OEM spare tire install

I completed the swap yesterday on my LE. My biggest takeaway is that the deck is now raised by ~3 1/2" compared to the stock height, which causes a host of fitment issues (see pics of screenshot of LE with stock height deck board and the new foam height on each side after the swap). This causes the deck board to "float" on top of the foam pieces, compared to it sitting flush with the side panels before. Now, the flaps at the front of the deck board, if moved back slightly, can bind on the back seats when you return them to the upright position. The deck board is also shaped to fit the shorter foam pieces/side panels, so after the swap, in the front corners near the back seats, the white foam is exposed (see pic). The cargo mat is also shaped to fit the lower foam configuration and match up with the stock side panels, so it doesn't match after the swap. There are two "ears" that now hang over "voids" created by raising the deck board on each side. Another issue, especially if you have a cargo mat, is that the rear cargo hooks are below the level of the mat. You can still access them, but the mat height makes it tricky. In order for the cargo area to function like an LE with a factory equipped spare, new side panels, a new deck board and new cargo mat are required. I think I can live with the ill-fitting pieces. I plan on adding something under the voids on each side so the cargo mat lays flat and possibly getting some fabric to glue over the top corners of the white foam pieces so it doesn't show when the back seats are laid down. I may also use a few Velcro pieces between the bottom of the deck board and foam pieces to help keep the deck board in position. The LE deck trim was easy to remove. First, remove the cargo hooks. Then, pull up on the trim from the bottom to pop the clips out of the body. One thing I wonder about is the additional weight of the spare wheel/tire (which sits off-center) and jack components to the cargo area. Do Priuses with the stock spare tire setup have heavier duty springs to accommodate the extra weight (~35-40 lbs.)? Maybe I'm tripping, but my car seems to now have less clearance between the top of the tire and the wheel well on the passenger side.

 

One small addition I might suggest for the Gen 5 Prius "spare tire kit retrofit" (other than the side panels + for the LE) are the tire info labels that go on cars with the stock spare tire setup. The original label inside my driver door shows my car wasn't equipped with a spare, and the spare wheel I purchased didn't come with the max speeds label. Both of these labels are available and cheap if anyone is interested. I added my VIN to Lewis's website and found these labels as an "exact fit" for my car (like all of the other parts I ordered). Part number: 42661-47B00. The higher end cars with 19" wheels will require a different label. Attached is a pic of the parts diagram for the labels.

 

Thank You.......

 

Thanks @Hammersmith and everyone else who's provided valuable details on this topic. I finally did my conversion today. Nice to have the peace of mind.

 

Is this with a temp spare or full size?

 

This is with the temporary spare.

 

Thanks for the heads up on the label part numbers, Hammersmith. I haven't ordered anything yet.

 

After looking at some photos and videos over the weekend, I came to the conclusion that the higher trim levels must have the same "problem" as I do now with the deck board floating on the foam pieces, as opposed to laying flush with the side panels in stock form. Thanks for confirming. The only way I could see my problem being resolved would be if Toyota made different side panels that would meet the new deck board height. It sounds like that is just wishful thinking on my part. I definitely caught your warning about the cargo mat and deck board not being a perfect match early on in the thread. I'm going to try making a few tweaks to the current setup to see if I can get it to function a little better. Overall, I'm very pleased with the outcome. Thanks again for all the research you've done for this thread!

 

Thanks for the suggestions on how to utilize the voids, Hammersmith. I noticed your setup in the photos you provided early. I will likely do something similar if I get the correct cargo mat or will stow smaller items in the voids under the cargo mat. I also want to look into getting the reflectors that were mentioned earlier in the thread, since they are designed to fit in the slot on the right side foam.

 

I wasn't aware that the models with the taller wheels weren't available in other markets/countries. My local dealer parts guy mentioned that the parts I was inquiring about were available on Priuses in Guam and Saipan. It's strange that Toyota created part numbers for the tire pressure decals that don't exist. I found the decals you listed for my car at Lewis and popped them in my cart. The total was $9. I'll order them tomorrow and see what I get language wise. Thanks again for getting all of this info together!

 

Wow, that's all very interesting news. At least Toyota is listening to local markets about providing some of the desired vehicle features.

As for the spare tire labels, my parts contact at Lewis Toyota said that all of the labels he has handled were in English. He also provided me with some diagrams showing the locations of the decals (highlighted in green). I assume this applies to all models that could be equipped with a spare tire?