Spare tyre mount

[Indertdxj]

Hey guys. Sorry to crash the Landy party (I own a Jeep XJ Cherokee).

I thought I would ask you guys as I you Landy owners seem a little more accommodating than the Patrol and Toyota ownders around and thought you might forgive me for owning a jeep before you tell me to get a real 4wd etc....

The XJ has a top hinged steel rear door. I want to mount my spare some where (stock is inside rear cargo area...crappy) and thought of mounting it to the door. I can get gas struts rated to 100kgs which should be adequate to lift spare and steel door. Providing I reinforce the top hinges and strut mounts I think it will be ok.

What I want to ask you guys is any weakness in your side hinged doors? Around hinges? In panel on back?

How does the tyre mount to the panel on the door? What is behind it to reinforce it?

Hope you guys can be of some help.

[DISCO FEVER]

Forgo all that work with the rear door and just get a spare tyre swing away rear bar. Less hassel all round!

[Indertdxj]

Less hassle you reckon? I thought it would be easier just to open the door when I want to get in rather than opening whell carrier latch etc...

[gibpeewee]

it`s trying to get the rear door to take the extra weight thats the problem. pick youre spare up and hold it for a while you`ll see how heavy it is!

[BMKal]

I'd tend to agree with the comments above. Unless a rear door is designed to carry a spare, I wouldn't try hanging one off it. I have a Disco and a Prado, both with side-swinging doors and both with the spare mounted on the door. Never had a problem with either (I'm on my second Disco and 4th Prado), but the doors and hinges on these are designed to carry the spares.

Having said that, I've worked up in the Iron Ore where it is common practice to remove the spare tyre carrier from the back door of Toyota Troopies because the hinges are too weak, and eventually collapse due to the weight of the spare and the rough roads the vehicles travel on.

A well designed bumper mount swing away wheel carrier is the way to go. The new ones these days are very quick to open / close / lock. Also have the benefit that you can buy a dual if you want to carry two spares - you'll never do that on a door.

Haven't had any experience with the Jeep, but if your tailgate swings up (you said it has top hinges), then I don't think any air struts would hold the weight of the door and a spare rim & tyre up in the air. If it did, I wouldn't like to guess at how long the struts / mounts would last. As one of the previous posts said - there's a lot of extra weight in a rim & tyre.

I've seen a spare mounted on the bonnet of a Jeep - similar to the older Landrovers. It looked quite good on the Jeep - that might be another option.

[Indertdxj]

OK cool....I am taking all you said on board. Has some one got any pics of the mounting that is used on door models (what is behind the door, what reinforces the hinges etc...)???

[Muddydigger]

I think You would be able to mount it on the door, BUT and its a big but, I would imagine that some re inforcing would ned to be done. The Discos rear dooris designed to have the wheel there where as the Jeep isnt. I think if the hinges are up to the job some reinforsing around them would be in order. Youd also proberly need to make an internal ( as Inside the skin)frame from box section. Sort of an A frame side on, with the feet butting up against the hinges for strength. All that said I dont have Jeep in front of me to know if its possible.

[Indertdxj]

Thanks Muddydigger.....I don't think the internal A frame would be possible. The only option would be in between the two skins. By the sounds of it the Landy's door is just big and bulky? Is there any internal framing of the door is my main question? Beefing up the hinges is easy just what would need to happen behind the wheel on the door is the problem.