on a ZS EV owners car ?.
Officer :- "Well - well - well, what do we have here then sir / madam, can you explain why you are carrying a large pry bar ( covered in tape ) a large wheel bar wrench, a long lead that looks likes a rope and a block of surf board wax ?".
Owner :- "Well see officer, I am the owner of a MG ZS EV and all of these items are necessary for my day to day driving".
Officer:- ( Takes a step back to study the badge on the car ) "Are well, that explains everything clearly - you are free to continue on your way sir / madame". LOL.

[ Edited Coulomb: silicon grease -> silicone grease. ]

 

[Susanna]

@Lovemyev
I am also in a similar age group!!!!
And you are right, I could use something else to wrap it. But I am guessing that the method described by @Squeak would keep the end of the pry bar slim enough to slip easily between the wheel and trim.

 

[Eclectic]

As a OAP my surfing days are well and truly over ( in fact they never really got started ).
Therefore, I don't have any "surf board wax" hanging around the house.
My wife said see has some wax ? ........... But say's it's no good for the car .
I guess you could use some candle wax ( on the car ) or any type of silicone grease ?.

You could try beeswax - as an archer I use it on bowstrings, and archery shops such as Quicks sell it in small sticks.

 

[Lovemyev]

@Lovemyev
I am also in a similar age group!!!!
And you are right, I could use something else to wrap it. But I am guessing that the method described by @Squeak would keep the end of the pry bar slim enough to slip easily between the wheel and trim.

I agree - The heat shrink would be neater job ! .
But some black electrical insolation tape would be a decent substitute, if you where in a fix.
When your pry bar arrives, measure the blade thickness and then you can purchase some heat shrink to suit your pry bar ( remember it reduces its size on a 2 : 1 ration when heated ).
It is pretty cheap to buy at less than a five.
You will need a heat gun or heat source to shrink it.
I will include a link below, you can choose the width / length of colour of heat shrink, to suit your bar.
The one in the link, is for a 25mm width tube in black, but there is many different sizes available.
Just check your bar when it arrives !.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160809548411?hash=item2570fefa7b:g:ro8AAOxyuR5TYoAY&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4JjRYbUvDXoqOmWHrjzofcxmFjVjv9iWpjnbMxS3GeR5c34%2B6SQA%2B0ApDZsULkLGEGY05zE3dGT9n9%2BtfjN7wK6OfMvM3U1DtnOKL3r8pms7Irqc%2BlFzZgxWI0qthTbu8kqjKzfZGQAcUnlV71rtVavdpyWz4VmqURcwcQjwU3J6AwOdDngbHb4CFZQ7juo%2FWsBkHAModN5xcoqErf8wCzum1FrHcetqOdVQ1bTPXbgtYQEIeAmuGT3CUNGzSDhmlu7iwwYX8y4%2FShXX%2F4dooDGooojUB0Rjhs0uEA8ODlbU%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR6rl09v3YA

 

[Susanna]

@Lovemyev
Thank you so much! Very helpful information. Sorry if I am a bit thick, but do you buy the size that is twice the measurement of the pry bar, so once shrunk it becomes the exact size? Or some that fits on fairly easily and just shrinks as much as it is able to once heat is applied? Maybe it would split if it wasn’t able to shrink enough??

 

[Lovemyev]

@Lovemyev
Thank you so much! Very helpful information. Sorry if I am a bit thick, but do you buy the size that is twice the measurement of the pry bar, so once shrunk it becomes the exact size? Or some that fits on fairly easily and just shrinks as much as it is able to once heat is applied? Maybe it would split if it wasn’t able to shrink enough??

You just have to be able to pass the heat shrink over the wide tip of your new pry bar @Susanna .
The leverage section of bar is normal of a square section type for added strength, but the tip will be thinner, but could be a little wider.
So, your heat shrink has to be large enough to pass over the tip of the bar, but not so large that it is unable to shrink down to the desired size correctly.
The heat shrink has a 2 : 1 shrink ratio, so I guessed that a 25mm tube should be able to reduce down to about 12mm.
I would measure your pry bar before ordering.
If the square section of your pry bar is in this ball park, then you should be good to go !.
You can buy a heat shrink with a greater 4 : 1 shrink ratio, which gives you more scope, but it about twice the price.
I would be tempted to carry out a test run first, by cutting a small piece of tube and slide it onto the square section of your pry bar, apply the heat and until shrinks down successfully.
If this works okay, cut off the test piece with craft knife and install the full length of tubing .

