Spare Wheel Mounting...

[Mean Green]

Right, here's the problem.

I am fitting my LPG tank in a North/South behind the single fold rear seat. This allows me to fold down the other side of any larger loads. (I have already spoken to a couple of LPGA installers who say this is acceptable)

After a bit of playing around with the tank, I found that i could not get the spare wheel out with the tank in place. So I have decided to remove the spare and push the tank a up against the wheel arch. I will then make a box to cover the tank with storage space in the redundant wheel well.

However, this leaves a problem of what to do with the spare.

a) dont carry one, just keep a bottle of that squirt in stuff and an air compressor

B) weld a nut on the floor and floor mount wheel (either with or without a false floor)

c) make a new bracket and mount the wheel on the right hand side. Move jack etc to the newly created storage in old wheel well.

Any experience of any of these set ups? pro's, con's, don't be dafts??

Cheers.

[Niall_CSK]

I think we explored the squirty stuff to death back in the dark place.

You didn't say what was actually stopping you getting the wheel out, odd bracket, bad back etc.

There should be a small web bracket with a captive nut & another with a plastic buffer on the inner wing on that model year, the wheel was designed to fitted dished side in if you know what I mean. An angled and threaded bar with a large washer went through the centre to screw into the captive nut.

There should be an expanded poylstyrene moulding that sits inside the wheel holding the chocks, jack etc.

There is the standard stiched rug to go over the wheel and a carpeted fibreboard (should have a net pocket on that MY) surrounding the wheel space. The cardboard moulding should unclip at the top under the window and then lift from it's retaining clips on the floor. Thereafter the rest should be fairly accessible.

If you want to put it on the O/S remember that the N/S has a recess in the floor so the spare will sit considerably higher.

Not going to start on spare wheel carriers just yet.

[Mean Green]

Niall,

I have considered wheel carriers, but am going to explore other (cheaper) alternatives first.

The spare cannot come out of it home because of the tank location. To physically have enough room to get at the wheel, the tank needs to be almost in the middle of the boot - which defeats the purpose of the location.

The tank is fitted with the control box towards the side panel and window rather than towards the boot - this was the manu's recomendation to keep the filler pipe as short as possible. So not having the wheel in the well gives a neater job - albeit a bit more fiddly to get the control box.

The wheel sitting higher is not likley to be a problem - I have in the back of my mind the idea that I will darken the windows in the boot area.

[Niall_CSK]

OK with you now. If you are going to be mainly off roading it you have probably been considering larger tyres anyway so not having a recess will be a help.

I think putting it on the other side will be your best bet then, the only other thing I thought about was the high level filler intrudes a little on the O/S. I take it you are not likely to be all that fussed about trim if it's going to be a plaything but that shouldn't be a big problem if you change your mind anyway.

Another option would be to lay the spare flat and make a false floor, the space below could have a drawer, as is quite common practice with Defenders, for all the junk we normally carry, around just in case.

[fisha]

Been thinking about it since we were discussing the options at the time Greg when fitting the tank.

Personally, i think the flat on the floor method is the best all round. If we put a suitable bolt in the floor plus maybe a couple of straps/ braces around the wheel to hold it fully, then a false floor on top it'd give you the most practical usable space without compromising window coverage etc.

Most of the time, using the boot space is a case of lift the top tailgate, and throw stuff in. If you had a false floor, it'd make things a little easier to reach when getting them back out. You could also use ( again as said by Niall ) the are to the side above the filler to store all the ropes and stuff thats dirty whilst keeping the floor above clean.

The false floor could also be made to easily lift up / out to get the wheel out at any time or if you needed the full boot floor.

The reality is also that with a roof rack, if anything is long then it'd go on the roof, or in the F.A.R.T.

Its upto you.

[bishbosh]

Without the recess in the floor the tyre (depending on size) may foul the rear seat belt spool.

225 x 75 only just clears on the N/S with the recess.

I tried lots of "ideas" for moving the spare and never found anywhere better than the original position.... that is until I bobtailled here... B)

[ariane44]

After a bit of playing around with the tank, I found that i could not get the spare wheel out with the tank in place.

Why not? I have a 120l tank north-sounth and (while admittedly not a girls job) it is still possible to get the wheel (regular 215-75) in and out. The left cover had to be cut for the tank though:

Cheers

Carsten ;-)

[Mean Green]

Good points all round.

I think the false floor is the way to go.

If it is done correctly then the floor should be level with the rear seats in the flat position rather than folded fully up against the driver seat (which I cant do anyway as the seat is fully back!)

Looks like a bit of MDF'ing will be required And since I have acquired an amp and Sub's a speaker box of some description migh also be called for

[Niall_CSK]

Bish Bosh is right I forgot about the seat belt reels, also a large tyre can foul the top tailgate gas strut, I found I could only get a 245x75 in the N/S with the well with it deflated and even then it was a shove.

The sub woofer did cross my mind, especially if you have been around the Potter Plotter for too long

[DEANO3528]

Come on Greg the possibilities are endless....

What ya reckon?

[Mean Green]

Deano,

Funnily enough your roof mounted spare was one of the first things that sprang to mind when the problem arose, I remember seeing pics when you first did it. Being honest it is not something I would fancy, but the rear carrier is different - is it a bought effort or homemade? Do you still have it? (would you sell it? gotta ask )

I suppose I could just put the wheel on the roof rack, but again I just dont fancy it there - no particular reason why.

[DEANO3528]

Yes it's here somewhere.

Simply a Series Pivlock with the top mount cut and shut to line up with the top of the rear corner panel.

It was ok but a pain in the 'arris when trying to put anything in the boot because you had to unlock it and swing it away. Not so bad for shopping but when doing recovery not so good.

The fitting to the corner panel is very weak and needs watching for loosening. I also removed the bumper end cap and welded a strengthening bracket to the bumper.

For the roof one, it's obviously a Disco carrier.

The roof won't support it alone so I reinforced it with a plate underneath which was also welded to the rear goalpost and the rear roof bearer.