Ewhi

Member
Hi Giys. First Post omn here so hello...

Defender 90, 52 plate TD5

What is people's thoughts about the rear door mounted spare wheel. I've heard tell that greenlaning plus weight of wheel can warp the door.
Also the noise is pretty, well, noisy. Even for a defender. DUKADUNKADUNKADUNKADUNK every minute you drive as the weight of the spare wheel wobbles the door
Anyone mounted theirs elsewhere?
 
Hi Giys. First Post omn here so hello...

Defender 90, 52 plate TD5

What is people's thoughts about the rear door mounted spare wheel. I've heard tell that greenlaning plus weight of wheel can warp the door.
Also the noise is pretty, well, noisy. Even for a defender. DUKADUNKADUNKADUNKADUNK every minute you drive as the weight of the spare wheel wobbles the door
Anyone mounted theirs elsewhere?
Get a swing away spare wheel carrier that puts the bulk of the weight on the chassis. Dead easy. Forget the military style side mount, bonnet a no no and roof as you’ll end up with a slipped disk or hernias. If you stick it in the rear load area you lose too much space.
 
Get a swing away spare wheel carrier that puts the bulk of the weight on the chassis. Dead easy. Forget the military style side mount, bonnet a no no and roof as you’ll end up with a slipped disk or hernias. If you stick it in the rear load area you lose too much space.
Second that.
Unfortunately the door internal frame is the weakest part when the weight of the wheel is bouncing around. Some put flat against the seats tied. Swingaway is strong because the weight is shared.
IMG_20211024_151229_3~2.jpg
 
Welcome.

They do warp the door, they do more than that, of the 2 I have owned that came with wheels on the back, both doors had split frames.
They split around the center section, on the edge near the door catch and in the center of the top and bottom rails.
The spare weighs circa 30Kgs, whatever you bolt that lump to needs to be strong, a safari back door isn't.

Have a look here <>
 
The swing away carrier is the best bet. For now, my spare is secured in the back of my 90 against the centre bulkhead using a decent ratchet strap until I get a swing away one. This also keeps it clean, dry and secure, comparatively speaking. Worth considering mounting it inside if you are able to lose some internal space.
 
The spare weighs circa 30Kgs,

Try closer to 45 Kgs for a 285 75 16 KM3 on a steel modular.

I have seen a few cracked swing away carriers that did not like being abused with heavier wheels and being at a P&P site.

So do check them over as part of your routine checks.

Cheers
 
Mines a general grabber on 16in boost so maybe on the lighter side? Interesting idea to mount on centre bulkhead. Might help stop the bumping noise...
 
I have a 110 and have the spare stowed away inside. I have installed a sub-floor on top of the wheel arches from the back of the rear seats to the door so the complete rear load space. The centre section between the arches in in three sections and hinged so that it folds up to the back of the seats. The wheel is secured to the floor under the hinged panels along with other bits and bobs I keep in the truck. I can move the wheel from lying flat on the floor to vertical behind the seats to vertical Infront of the seats depending on what space I need. I have only once had to move the wheel from lying flat and that was to transport an engineering lathe. I moved the wheel to Infront of the rear seats folded the panels up and used a forklift to put the lathe in. I needed the height from the original floor to get it in. If I have something in the load space and should need the wheel I can slide it out without folding the sub-floor panels up. Any drawbacks other than the initial work and cost no, not for me I think it was a good decision and really worked out well. Benefits, load removed from door, better rear view, more security for the wheel, the handling of the truck was greatly improved with moving the mass of the wheel more central in the vehicle.
I am currently installing alternative seats to the rear in which the seat base will hinge forward and the backs fold down to create a longer completely flat load area from the back of the front seats to the rear door. Big enough to lie down in an alternative doghouse when needed.
Tim
 
Well I'm going to buck the trend and say go for a bonnet mount. It's not for all and needs a reinforced bonnet with aluminium checker plate and ideally a military grade bonnet. Only real draw back is lifting the additional 39kg when needing to top up the water washer bottle/tinker/repair/service et al...so just remove it first. But by Jove they look good and add a great water dispersal characteristic when driving in the rain...I Rain-X my screen and the bonnet mounted wheel adds some crazy airborne water patterns o_O

And the wheel weight makes a Landy front end positively firm :)
 
I have a 110 and have the spare stowed away inside. I have installed a sub-floor on top of the wheel arches from the back of the rear seats to the door so the complete rear load space. The centre section between the arches in in three sections and hinged so that it folds up to the back of the seats. The wheel is secured to the floor under the hinged panels along with other bits and bobs I keep in the truck. I can move the wheel from lying flat on the floor to vertical behind the seats to vertical Infront of the seats depending on what space I need. I have only once had to move the wheel from lying flat and that was to transport an engineering lathe. I moved the wheel to Infront of the rear seats folded the panels up and used a forklift to put the lathe in. I needed the height from the original floor to get it in. If I have something in the load space and should need the wheel I can slide it out without folding the sub-floor panels up. Any drawbacks other than the initial work and cost no, not for me I think it was a good decision and really worked out well. Benefits, load removed from door, better rear view, more security for the wheel, the handling of the truck was greatly improved with moving the mass of the wheel more central in the vehicle.
I am currently installing alternative seats to the rear in which the seat base will hinge forward and the backs fold down to create a longer completely flat load area from the back of the front seats to the rear door. Big enough to lie down in an alternative doghouse when needed.
Tim
Got any photos? We like photos.
 
Well I'm going to buck the trend and say go for a bonnet mount. It's not for all and needs a reinforced bonnet with aluminium checker plate and ideally a military grade bonnet. Only real draw back is lifting the additional 39kg when needing to top up the water washer bottle/tinker/repair/service et al...so just remove it first. But by Jove they look good and add a great water dispersal characteristic when driving in the rain...I Rain-X my screen and the bonnet mounted wheel adds some crazy airborne water patterns o_O

And the wheel weight makes a Landy front end positively firm :)

apaet from the checker plate I agree with this. Mine is on the bonnet. However I dont remove it when topping up fluids, it isn’t that heavy.

reinforced bonnet and solid bonnet prop (not scissor type) are essential.

I like it on the bonnet :)
 
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I used to have my spare on the bonnet for years until one day I slowed from 50mph to 0 too fast and it came off the bonnet and smashed the windscreen and bent the near side A post. Kept it in the back after that
 
I don'tr carry a spare, in fact I don't even have one .... I do have a compressor on board and a puncture repair kit (eBay #392789233128) and have only been caught out once when my rear spring unseated and rubbed a big gash in the tyre.
I have had punctures, the repair kit has been used twice in about 15 years ....
 
I used to have my spare on the bonnet for years until one day I slowed from 50mph to 0 too fast and it came off the bonnet and smashed the windscreen and bent the near side A post. Kept it in the back after that

how did it smash the windscreen when you were braking? Wouldn’t the tyre go forward _away_ from the windscreen?
 

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