 

[Squeak]

@Lovemyev
Thank you so much! Very helpful information. Sorry if I am a bit thick, but do you buy the size that is twice the measurement of the pry bar, so once shrunk it becomes the exact size? Or some that fits on fairly easily and just shrinks as much as it is able to once heat is applied? Maybe it would split if it wasn’t able to shrink enough??

Hi Susanna ... the pry bar come in a pack of 3 units for $22.00 from a hardware store. So I used the one I thought would be best. The shrink wrap was 26mm wide .. you can get it from Electrical whole sale. It had to be that wide as to fit over the wide blade of the pry bar. I used a hot air gun ... but a very hot hair dryer will do the job too ...

 

[Squeak]

Very helpful and informative from down under.
Thank you for posting this very detailed thread a lot of owners will be grateful.
Owners have said they are scared of trying to remove their aero covers, in the belief they are going to split.
Good tip on using the protected pry bar .
I can see in your photo another circular central holding circlip holding the trim to the wheel hub as well I think ?.
Did this put up much of a fight to release ?.
Thanks !.

Hi all .. today I tried my space saver tyre on my Sept 22 MG ZS EV Essence (that's what we call it here in OZ) .. the one with the sun roof . I was not happy with the idea of a small air compressor and a can of tyre goo .. to fix flat tyres. I have read many threads about this and after doing some home work I went to a Auto parts wreaker and brought a VW golf GTi 2017 space saver tyre and the wheel bolts also. The tyre and bolts cost me $90 (CASH) AUD. The tyre and rim size was 125/70/R18. The tyre was never used!! The other thing to get was a 16inch / 340mm long pry bar. This helps remove the wheel covers off the rim. Just slip it behind the cover and between the cover and wheel you twist the bar 90 degrees and it pops the cover off. I coated the shaft with electrical heat shrink so the metal shaft would not scratch the paint off the rim of the car. It makes removal of the wheel caps very easy. I also brought a 17mm wheel bolt socket and a 1/2 drive extension bar. Better than a wheel brace and makes the job a hell of a lot easier also. As you can see from the photos listed. The best thing to do is go out and get some soft surf board wax !! I rubbed this on the holding prongs behind the wheel cover. It makes getting the wheel covers on and off with without the pain of thinking they will break Note: you must get the VW Golf wheel bolts as the taper on the bolt heads are different to the MG wheel bolts. Last thing was a scissor jack for $39.00. Hope this helps ... hi from downunder !!

PART 2 : Thanks for all the great views ... As for the pry bar coating I used 26mm wide heat shrink and a hot air gun. The prongs on the wheel cover (after being coated in surf board wax) are easy to get off. Getting them off for the first time is a worry, but the pry bar makes the job simple. So I removed all 4 wheel covers and coated behind all of them with the wax. The reason for surf board wax is it's harder for water / rain to wash it off when driving. I also coated the centre progs of the wheel hub too. I did NOT have to remove the MG factory factory foam insert or the air compressor or tyre goo. The space saver wheel and wheel removal bar / socket and pry bar + jack all fit under the rear cover with ease, with all the other items supplied with the car. I also had space for a 7kw type 2 charge cable and a 15 metre 240volt 10amp power lead ...
.

 

[Lovemyev]

PART 2 : Thanks for all the great views ... As for the pry bar coating I used 26mm wide heat shrink and a hot air gun. The prongs on the wheel cover (after being coated in surf board wax) are easy to get off. Getting them off for the first time is a worry, but the pry bar makes the job simple. So I removed all 4 wheel covers and coated behind all of them with the wax. The reason for surf board wax is it's harder for water / rain to wash it off when driving. I also coated the centre progs of the wheel hub too. I did NOT have to remove the MG factory factory foam insert or the air compressor or tyre goo. The space saver wheel and wheel removal bar / socket and pry bar + jack all fit under the rear cover with ease, with all the other items supplied with the car. I also had space for a 7kw type 2 charge cable and a 15 metre 240volt 10amp power lead ...
.

