Mirror|rorriM

I just went to my car to grab some snowboards out of it and finally got to see it in the day light. I remembered the thread about what happens to the spare in a rear-end accident, so I crawled inside and lifted the trunk liner.

Basically, the plastic knobby bit which holes the spare in place isn't made of plastic to protect the wheel - it is plastic so that it will break in an accident. When this happens, the wheel lifts up and out of its well. In the case of mine, it made it halfway out before the crushed trunk stopped its travel.

So, for the people wondering what happens to it, there ya go.

'Nova more S4

I can't see the force required to "pop" the wheel up significant, but maybe every little bit helps?

FixedWing

Then there wouldn't be any progressive crushing of the boot area. Instead the forces would be passed through to the passenger compartment.

So if Mirror is correct that that's why the piece is made out of plastic, then the reason is so that the spare will pop up and allow the boot to crush progressively.

I doubt it though because then the spare becomes a loose flying object which could crash through into the passenger compartment.

Stephen

Mirror|rorriM

It just gets the wheel out of the way to allow the rest of the structure to crush.

I think people underestimate just how strong a wheel is. A wheel is one of the strongest parts on the car. Think of the forces it needs to withstand to survive a pothole at 50mph.

Mirror|rorriM

The spare tire wouldn't become a projectile unless you were rear ended and then had a major head-on imapct afterwards. And even then, you'd need to have the seats folded down and no other cargo to block the way.

FixedWing

If there are passengers there then the wheel could push in to their space.

Stephen

Black01S4WI

Mine stayed in place...... Had to deflate the tire and pry it out afterwards