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My new space saver ...
 

My new space saver has a smaller diameter.

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Obviously it's narrower but shorter. Is this normal? 

Have bought a space saver off ebay which was listed as fitting my Leaf.

As I said it's a good few inches shorter than the original when placed side by side. A quick google just throws up lots of people arguing ,so I've come on here for a well reasoned response.


 
Posted : 13/04/2026 7:31 pm
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I have seen that before and I  think part of the reason for the speed limitation as it stresses the differential as the wheels rotate at different speeds but does a Leaf have a diff as its electric?  I have no idea


 
Posted : 13/04/2026 7:55 pm
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Fairly common - certainly with petrol/diesel cars.


 
Posted : 13/04/2026 8:17 pm
leffeboy reacted
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Posted by: tjagain

does a Leaf have a diff as its electric? 

It probably still needs to go round corners.


 
Posted : 13/04/2026 8:38 pm
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Just get another three and  change them all if you get a puncture 


 
Posted : 13/04/2026 8:51 pm
Dickyboy, TheFlyingOx, Cletus and 2 people reacted
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Posted by: Cougar

Posted by: tjagain

does a Leaf have a diff as its electric? 

It probably still needs to go round corners.

At the risk of smartarsing a smartarse, some electric cars have motors on multiple wheels, therefore don't need a diff, some have one that drives multiple wheels. I have no idea what the Leaf setup is.

 

Op: totally normal. Don't fret.

 


 
Posted : 13/04/2026 8:51 pm
tjagain reacted
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A quick google just throws up lots of people arguing

No it doesn't


 
Posted : 13/04/2026 8:58 pm
Olly, a11y, thorpedo and 5 people reacted
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If possible, put the space saver on a non-drive wheel, and move a standard wheel to the drive axle if necessary.


 
Posted : 13/04/2026 9:09 pm
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It's normal. I went down a spare wheel rabbit hole when I had a steel spare for the 4 alloys with a different diameter. That's the way it is now

 

It's a temporary spare so really only to get you to tyre shop


 
Posted : 13/04/2026 9:18 pm
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And… you run them at a much higher pressure normally.


 
Posted : 13/04/2026 9:46 pm
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I once had to do 600km on a spacesaver as we had a blowout on the French motorways on a Sat morning and everything was closed till Monday. The breakdown person said I was lucky my spacesaver was the same diameter, as he said my diff would wear out otherwise. Only problem was that blown out tyre/wheel would not fit where the spacesaver went, so we had to reshuffle all the luggage, which was not easy with a family of 5 in the car.


 
Posted : 13/04/2026 10:00 pm
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Posted by: submarined

At the risk of smartarsing a smartarse, some electric cars have motors on multiple wheels, therefore don't need a diff, some have one that drives multiple wheels. I have no idea what the Leaf setup is.

 

That did cross my mind, but I figured someone would correct me I was wrong because Internet. 😁


 
Posted : 13/04/2026 10:52 pm
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A more likely issue than the diff is the fact that your abs sensors will throw a wobbler. 

Your abs and esp will be under fault condition and disabled.

But that said I've not experienced it on a leaf but it's a common theme amongst other cars I've had.

Have you bought a 16 inch leaf space saver when you need a 17"

And yes the space saver doesn't go on the steering axle how ever often you see people doing it ...... But then I also see the same cars on the road zipping past me  with the space saver on for weeks on end. 


 
Posted : 14/04/2026 8:00 am
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OP check it fits over the front brake disk, if it does it is probably fine for short term use (i.e. to get you to a garage).  When you get issues with different diameters is on cars with proper limited slip diffs or 4WD systems.


 
Posted : 14/04/2026 9:21 am
 IHN
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Posted by: trail_rat

A more likely issue than the diff is the fact that your abs sensors will throw a wobbler. 

and/or your tyre pressure sensor. Our Jazz came with three 185/65 tyres and one 185/55 tyre, which I didn't notice (because why would you). Took me bloody ages to work out why the tyre pressure warning kept coming back on after I checked the pressures and reset it, but it was because one wheel was rotating at a different speed to the others...


 
Posted : 14/04/2026 9:48 am
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Posted by: maccruiskeen

A quick google just throws up lots of people arguing

No it doesn't

Yes it does. 

 


 
Posted : 14/04/2026 10:11 am
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Posted by: maccruiskeen

 

A quick google just throws up lots of people arguing

No it doesn't

 

 

Yes it does. 

That's because your not googling properly


 
Posted : 14/04/2026 10:19 am
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Posted by: maccruiskeen

That's because your not googling properly

you're

😜


 
Posted : 14/04/2026 10:29 am
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That's because your you're not googling properly

Good lord ;P


 
Posted : 14/04/2026 10:30 am
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Good suggestion to see it fits over disc. Will check tonight.


 
Posted : 14/04/2026 10:42 am
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Sorry is that a five minute argument or the full half hour?


 
Posted : 14/04/2026 11:23 am
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and/or your tyre pressure sensor. Our Jazz came with three 185/65 tyres and one 185/55 tyre, which I didn't notice

 

Yeah but the tps is the least worrying of all the issues faced. Tbh I could go the rest of my life without that operating and not being concerned. 

Abs and esp how ever. I want those to work if I need to stop in a hurry . 

Just remembered it also knocked out my Speedo as well. 

I had 55 profile on front and 65 profile on the back for a weekend due to a clerical error on my part. 


 
Posted : 14/04/2026 12:59 pm
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TPS can get in the sea. On push to ijmuden for ferry and I blew a rear tyre at 120kph. Quick Google found a tyre superstore within 5km so slapped the space saver on and then got the new tyres fitted, other side was showing signs of cracking. 

About 20km up the motorway the tps pinged to tell me that I had pressure issues. This was the first time it had noticed that explosive decompression of my rear left.


 
Posted : 14/04/2026 1:17 pm
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you're

😜

Sorry, typo

your googling is not properly 


 
Posted : 14/04/2026 1:38 pm
 DrP
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At the risk of smartarsing a smartarse, some electric cars have motors on multiple wheels, therefore don't need a diff, some have one that drives multiple wheels. I have no idea what the Leaf setup is.

The LEAF does have a diff, integrated into its reduction 'gearbox'.

The only EVs I can think of with a motor driving just a single wheel are ultra performance ones, like the Model S Plaid (a motor per rear wheel), the Rimmac Nevara (a motor per wheel) and the Yangwang U9 ultra (3000BPH, a motor per wheel)... and the new Renault 5 turbo (a hub motor per wheel).
I know the nissan LEAF SHOULD be in that list too, but oddly it's not... 😉

 

DrP


 
Posted : 14/04/2026 2:41 pm