spare wheel

[t&s]

any one got ideas or have made some sort of adaptor/winding handle /winch ect for removing the spare wheel from under the middle of a ducato chassis
it looks dam difficult lying under the van when the tyre is flat and it is wet and cold trying to undo two nuts looks like a pain

 

[Deleted member 775]

i think if i had a flat i would let the breakdown company handle the wheel change,but i carry one of those tins of instant repair just in case i dont think i would risk changing a wheel on the van .unless i had a trolly jack and axle stands .

 

[Deleted member 207]

I am surprised the spare is not mounted on a little winch that can be wound up and down. You're sure the two bolts dont just hold a cable or chain in place. Its almost impossible to lift a spare wheel and then do up a couple of bolts - but then again those Italians are great at designing useful and innovative things.

I learnt years ago whilst driving trucks that making sure the spare wheel can be de-mounted can save a few hours of heartache on the side of a road - always in rain.

 

[t&s]

i always carry a trolley jack and there is just nuts to undo no winching mechanisum at all but it might be a squeese under there if a rear tyre was flat
le have to invent a lifting device may be modefy an old one from a 40 foot trailer from the scrappy

 

[cipro]

I,m with mandrake call the services unless they are going to be 3 hours

 

[lenny]

Sounds like a strange one to me, how can the designers expect you to take the weight of the spare whilst loosening the 2 nuts?.
Are the 2 nuts through the existing wheel nut holes? or are they through a plate that passes through the centre of the wheel rim?

 

[t&s]

you are right there *****
yes just undoing the wheel nuts on a truck wheel can be an exausting job let alone handling the thing once you have got it off
but with the mororhome it is a little easier

lenny it just a straight bar across the whole tyre with two nuts on threaded bar i think you are suposed to lie under the wheel and get excited then you might have the extra lift you need to raise the wheel (cant think of a more polite way to put it )while you strugle with your nuts un doing them that is

seriously it could be quite dogy trying to remove it
i have had the van over a year and if the waste water tap was not blocked i would possibly not gone that far underneath the van and not given the spare another thought
cheers terry

 

[t&s]

sound advice thanks
as thanks is not working

 

[lenny]

Just learned from another forum that some modern motorhomes dont carry a spare wheel because they have "Run flat kits" and that the spare wheel comes as an optional extra, maybe yours was added later and underslung (as they do with caravans).

Assuming you hav'nt had the van from new.

 

[walkers]

my spare sits in the rear storage area, but why did fiat/peugeot/citroen do away with having them under the bonnet that was a lot more convenient

 

[jimmnlizz]

Hi Walkers,
ours is still under the bonnet, "Kwackers" is a 1992 Fiat Murvi Mallard. The only problem with it is it's just too heavy at my time of life and condition! It would still be too heavy if it was underslung. I have thought about this and realise that with the two of us we should be able to manage it! Solution..............never go anywhere without Liz. Has nobdy thought about checking underneath to see if there is room to fit a caravan slide out spare wheel carrier? You know the type, trombone style. Just type 'alko spare wheel carrier' into Ebay. Just as a by the way, is that a pair of dachsies in your avatar? Liz has a couple of Wire Haired Miniature Dachshunds! They go everywhere with us.
Jim.

 

[Nosha]

Terry, You'll need to grease those bolts soon, mine were very dry and starting to rust (only 19mths old) I did them whilst over a pit. I always carry a tin of Holts Tyre Weld, but I've also thought if it was a rear flat I would need to drive the van onto a pair of leveling ramps so I had room to get to the spare before jacking and removing any wheels etc. (I guess I could always go on a diet!).

 

[walkers]

Hi Walkers,
ours is still under the bonnet, "Kwackers" is a 1992 Fiat Murvi Mallard. The only problem with it is it's just too heavy at my time of life and condition! It would still be too heavy if it was underslung. I have thought about this and realise that with the two of us we should be able to manage it! Solution..............never go anywhere without Liz. Has nobdy thought about checking underneath to see if there is room to fit a caravan slide out spare wheel carrier? You know the type, trombone style. Just type 'alko spare wheel carrier' into Ebay. Just as a by the way, is that a pair of dachsies in your avatar? Liz has a couple of Wire Haired Miniature Dachshunds! They go everywhere with us.
Jim.

yes that is a pair of smooth haired minis they go everywhere too. (you just try leaving them behind)

