| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
RichMayo
Just got MTs
Joined: 04 Feb 2013
Odometer: 413
Location: Yate
1997 Suzuki Vitara
|
 Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 2:37 pm Post subject: Forgot To Think About the Spare Wheel - Suggestions?
|
 |
|
Alright folks. So a few weeks ago I decided to convert my hard top vit into a pickup. I've been taking lots of photos and am getting around to making a thread in the custom builds section as I have more planned for it. I figure spare wheels are pretty generic to 4x4s so this section feels appropriate for now.
In a nutshell I've cut a section out of the roof and moved the rear section forwards... making a kind of "prince cab"...
Just so you know I'm kinda of aware of the fact that this would have been easier if I'd started with a soft top. It's kind of become a joke in my house as my other half drives a GV2000 soft top with the rear plated over and people are starting to point out that not only have I turbo'd my vit to try and achieve similar power as her, I'm now chopping it up to be like hers... lets not get onto my thoughts around GV rear axle and front drive shafts...
Anyways, I forgot to think about the spare wheel. It ain't going to fit in the back flat as I'm putting my batteries back there... even without the batteries I don't think its going in flat... and future plans could see me going bigger anyway (currently 31"x10.5")
Lots of constraints going on here really...
- visibility out the back
- trying to get weight low and central on the vehicle
- not restricting access or limit the pickup space
My plan for the tail gate was to make a fold down version so I've got a sort of work/eating area. If I kept the swing tail gate I could probably strengthen up the mounts and put the wheel back on there... but I think it'll look strange and generally make life awkward + reduce visibility out of the back.
Favourites at the moment are putting it upright against the box section I've added with enough angle to clear the batteries which will be mounted front and centre. Obviously that eats into pickup space a lot and doesn't help visibility.
Looking for ideas/suggestions on where to put it?
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
|
|
ScottieJ
Guest
|
| Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 4:20 pm Post subject:
|
|
|
| I would lay your spare down in there and see if you can tweak a bit of the bulkhead or even tailgate so that you can lay it flat.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RichMayo
Just got MTs
Joined: 04 Feb 2013
Odometer: 413
Location: Yate
1997 Suzuki Vitara
|
| Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 5:00 pm Post subject:
|
|
|
| Tailgate is a good candidate for tweaking already so might be an option. Pretty sure will mean putting the batteries elsewhere though. I could have them opposite corners near the bulkhead possibly.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Foxtrottransit
Winch Assistant
Joined: 07 Jun 2015
Odometer: 71
Location: Somerset
|
| Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 5:58 pm Post subject:
|
|
|
What about roof mounted like a safari 
__________________________________
My favourite animal is steak. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
scrunt22
Guest
|
| Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 6:56 pm Post subject:
|
|
|
I have the spare wheel standing upright in the rear at the passenger side.
It is against the rear Roll Cage bars that run down to the chassis.
I do not seem to have a 'post picture' button to put up a pic.
Last edited by scrunt22 on Wed Mar 16, 2016 8:48 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Xpajun
Mud Obsessed
Joined: 22 Sep 2008
Odometer: 3245
1988 Mitsubishi Shogun
|
| Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 7:02 pm Post subject:
|
|
|
| scrunt22 wrote: | I have the spare wheel standing upright in the rear at the passenger side.
It is against the rear Roll Cage bars that run down to the chassis.
I do not seem to have a 'post picture' button to put up a pic. |
Awwww George... They caught up with you already? 
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Xpajun
Mud Obsessed
Joined: 22 Sep 2008
Odometer: 3245
1988 Mitsubishi Shogun
|
| Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2016 7:06 pm Post subject:
|
|
|
Something like this when you build your roll cage?
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RichMayo
Just got MTs
Joined: 04 Feb 2013
Odometer: 413
Location: Yate
1997 Suzuki Vitara
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2016 4:37 pm Post subject:
|
|
|
More I look at it flat the more I don't like the amount of the back it takes up. I think its more about how it occupies the space - you end up with awkward shape space around it. I think the bashing on the amount of reshaping that would need to come out of the tailgate and bulkhead to make say a 35" tyre fit is getting pretty extreme. Did have a thought though around building a false floor on top of it with drop down compartments for tools n gear etc. and a compartment for the batteries. Even started looking at cutting down through the existing floor to drop batter tray underneath where there's space. With the false floor I'd retain shallow pickup back that I think could be made to look pretty tidy. Am planning if possible to build storage into wings as there's alot of unused space in there above the wheel arches once the trim is removed.
| Foxtrottransit wrote: | | What about roof mounted like a safari |
Ticks pretty much every box apart from lotsa weight up top. I think its only a matter of time until I catch it on something too.
| scrunt22 wrote: | I have the spare wheel standing upright in the rear at the passenger side.
It is against the rear Roll Cage bars that run down to the chassis.
I do not seem to have a 'post picture' button to put up a pic. |
Last night I was playing around with it leant against the bulk head and as you say put towards the passenger side. Visibility is pretty good - got a good view to the rear passenger side corner and by the time my seats go in i wont have much view directly behind anyway. When you view it still feels like its eating a lot of space and i think I may struggle to get the batteries in without leaning it at an angle somewhat. Looks like a pretty good option at the moment though.
| Xpajun wrote: | Something like this when you build your roll cage?
|
I think this might be a good compromise on the rooftop safari option if I can get it lower than the cab - I think vitara cab is taller relative to top of pickup sides vs that pic so might be able to stop it coming higher than the roof more. I like how it looks... leaves me all my "boot" space... and I can deal with it later when I cage it. Only downsides being its guna eliminate a lot of visibility out the back!
Hoping I'm not coming across as negative here!
I've had another idea. It's a bit different and probably a fair bit of work - I think I lose visibility, its not the lowest possible position, and consumes boot space (although it feels less than laying it flat or against the bulkhead for some reason)...so I think its main redeeming feature is it would be different...if that's one at all.
So I mount it against one of the pickup sides up right as far over as I can get it - so its against the arch at the bottom most likely but parallel with the inner wing. I might be able to remove some of the arch (need to check where the wheels go under flex. With my axle upgrade plan I might be able to remove a lot of the arch). So it'll collide with the tail gate pretty seriously in this layout. Plan would be to build an arch into the fold down tail gate to accommodate the wheel - so it would protrude out of the back less at the bottom and more towards the top. I think I could build a cover over the top. I then build the same on the other side so I could carry two spares ( but more for symmetry as I don't really want to shell out on a second spare - but would make a storage space and more security ). At that point its going to impact visibility. I end up with narrowed section in between both spare wheel compartments that is full depth and batteries fit neatly against the bulk head. Weirdly this feels like a big space - I think perhaps because it is fairly square and deep.
Concerned the arches coming out of the back of the tailgate would obscure rear lights when viewed at an angle - but probably not a lot more than having the spare on the tail gate. As I protrudes most higher up I think it will be higher than the clusters mostly. If I understand right though the lights need to be visible fully when viewed from directly behind with all openable bits of the vehicle open. With a fold down tail gate instead of the opening door I think I'd actually be better off in this respect.
I think I may need to draw a picture. I've seen something recently Dakar or Baja esque where the spares are in this kind of orientation and surprising sit quite far back relative to the vehicle... best thing I kind of describe it as is like a stubby version of that. I can't for the life of me think what to type into google to find a picture though.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
