Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Hi Guys,

Just wanted to pick your communal brain about the can and can't do's of spare tyre carriers. I have a quandry as to what to do with my spare tyre now that is doesn't fit in the standard rangie spot. It sits flat in the back now, strapped down with the toolbox. I'm looking at doing some longer trips and want to set up the back for sleeping and what-not. The problem now arrises as to where to put the spare. I really dont want to put it outside because A: it spoils the pretty Rangie bum (including bumper) B: It'll get caught on everything, and C: swingaway carriers are so cliched.

I was thinking of designing and building my own, higher up and out of the way that perhaps opens downwards like the lower tailgate. But this would eliminate most vision out the rear-view mirror. I've read through the ADRs (12/02 and 14/00 I think apply) and it pretty much just tells me that if, for whatever reason the internal mirror is useless, you have to have a passenger-side mirror, and thats it.

Just wanted to see if anybody has some insight into the legalities/technicalities of this, in NSW particular. I haven't worked out exactly what I'll do or how I'll do it so any ideas are also welcome! I reckon it'd look tough on the bonnet, but forget getting it up there, the bonnet opening or the bonnet actually surviving!

Mate,

Whats wrong with swing away carriers?? Patrols and landcruisers do O.K. with them. They are good for carrying High lifts and shovels.
My opinion is that the Kaymar rear bars look tougher than the originals anyway.

Not sure of legalities but you did mention you dont want it on the outside.
Where else inside can it go???
I reckon bonnet or swing out carrier but not really knowing your truck, I guess its up to you.

I have seen a few Defenders with bonnet mounted spares and they look pretty schmick.

I realise this has probably not been much help......

there's nothing actually wrong with a swing-away. They work perfectly. My feeling is that they look agricultural IMHO and my mate has a patrol with one, and his rear (one or two) wheels are forever off the ground because his spare is hung up on a rock or somehting. You're right, there isn't anywhere else to put it. I've got a full-length sunroof on top, so I can't really put it up there either (and don't want to (CofG)).

Thanks.

More Lift..

go taxi style and go upright inside.

Upright is how the standard Rangie one goes. My oversize tyre doesn't fit in the spot anymore because of the reel for the rear seat seatbelt. If I put it in there anyway, and just had it hanging out (resting on the reel instead of under it) it would kill a fair bit of space in the back still, especially because my double mattress only just fits as it is (with the rear seats out). I guess if I've got the rear seats out, I could take the seatbelt out too. That would solve it temporarily. Hmmm. My fiancee thinks more lift is a good idea (I knew I wanted to marry her for a reason!!)

False floor? Mattress OVER the spare tyre?

-Scott- wrote:False floor? Mattress OVER the spare tyre?

yeah lol then you allready got the rubber

sounds like the best of both worlds though

Yeah, a false floor is a top idea. The rangie, like most fourby's, is nice and tall in the cargo area so there would be enough height for a tyre and my (our) horizontal frame. Two things though, being higher up in the cargo area means less space for manouvering, and I've got a 106L ice box that when I stack on top of the spare in the back, has about 1/2 an inch under the rear tailgate opening. Then I've got to lift it up there. Have to give it some design thought!

move the reel for the seatbelt? remove the rear seats thus negating the need for the reel? fab up ur own rear bar to suit what you want? get the missus to hold it on her lap so its not taking up cargo space

, yeah I can see the look on her face now. I've got a water tank that sits nicely now in the spot where the spare used to go in the back not that it has to stay there. I might sit it in the spot and see what space is like. Definitely the easiest solution if it still gives me enough width. If I did a false floor, I could make it with little hatches for storage as well.



This is what I was thinking if I was going to do a swing-away carrier. That way it's nice and out of the way. Returning to my initial question, what do you think the legalities of doing this would be??

I'm sure I have seen a carrier like that before.

IMO - I like to keep all weight as low as possible...

I've decided. I'll go with the false floor in the back. Building a wheel carrier also means building a new bumper as well, and that's not quite the scale of job I had in mind (coupled with the carrier). The false floor keeps everything nice and low, I can still see out my rear window, it doesn't spoil the Rangie exterior, and will be easier to setup. Plus I can rig up the empty space underneath for extra storage too.

Thanks guys for your input. (and we didn't even bring the law into it)

Why the fark would you wan't to block out all that vision out the rear, I'm pedantic about packing all my vehicles below the rear glass, so I can still see behind, even my tray, which is only 1200mm long I have my box of spares ((never needed in a rangie )double sway, 2 chairs, 2 bags, 3 jerry cans and most important of all, the engel all for 2 people for upto 4-5 days, cooking biz lives in the cab and spare ontop of bars

I used to keep a 33" in the standard position in my 88, but it necessatated moving that inertia reel

I don't really like the idea of blocking the rear vision. But considered it a necessary evil in order to get the wheel out of the way, if I put it on the back. The setup on the back of the red jeep is exactly what I was thinking. Just on the weekend we camped Saturday night in the back, and really didn't like the idea of a false floor either as far as constricting the amount of room we have to move and sleep. I too can get all our gear in for a good few-day trip below the window line, which I think is good also (perhaps not quite so pedantic). What my thoughts are though is for sleeping in the back and having the mattress setup already, perhaps folded in half so the tucker box, ice box, table and chairs can go in the back. If the inertia reel was moved/removed how big a tyre do you think could fit there?

Linc.

Withe the inertia reel moved, I had a low tread 33", was very tight but fit

you can always go the square spare route. Just have a spare tyre with no air in it and pump it up when you need it. yes it takes a bit more time but it also frees up a lot of space. As long as the tyre stays on the rim you are fine. Alot of Zuk people used to that with large size spares on the factory wheel mounts

If I let the air out, I could probably fit larger than 33" in the original spot too (for in the future).

letting the air out would reduce weight too

id never put a tyre up where you showed in that pic its too high and right at the back like that it would make the car rather light in the front up verts etc