Tire and rim sizes for Smallcar spare SOLVED

[RBEmerson]

A ruler says the GW rims on our '90 Westy are 16" in diameter. So far, so good. The Michelin Defenders are marked 215/55R15. Um, why is that?

Smallcar Performance has a space-saver that fits in the stock clamshell. However, the description says the tire is an eNTYRE 205/60 R16 XL. Something seems a touch wacky.
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Lord, give me coffee to change the things I can change, and wine to accept the things I can't change.

[dobryan]

Me thinks you are not measuring the right points. If the tire is a 15 you have a 15” rim not a 16”.
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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[RBEmerson]

I measured the rim again. I set the tape to 16", put one end on the edge of the rim, and swung the tape. At 16" edge to edge, the tape passed directly over the middle of the hub. Swinging the tape at 15"... hopeless wrong.
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Lord, give me coffee to change the things I can change, and wine to accept the things I can't change.

[CanStan]

Here’s a good explanation about how to measure it:

You need to exclude the lip from your measurement to get the actual measurement vs. the overall measurement.

[RBEmerson]

Thanks! I was about to post my guess, that matches yout diagram.

Problem solved.
_________________
Lord, give me coffee to change the things I can change, and wine to accept the things I can't change.