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Making a spare wheel carrier, and locking nuts

Posted: 02 Jan 2013, 22:39
by rollercoaster
Going to have to do some welding to make up a bracket to hold the wheel.
Disregarding the rest of the bracket for now,
is there a useful part I can start with that a wheel bolts to that is not heavy and can be welded?
I was just wondering, as it may save making up that bit.
Guess it could come from any 112PCD vehicle or trailer, hopefully with the same stud thread.
No I wasnt thinking of having a spinning spare..
Failing an easy useful solution I will fabricate, what is the thread of the bolts?
Am hoping to be able to use locking wheelnuts.
And I have been looking but havent seen locking wheelnuts in matching sets of six.
But I have seen kits that promise to get any locked wheelnut off that has "lost its key" :shock:
Does that mean that they are a bit of a waste of time really?
Anyone got experience?

Re: Making a spare wheel carrier, and locking nuts

Posted: 03 Jan 2013, 08:02
by Aidan
you could use a bay window front wheel carrier as the starting point or a rear hub obviously but they are chunky

using a big IRWIN I can usually get any locking nut off, but they are still worthwhile just to stop the opportunist but if someone really wants your wheel they will take it, where you live I guess less of a problem than in London where you visit, a motorbike lock or similar may be required in addition, or long stud drilled through with a padlock fitted, there are various ways of securing it, and putting a cover on is very effective as thief won't know what's under it so won't know if it's a rusty steel with a barely legal tyre or a blingy alloy with new bfg so won't be as interested

M14x1.5

Re: Making a spare wheel carrier, and locking nuts

Posted: 04 Jan 2013, 12:07
by rollercoaster
Well I already did have a bay front spare carrier as I thought it was cheap and would be useful,
and with a bit of cutting and drilling it did the job.
Would have taken some useful photos, except it was dark and working with a headtorch,
anyway they will be more usefully posted on T4 forum...
Basically it was about all I could do under the circumstances to get the spare outside,
now its bolted to the barn door, and its ok, it will all need to come off again asap.
Made no attempt to waterproof or rustproof until its all finished.
Details to sort are the lock and the numberplate.
Ordered a square plate to go inside the wheel and I will make a back for it,
and then have that shafted through the wheel and fixed on the inside of the van.
That should also act as a safety measure should the securing nuts come undone.

Re: Making a spare wheel carrier, and locking nuts

Posted: 06 Jan 2013, 15:08
by rollercoaster
Here we go with some proud pictures of the finished job:

Image

Its tight fit round the edges, but the door opens and the wiper works, bit close to the light for my liking..
Took me a while last night to find something to make a numberplate light out of,
an old plastic cup, partially melted flat holds the original light inside with a bit of fixing wire,
and thats screwed to the big round numberplate holder, locking the wheel onto the door.

Image

Very professional looking bodge!

And overall its ok, it will all need to come off asap and get sealed and painted before the door and bracket goes all rusty.

Image