 

[walkers]

Hi Walkers,
ours is still under the bonnet, "Kwackers" is a 1992 Fiat Murvi Mallard. The only problem with it is it's just too heavy at my time of life and condition! It would still be too heavy if it was underslung. I have thought about this and realise that with the two of us we should be able to manage it! Solution..............never go anywhere without Liz. Has nobdy thought about checking underneath to see if there is room to fit a caravan slide out spare wheel carrier? You know the type, trombone style. Just type 'alko spare wheel carrier' into Ebay. Just as a by the way, is that a pair of dachsies in your avatar? Liz has a couple of Wire Haired Miniature Dachshunds! They go everywhere with us.
Jim.

the advantages with the wheel under the bonnet were its kept pretty much clean and its only a small lift from a comfortable height then down to the road, far easier than crawling underneath and dragging a dirty wheel out, or as in my case half emptying the storage area to access the wheel at the side of the road

 

[t&s]

proper jacking pointstile have to sus them out i would have used the axel close to the wheel
the spare has been mounted just behind the axel and the extention to the chassis has been used for the waste water tank if they had reversed the location of the wheel for the tank the wheel removal would not be so alkward and the weight would have been more evenly distributed so i empty the waste tank as often as poss
cheers terry

 

[cipro]

I brought a belly trolly and find that you can go from one end of the van
to the other, to change curtain bulbs check spare wheel etc

£12 from aldi I think.

 

[t&s]

I brought a belly trolly and find that you can go from one end of the van
to the other, to change curtain bulbs check spare wheel etc

£12 from aldi I think.

just car booted mine 50p i should have sold it to lidl oh no aldi

 

[Channa]

Sadly I have had experience of the 'underslung' spare wheel this week

I had a puncture last year in France and managed to change the wheels effect a punture repair for 20 euros and lost a morning in total.

However this week I couldnt for the life of me get the wheel out of the cradle.

The retaining bracket on the left side fully extends. But the bar wouldnt lift over it ....Last time it was disturbed was Customs x-raying the spare wheel in Dover.

In the end I ended up calling the AA.. I had already jacked the wheel...AA arrived on a motorbike, and pumped a load of air in it to enable me to hobble to the local ATS who repaired the offending wheel.

That still leaves me with a spare I cant remove, Has anybody experienced a similar problem ? How did you resolve it? I must be missing somerthing simple.
here.

I agree btw it helps being built like Geoff Capes removing these things....of which I am not.

Incidentally for lifting the cradle, you use the end of the wheel brace as a lever there is a socket thing on the left handside of the cradle....Well there was on mine till it snapped !!

Channa

 

[n8rbos]

i think if i had a flat i would let the breakdown company handle the wheel change,but i carry one of those tins of instant repair just in case i dont think i would risk changing a wheel on the van .unless i had a trolly jack and axle stands .[/QUO


i carry 4x tyreweld,lot easier than messin with underslung spares,only downside to these spray cans is if your tyres split then no amount of tyreweld will suffice.but a good temp. solution to nearest garage.£6 each from asda.

 

[rickboy]

Tricky spare

Sadly I have had experience of the 'underslung' spare wheel this week

I had a puncture last year in France and managed to change the wheels effect a punture repair for 20 euros and lost a morning in total.

However this week I couldnt for the life of me get the wheel out of the cradle.

The retaining bracket on the left side fully extends. But the bar wouldnt lift over it ....Last time it was disturbed was Customs x-raying the spare wheel in Dover.

In the end I ended up calling the AA.. I had already jacked the wheel...AA arrived on a motorbike, and pumped a load of air in it to enable me to hobble to the local ATS who repaired the offending wheel.

That still leaves me with a spare I cant remove, Has anybody experienced a similar problem ? How did you resolve it? I must be missing somerthing simple.
here.

I agree btw it helps being built like Geoff Capes removing these things....of which I am not.

Incidentally for lifting the cradle, you use the end of the wheel brace as a lever there is a socket thing on the left handside of the cradle....Well there was on mine till it snapped !!

Channa

Try taking the weight off the spare wheel by jacking or chock and wedge.Not so thight you can't slide the wheel.

Push the spare to the front of the van ,pull the "j" brackets down and towards the back of the van.

If /when its out spray the boltsand pivot points with waerproof grease(white)

Good luck