One wheel too many??

Post by **alex_holden** » Wed May 28, 2008 8:48 pm

Very interesting. Does the longitudinal bar just bolt to the usual support with a wingnut? Could you email me a bigger version of that picture please? alex [at] alexholden [dot] net

Now I know that it has been done successfully and nothing broke from the extra weight I should be to knock something up quite easily.

Post by **bigginger** » Wed May 28, 2008 9:08 pm

I'd still be wary of putting more stresses on the most vulnerable parts of the bonnet, the ends of the anti drumming bar and the hinges where they thin out just in front of/behind the hinge pin

Post by **bigginger** » Wed May 28, 2008 10:09 pm

That image blown up and horribly sharpened, and yes, it's a wing nut at the bar

Post by **MikeNash** » Wed May 28, 2008 10:11 pm

Alex, try

http://potteries.mmoc.org.uk/RallyPics/ ... 06_138.JPG

The article in Technical Tips was page 28 Jan/Feb 2003 issue of Minor Matters. I can post you a copy if you wish. (PM me your address.) It mentions hinge worries.

Re Rob Hary's original query, I'd keep the spare. I've just changed from a VW Touran without spare to a Toyota Corrola Verso just because of the spare wheel. It never occurred to me on buying the Touran that there was no spare! And of course in 18 months we had 2 wrecked tyres, quite beyond the silly little squirty can and pump they've provided to repair them. The idea of rushing for the ferry across France and having to deal with the French AA or whatever was not on. Even the Corrola is one of these limited speedy things, not a real wheel like I had on my Zefira before the Touran. (And even on the latest Zefiras the spare is optinoal!)
Corr! MikeN.

Post by **alex_holden** » Wed May 28, 2008 10:17 pm

I have a better picture he emailed me:

The bar is bent up at either end and has something that fits into the hub hole to stop the wheel moving around. it's hinged at the front so when you undo the wingnut it flaps down and lets you slide the wheel out. Obviously the anti-drumming bar has had to be removed to make room.

Post by **callyspoy** » Wed May 28, 2008 10:26 pm

i dont know what the anti drumming bars are...if they are the two bars that come off the "main" beam...they are still attached...i dont know enough about his boot, i just have an ital wheel stowed away in the boot!!

Post by **alex_holden** » Wed May 28, 2008 10:30 pm

MikeNash wrote:http://potteries.mmoc.org.uk/RallyPics/ ... 06_138.JPG

Thanks. It looks like Callum's dad's bracket might be better at preventing the wheel moving around than that one?

The article in Technical Tips was page 28 Jan/Feb 2003 issue of Minor Matters. I can post you a copy if you wish. (PM me your address.) It mentions hinge worries.

That's OK, I'm sure I can figure out something suitable from whatever bits of metal I can find lying around the garage

. It looks like more than one person has tried it and proven that the hinges are up to the job.

Post by **bigginger** » Wed May 28, 2008 10:31 pm

It's the one running acrossthe width of the engine bay

Post by **alex_holden** » Wed May 28, 2008 10:34 pm

callyspoy wrote:i dont know what the anti drumming bars are...if they are the two bars that come off the "main" beam...they are still attached...i dont know enough about his boot, i just have an ital wheel stowed away in the boot!!

Normally there's another bar with a strip of felt type material on it that fits between those rods and pushes against the top of the bonnet. Actually it might even still be there but hidden above the wheel.

Edit: Just had a closer look at the big photo and it appears it is still there; the wheel fits between that and the main strut.

Post by **jonathon** » Wed May 28, 2008 10:41 pm

Not too sure how the tyre will react to the heat from the engine and it will rob quite a bit of cooling offered by the large surface area of the bonnet.
Under bonnet fires would also worry me, plus a front end shunt which may well see that wheel put through the front or rear screen of vehicles involved, at 30mph that might just make a mess.
Best to keep heavy 'loose' objects as low as possible in my opinion.
Sorry to be negative on this wheel position, I'd be interested to see what insurance companies would think of it, so I'd definitely let them know if this is your intended route.

Post by **callyspoy** » Wed May 28, 2008 10:43 pm

cool, dad may even come here one day...he even has a username, hes just a lazy old git! (said under breath as he is sat next to me!!)

Post by **rayofleamington** » Thu May 29, 2008 11:42 am

Not too sure how the tyre will react to the heat from the engine

It was quite common on French cars in the 80's - they had much less underbonnet space so would have been hotter.

Post by **paulhumphries** » Thu May 29, 2008 12:00 pm

With the false floor removed is there enough room to mount the spare vertical in the boot ?
Either to one side or behind the rear seat.
I know that wouldn't create much extra space overall but the lack of depth in the boot makes it poor (for me) when doing a weekly shop so I tend to use back seat.

Paul Humphries

Ratbag · Post by **Ratbag** » Thu May 29, 2008 12:49 pm

Didn't Scimitar GTEs and Zephyr/Zodiac mk4s also have underbonnet spares?

Post by **jonathon** » Thu May 29, 2008 1:23 pm

'It was quite common on French cars in the 80's - they had much less underbonnet space so would have been hotter.'
So does this excuse it as a good idea, I think not,

Post by **MikeNash** » Thu May 29, 2008 8:39 pm

Didn't 1970/80s Fiats (126?) put it under the bonnet too? Wonder why they stopped? MikeN.

Post by **bigginger** » Thu May 29, 2008 8:43 pm

Flat tyre...
a

Post by **alex_holden** » Thu May 29, 2008 8:44 pm

MikeNash wrote:Didn't 1970/80s Fiats (126?) put it under the bonnet too? Wonder why they stopped? MikeN.

Modern FWD cars probably don't have enough free space even for a space-saver wheel under the bonnet.

Post by **dalebrignall** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:08 pm

my saabs got a silly spacesaver wheel in the boot i would not like to ues it for any length of time

Post by **jonathon** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:11 pm

Dale, believe it or not they are a perfect fit for a Minor with Ford PCD.

Best hide it before it disappears