Spare tire assembly

A method for protecting a wheel on a vehicle, said wheel having a flat tire of diameter d attached thereto, said method comprising:

• attaching a first semi-cylindrical shell having a first planar end surface to said wheel;
• attaching a second planar end surface of a second semi-cylindrical shell to said first planar end surface of said first semi-cylindrical shell;
• wherein said first semi-cylindrical shell and said second semi-cylindrical shell are secured together so as to form a cylindrical shell of diameter greater than d having a cylindrical wall which covers a tread surface of said flat tire;
• wherein:
• said step of attaching said first semi-cylindrical shell comprises:
• securing a plurality of lug adaptors to said wheel, each lug adaptor having a body portion with a first threaded joint which attaches to a threaded joint on said wheel, and a head portion having a second female joint;
• sliding a plurality of holes in said first planar end surface of said first semi-cylindrical shell over said head portions of said plurality of lug adaptors, each of said plurality of holes in said first planar end surface being larger than said head portions, but smaller than said body portions of said lug adaptors;
• and releasably attaching a plurality of caps, each cap having a male joint and a head, to said second female joints of plurality of lug adaptors;
• wherein said first planar end surface of said first semi-cylindrical shell is secured between said body portions of said plurality of lug adaptors and said heads on said plurality of caps.

A wheel system for attachment to a vehicle wheel having a plurality of threaded joints and a flat tire attached thereto, said system comprising;

• a first semi-cylindrical shell having a first planar end surface having a plurality of first holes, said first planar end surface being perpendicular to the wheel axis;
• a plurality of lug adaptors passing through said plurality of first holes, said plurality of lug adaptors connecting said first planar end surface to said plurality of threaded joints on said wheel;
• a second semi-cylindrical shell having a second planar end surface having a plurality of second holes aligned with said lug adaptors and said first holes, said second planar end surface being perpendicular to the wheel axis;
• and
• a plurality of connectors passing through said plurality of second holes, said plurality of connectors securing said second planar end surface of said second semi-cylindrical shell to said plurality of lug adaptors so that at least a portion of said second planar end surface overlaps said first planar end surface;
• wherein said first semi-cylindrical shell and said second semi-cylindrical shell are secured together so as to form a cylindrical shell having (1) a cylindrical wall which covers a first tread surface of said flat tire and (2) a planar end wall formed from said first planar end surface and said overlapping second planar end surface.