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One of the problems that sometimes faces big brake kit users is their spare wheel/tire in the trunk no longer clears the larger calipers. Not a problem for my Brembo brakes on my 2001 BMW 540i 6-Speed, which uses a full size spare. But the Chrysler 300C has a space saver spare with a skinny 145/80-18 temporary tire. I've checked and it does not fit over the StopTech big brake kit.
I have two sets of wheels, one for summer and one for winter. So I figured I would just stash one of the off-season wheels in the spare tire well. No such luck! The well is designed for the skinny space saver and there's no way a full sized wheel will fit. What to do? Should I carry around a patch kit, a pump, and a can of Fix-A-Flat? I didn't want to go that route, so I started to explore other options.
H&R makes 25mm and 30mm spacers for the 300C. So I modified a StopTech big brake kit template to simulate the addition of a 25mm spacer. Then I placed it inside the spare wheel and it easily cleared! There are 13mm between the face of the caliper and the back side of the wheel. And the gap between the top of the caliper and the barrel of the wheel is 5mm. So the H&R spacer is the solution. Just keep one spacer and 5 nuts in the spare tire well in case you get a flat.
This is what the H&R spacers are supposed to look like
H&R is sending me a set of 25mm spacers (they come in pairs) which should arrive on Friday. Over the weekend, I plan to install the rear StopTech brakes on my 300C. At that time, I'll try out the H&R spacers to see if they really are the solution to the spare tire quandry. I'll be sure to post a photo. If they work, I'll give away my extra spacer for free to the next customer who buys a StopTech brake kit for the 300C. After that, I suppose I'll need to start stocking those H&R spacers.
I have two sets of wheels, one for summer and one for winter. So I figured I would just stash one of the off-season wheels in the spare tire well. No such luck! The well is designed for the skinny space saver and there's no way a full sized wheel will fit. What to do? Should I carry around a patch kit, a pump, and a can of Fix-A-Flat? I didn't want to go that route, so I started to explore other options.
H&R makes 25mm and 30mm spacers for the 300C. So I modified a StopTech big brake kit template to simulate the addition of a 25mm spacer. Then I placed it inside the spare wheel and it easily cleared! There are 13mm between the face of the caliper and the back side of the wheel. And the gap between the top of the caliper and the barrel of the wheel is 5mm. So the H&R spacer is the solution. Just keep one spacer and 5 nuts in the spare tire well in case you get a flat.

This is what the H&R spacers are supposed to look like

H&R is sending me a set of 25mm spacers (they come in pairs) which should arrive on Friday. Over the weekend, I plan to install the rear StopTech brakes on my 300C. At that time, I'll try out the H&R spacers to see if they really are the solution to the spare tire quandry. I'll be sure to post a photo. If they work, I'll give away my extra spacer for free to the next customer who buys a StopTech brake kit for the 300C. After that, I suppose I'll need to start stocking those H&R spacers.