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[Genem]

I've spoken to a number of spare wheels, they all told me they much prefer being on the bonnet, where they can keep an eye on things. They dislike being on the back door as they don't like all the traffic fumes and only get to watch the trailer. In the back is another no-no, being jumped on by the dog and kicked by the passengers. Up on a roof-rack was the second choice for some more adventurous spares, they liked the look of terror on the drivers face while attempting to lift umpteen kilos while standing on the bonnet. Mischieveous lot, Spares.

Edited to add, I've since repainted that rim :-)

   

[diffwhine]

They are also damned heavy mischievous lots...

In the mid 1990s, I was involved in some Defender crash testing and in particular the activities of aforesaid mischievous spare wheel when sitting on a Defender bonnet. Suffice to say that unless its for originality purposes and very rarely used, I would no longer even consider mounting a wheel on a bonnet. The Defender bonnet is designed to crumple whereas a Series bonnet is designed to cover the engine and perhaps carry a spare. It does not crumple. A Defender bonnet with a wheel mounted on it does not crumple either. It cuts through the bulkhead like a cheese wire. Impressive. but very scary - hence why the bonnet mounted spare wheel carrier option was deleted in the early / mid 1990s.

True - the Defender or a Series is hardly blessed with crumple zones anyway, but heavy lumps fitted in front of me at chest height aren't my cup of tea.

In my view, the safest place to fit a spare on a Series Land Rover is on the rear. Anything bigger than a 600x16 can damage the door if allowed to rattle and shake loose. I like a well built rear cross member supported spare wheel carrier as the safest option. the only problem is that if as Gene suggests, a spare wheel is a sentient being with feelings and senses, then perhaps I should ask first before consigning a wheel to the east end of a west going Land Rover...

[Genem]

^^^^^ Interesting historical perspective. I'd been told that the bonnet mounting option was deleted at the Defender/300Tdi point as there were issues with the weight causing contact with the top of the engine under some circumstances. That said, I've been driving round with a 1987 vintage bonnet, complete with hefty 235/85 spare above a 1996 vintage 300Tdi for years without any problem, the bonnet seems to cope admirably, despite me clambering about on it, adding another 80Kg to the load...

Slightly OT....my last "bonnet issue" was with a "white fleet" Puma 90, driving down the A9 after a visit to Wick. Somewhere just north of Perth and with no warning at all the bonnet flipped up, banged onto the windscreen and disappeared over the top of the roof, landing on the road behind me. Luckily there was no traffic on my immediate tail. I have a photo from earlier in the day which confirms that the bonnet appears properly closed, there was none of the flapping about that might be the was if had been just resting on the front. I've still got no idea what happened or why.  ( Overall, a dreadful vehicle, regularly going into "limp" mode and being sent to the local dealers who could not diagnose what the fault was..... returned to work it would happen again a week or two later.  Lex replaced them ( we had 2 on site) with Ford Rangers...)   

[oilstain]

I'm still looking and thinking, this seems the best wheel carrier as it has no stress on the body work but the price is more than I've paid for a Land Rover
https://www.trekoverland.com/products/land-rover-defender-swing-away-wheel-carrier-ore-4x4-ore001

Its interesting seeing one fitted on You Tube, it seems very well made
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mmEnE_jMs4I&t=7s

[gvo416j R.I.P.]

You could get this tonight

https://bid.mod-sales.com/auctions/7854/witham10118/lot-details/7fd1e8f7-90e2-4ce9-b4c5-ad4f00eeae5f

Still pretty expensive once the fees are added [add approx 40% to the final bid price]

[oilstain]

You could get this tonight

https://bid.mod-sales.com/auctions/7854/witham10118/lot-details/7fd1e8f7-90e2-4ce9-b4c5-ad4f00eeae5f

Still pretty expensive once the fees are added [add approx 40% to the final bid price]

Good price but unlike the ORE type still puts weight on the rear body and door as shows on the You Tube clip

[Peter Holden]

Chris, how long since you fitted the whel on the tailgate?  We destroyed a tailgate by travelling to Morocco and back with a wheel bolted to it.

I am trying to work out how I could make bracket that put the weight onto the Hinge bits that are on the rear crossmember or a sideways swing away bracket.

At the moment i have one wheel fastened in the tub in the normal place and another mounted behind the driver on top of the wheelbox using a bracket that bolts to the capping

Peter

[oilstain]

I am trying to work out how I could make bracket that put the weight onto the Hinge bits that are on the rear crossmember or a sideways swing away bracket.


Peter

Like this ORE001

[crumbly65]

On the bonnet for me. 

But only 205/R16’s. So not too heavy. Don’t mind the extra effort needed to lift the bonnet -saves paying for Gym membership…..

[oilstain]

Just a thought but
What is the narrowest 16" tyre you han buy that is as high as a 750 or a 235/85 so could be used as a spare for 100+ miles or so  but take up less storage space than a 235/85

[rosinante]

Chris, how long since you fitted the whel on the tailgate?  We destroyed a tailgate by travelling to Morocco and back with a wheel bolted to it.

I am trying to work out how I could make bracket that put the weight onto the Hinge bits that are on the rear crossmember or a sideways swing away bracket.

At the moment i have one wheel fastened in the tub in the normal place and another mounted behind the driver on top of the wheelbox using a bracket that bolts to the capping

Peter

Hi it's about a year since making the tailgate , it's made up of 40 mm box steel with an inner plate of 1 mm steel , new imperial nutsand bolts , wheel mount from an old disco , it's very strong , welded up with my Aldi inverter welder , original hinges and chains etc , have seen a pic where the original tailgate and fittings used but between the two was a  flat steel frame to take the weight , that had been used hard as an off road toy in the USA , we lower the tailgate and use it as a seat for both of us , plenty strong ,I think it's a trick LR missed , total cost to make inc buying a welder and rods,  steel , bolts and wheel carrier less than 150 quids and I have a welder and 90%of the rods
Chris

[strang]

Bonnet works for me

[Sunny Jim]

If it goes on the bonnet (the best place for it) it is best covered over. I use a plain, hard topped cover now as the soft ones used to get used as a hammock by the local cats, then fill up with a bit of water that turned to ice and used to smash on the windscreen! The hard topped covers don't suffer from this and last a good few years. This also keeps the wheel and tyre a bit cleaner in case you need to use it. In most cases, the punctured tyre would then go in the back as it would need to be repaired anyway.

I always keep a spare spare at home in case of problems (this only needs to be a serviceable wheel and tyre, nothing fancy), that said, the garage over the road are happy to do punctures or change inner tubes as necessary for a small sum.

Sunny Jim

[Old Hywel]

Just a thought but
What is the narrowest 16" tyre you han buy that is as high as a 750 …

That’ll be a 7.50 then.
That being 100% aspect ratio, you’d need an even taller section to give the same rolling radius with a narrow tread, and tyres aren’t made like that.

[Peter Holden]

Could you write an article with drawings and photos for Built2last?

Peter