Ducato spare wheel carrier?

Alshymer

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Hi
Has anyone bought and fitted one of these?
Recommendations? Easy to fit?
IMG_5789.png
 
Alshymer said:
Hi
Has anyone bought and fitted one of these?
Recommendations? Easy to fit?View attachment 208039
Click to expand...
Recommendations?
If you do get this, you have to ask youself a few questions ....
Will it affect ground clearance?
Will you be able to access it easily to use?
Are you ready to go underneath the van twice a year and loosen/tighten/lubricate anything that moves to stop it seizing up? It will get all the crap off the road and get filthy and gunged up.
Does the mechanism to release go through the van floor (I suspect it does) and if so will it end up in the way?

I had a VW Transporter T5 with an underslung spare and it took literally hours of lying underneath with WD40 and the like to free up the nuts to be able to drop the wheel. It must have been untouched for years. I wouln't fancy having to do that on the roadside if it all got siezed again!
My VW LT originally would have had an rear underslung wheel but it was relocated to the side underneath to make room for wheelchair ramp. The side wheel carrier was delightfully simple ... metal cradle/cage to support the wheel with a bar though two loops acting as a hinge and at the front you just lifted up the cage off two hooks (actually just the support bent 180 degrees at the end) and pulled forward and let go of it and the wheel was available. Not seen anything so easy to make and intuitive to use as that. Nothing to maintain or lubricate either.
However I did build a rear door mounted wheel carrier for it (or more accurately, designed one and give the spec to a local company to weld up) as I wanted to use the side carrier for another purpose.

Clarence Rear by David, on Flickr
Similar kind of thing to Trevors I guess, but dare I say a little more subtle? ;)
 
These under body carriers are bloody awful. The chap who used to service my Ducato struggled to get it off when on a ramp at only 3 years old, due to corrosion. It would have been very hard to remove when on the road. The wheel was corroding as well. To be fair the mechanism hadn't been lubed every year. I brought the spare inside under the fixed bed in my PVC. I realise this is not an option for everyone.
 
korky said:
These under body carriers are bloody awful. The chap who used to service my Ducato struggled to get it off when on a ramp at only 3 years old, due to corrosion. It would have been very hard to remove when on the road. The wheel was corroding as well. To be fair the mechanism hadn't been lubed every year. I brought the spare inside under the fixed bed in my PVC. I realise this is not an option for everyone.
Click to expand...
Previous van RAC guy stripped the bolts taking spare off .
RAC pissed me about , FIAT garage fixed it under warranty.
I suppose , as long as you regularly maintain, they're ok
 
wildebus said:
Recommendations?
If you do get this, you have to ask youself a few questions ....
Will it affect ground clearance?
Will you be able to access it easily to use?
Are you ready to go underneath the van twice a year and loosen/tighten/lubricate anything that moves to stop it seizing up? It will get all the crap off the road and get filthy and gunged up.
Does the mechanism to release go through the van floor (I suspect it does) and if so will it end up in the way?

I had a VW Transporter T5 with an underslung spare and it took literally hours of lying underneath with WD40 and the like to free up the nuts to be able to drop the wheel. It must have been untouched for years. I wouln't fancy having to do that on the roadside if it all got siezed again!
My VW LT originally would have had an rear underslung wheel but it was relocated to the side underneath to make room for wheelchair ramp. The side wheel carrier was delightfully simple ... metal cradle/cage to support the wheel with a bar though two loops acting as a hinge and at the front you just lifted up the cage off two hooks (actually just the support bent 180 degrees at the end) and pulled forward and let go of it and the wheel was available. Not seen anything so easy to make and intuitive to use as that. Nothing to maintain or lubricate either.
However I did build a rear door mounted wheel carrier for it (or more accurately, designed one and give the spec to a local company to weld up) as I wanted to use the side carrier for another purpose.

Clarence Rear by David, on Flickr
Similar kind of thing to Trevors I guess, but dare I say a little more subtle? ;)
Click to expand...
Mine is like that to carry 2 jerry cans of fuel should i need to go into combat, LOL.
 
This came up on facts a few years ago, and you have to check if it will fit, as there was more than one mechanism available, as the chassis can be different, plus the Al-ko version.

there is more than one under-chassis design, even within the Fiat OEM parts.


For the 2006-on X250/X290 Ducato (also Peugeot Boxer and Citroën Relay), I've come across these under-chassis variants:


  1. Cable winch type (early) – The spare hangs from a single cable attached to a winding mechanism. This was the original design and is the one that had issues with corrosion and cable failures.
  2. Revised cable winch type (later) – Similar principle, but with an improved winch, cable, and safety retention after Fiat updated the design.
  3. Cradle with cable assist – Uses a steel cradle supporting the wheel, with the cable mainly raising and lowering the cradle rather than taking all the load.
  4. Pivoting steel cradle – A hinged frame that swings down to the ground. Common on some chassis-cab conversions and supplied by AL-KO and other specialist manufacturers.
  5. AL-KO low-frame carrier – Specifically designed for the AL-KO chassis used under many motorhomes. It's completely different from the standard Fiat carrier because the chassis rails are different.
  6. Extended-wheelbase/deep-frame versions– Fiat produced different carriers depending on:
    • Wheel size (15" or 16")
    • Light or Heavy chassis
    • Wheelbase (L2, L3, L4)
    • Presence of AdBlue tank, LPG tank, or other underfloor equipment

So although they all look broadly similar from a distance, there are quite a few different part numbers.
 
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