Advice Required - Side mount Spare wheel

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Fozzy325

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I am looking for advice on a modification I am looking into.
Years ago I was a vehicle tester for Land Rover military vehicles. In 96-98 i was testing the Land Rover Wolf 90 and 110. On these vehicles they moved the wheel from the bonnet (Hood) to the side of the vehicle (See Picture)


So I was thinking on a Land Rover LR4 to replace the driver side rear 7th seat window which is useless for a driver, with a metal plate and wheel mounting studs.


What problems do see beside it killing the resale value?
 
Chadlyb

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Fozzy325 said:
I am looking for advice on a modification I am looking into.
Years ago I was a vehicle tester for Land Rover military vehicles. In 96-98 i was testing the Land Rover Wolf 90 and 110. On these vehicles they moved the wheel from the bonnet (Hood) to the side of the vehicle (See Picture)


So I was thinking on a Land Rover LR4 to replace the driver side rear 7th seat window which is useless for a driver, with a metal plate and wheel mounting studs.


What problems do see beside it killing the resale value?
Click to expand...
Well the obvious is that you catch and hit stuff with it. Possibly shear it off the side of your rig. You also create a pretty good blind spot with it directly down the side. Depending on how big and how heavy, the reinforcement needed may be more than just adding a sheet of steel in place of window. All just my opinion but I think there are better mounting solutions for your rig.
 
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Fozzy325

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Chadlyb said:
Well the obvious is that you catch and hit stuff with it. Possibly shear it off the side of your rig. You also create a pretty good blind spot with it directly down the side. Depending on how big and how heavy, the reinforcement needed may be more than just adding a sheet of steel in place of window. All just my opinion but I think there are better mounting solutions for your rig.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your reply,
With the Wolf, it didn't make a blind spot but its a good idea to put a mock cardboard tyre up to see if that's an issue. as for hitting things, the only time I hit anything is when off-roading and I was in a deep rut. the tyre was touching the ground on the wall of the rut. Good point.
I was looking at the swing arm on the back but i was just thinking of other ideas as I may want to use the back for fuel and water Jerry cans on a double swing arm.
 
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Chadlyb

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Fozzy325 said:
Thanks for your reply,
With the Wolf, it didn't make a blind spot but its a good idea to put a mock cardboard tyre up to see if that's an issue. as for hitting things, the only time I hit anything is when off-roading and I was in a deep rut. the tyre was touching the ground on the wall of the rut. Good point.
I was looking at the swing arm on the back but i was just thinking of other ideas as I may want to use the back for fuel and water Jerry cans on a double swing arm.
Click to expand...
CBI makes a great dual swing arm, tire carrier, fuel/water, and high lift jack. Also small fold out table top.
 
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Tinker

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I replaced the rear driver's side glass on my Rover with a little door, probably similar in shape to the plate you'd want for mounting a spare onto. Main thing I'd be concerned with is the material that part of the body is made of: Aluminum. Pretty sure yours has the same panels in aluminum as my Disco. Not that it can't carry the weight! But what I'd be afraid of is cracking, since aluminum has a tendency to fracture rather than bend when put thru cyclic stress. The weight of the wheel+tire going thru the usual vibration a vehicle has (even more so offroad) would make me nervous. I think quite a bit of the skin of those Wolf's were still aluminum... so maybe the spares have something backing them up, or that area it's mounted to is steel, not sure.

Your idea would certainly look interesting! But there are some nice rear carrier options if you decide to go that direction. Some even offer dual swing-outs:


My window when I knocked it out...

...and the riveted plate with a locking door:
 
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Captain Chaos

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Tinker said:
I replaced the rear driver's side glass on my Rover with a little door, probably similar in shape to the plate you'd want for mounting a spare onto. Main thing I'd be concerned with is the material that part of the body is made of: Aluminum. Pretty sure yours has the same panels in aluminum as my Disco. Not that it can't carry the weight! But what I'd be afraid of is cracking, since aluminum has a tendency to fracture rather than bend when put thru cyclic stress. The weight of the wheel+tire going thru the usual vibration a vehicle has (even more so offroad) would make me nervous. I think quite a bit of the skin of those Wolf's were still aluminum... so maybe the spares have something backing them up, or that area it's mounted to is steel, not sure.

Your idea would certainly look interesting! But there are some nice rear carrier options if you decide to go that direction. Some even offer dual swing-outs:


My window when I knocked it out...

...and the riveted plate with a locking door:
Click to expand...
I like that door. Great idea!
 
Tinker

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LRBound

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Fozzy325 said:
I am looking for advice on a modification I am looking into.
Years ago I was a vehicle tester for Land Rover military vehicles. In 96-98 i was testing the Land Rover Wolf 90 and 110. On these vehicles they moved the wheel from the bonnet (Hood) to the side of the vehicle (See Picture)


So I was thinking on a Land Rover LR4 to replace the driver side rear 7th seat window which is useless for a driver, with a metal plate and wheel mounting studs.


What problems do see beside it killing the resale value?
Click to expand...
I kept it simple. One on the roof and one underneath too to help with center of gravity. Good luck with your plan. LR4s are awesome.IMG_20180613_130118.jpeg
 
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Damil

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As its been stated, an external side mounted tire would not be the best of ideas.... (I would rather go inside side mounted if the tire is original size). The rear side of the vehicle is the pivoting point due to the front steering (not the rear) and it is the rear that will hug trees and rocks more than the front when corning on trails. Definitely not on the roof due to the weight leverage (although I would assume a factory tire wouldn't be as much of an issue) and also all of the oils that come off a tire in the rain that end up on the roof leaking down the sides (a wheel cover may help this)....

I am digging the double rear, and I still think you would have plenty of room on the back for other things plus the tire.

BUT, if you did go ahead and build the side tire, I would definitely watch for sure! You never know, could work out better than expected as long as there was extensive support for the weight integrated into the body.
 
Fozzy325

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Damil said:
As its been stated, an external side mounted tire would not be the best of ideas.... (I would rather go inside side mounted if the tire is original size). The rear side of the vehicle is the pivoting point due to the front steering (not the rear) and it is the rear that will hug trees and rocks more than the front when corning on trails. Definitely not on the roof due to the weight leverage (although I would assume a factory tire wouldn't be as much of an issue) and also all of the oils that come off a tire in the rain that end up on the roof leaking down the sides (a wheel cover may help this)....

I am digging the double rear, and I still think you would have plenty of room on the back for other things plus the tire.

BUT, if you did go ahead and build the side tire, I would definitely watch for sure! You never know, could work out better than expected as long as there was extensive support for the weight integrated into the body.
Click to expand...
Yes as I have looked into what everyone is saying. I’m going to look at getting a double back wheel
 
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