Thank you for the follow up advice, extremely helpful .
Have you considered removing the road wheels and checking for any corrosion forming between the centre hub boss of the alloy road wheel and the steel centre of the wheel bearing hubs ?.
Maybe not a problem down under, but as you know we get a a lot of water falling down from the sky and some stuff we call "Ice & Snow".
The white corrosion is caused by the two dissimilar metals being in close contact and when moisture is allowed to enter, it causes the white corrosion.
When this happens, it makes removing the road wheels in the future extremely difficult to remove.
It can be simply avoided by cleaning the two surfaces and then applying a thin film of anti seize grease to both mating surfaces, before refitting the road wheel.
Unlikely you are going to require this on your car.
But if you live in our wet climate in the UK and you have ever tried to remove a alloy wheel at the side of the road, after it has been on that axle for a couple of years, then you will know clearly where I am coming from !.
If you live in the UK then strongly recommend doing this.
If it has alloys, it needs doing - regardless of its make and model !.

 

[Alan Electric]

I found quite a few offers around £50-£100 for a mk5 Golf spare wheel from Ebay. Now I need to know if there is a jack available for MG ZS EV? If not I'm not certain what would be a compatible jack?

 

[Squeak]

Alan .. that sound great about the tyre. As for the jack .. any auto parts store would have a scissor type jack (see photo) the lift height on the jack must be over 400+mm when raised. .. The other thing I also carry is a 1200mm x 2400mm plastic tarp .. in case I have to lay on the ground to change the wheel.

 

[Alan Electric]

Thank you Squeak for your comments.

 

[Alan Electric]

Hi Squeak,

At the beginning of this blog you seem to have suggested that a suitable wheel for MG ZS EV is a 125/70/R18. This is an 18” tyre. I have been looking through e-bay listings and it seems that most people think the correct tyre is a 16” one! I am confused now? This is one of the adverts I have come across.

16″ SPACE SAVER SPARE WHEEL + TOOL KIT FITS MG ZS EV (2017-PRESENT DAY)

 

[Alan Electric]

I was looking at May 2021 blogs and I have seen this. Apparently you can't get the genuine MG ZS EV space saver tyres in Australia and what you have suggested seems to be the closest match.

Space saver spare wheel kit

I have a MG ZS EV here in Australia. It is impossible to buy a space saver kit here as spare parts search by VIN and the result is zero. Could some kind soul find me the part number for the space saver spare wheel kit?

www.mgevs.com

Apparently genuine MG ZS EV space saver not imported to Australia. After further research I found an alternative with similar specs out of a wrecked 2012 VW Golf GTi. The RIM is an R18 with identical Bolt pattern and PCD. The tyre fitted to the 18" rim is a 125 70 R18 which is the closest external diameter match to the standard full size 215 50 R17's.

 

[N2STY]

Hi Squeak,

At the beginning of this blog you seem to have suggested that a suitable wheel for MG ZS EV is a 125/70/R18. This is an 18” tyre. I have been looking through e-bay listings and it seems that most people think the correct tyre is a 16” one! I am confused now? This is one of the adverts I have come across.

16″ SPACE SAVER SPARE WHEEL + TOOL KIT FITS MG ZS EV (2017-PRESENT DAY)

There is not much in it the 18" wheel is actually smaller than the 17" as less rubber the 50/70 part of numbers is not a fixed size it is a percentage of width

 

[Alan Electric]

Thank you so much! Very helpful information. It looks like even 18" space saver is slightly smaller than a normal 215/55/17! I wonder why they are selling 16" space saver on e-Bay as genuine replacement when it is the wrong one?!!

 

[N2STY]

It's not wrong it will just have more rubber to make-up the circumference the tyre size is more important than the rim size