Mounting a Ducato Spare wheel underneath the chasis.

[paulhelenwilko]

We have a Hymer T674 on a Ducato 250 maxi chasis.

I want to mount the spare wheel underneath. I do not think that it will go behind the rear axles as the chasis 'drops' below the garage, there are no mounting points there and I think the ground clearance will be compromised.

Does anyone know if there is an option on the Ducato to mount the spare forward of the rear axle ?

Paul

 

[SimonM]

I mounted a windup carrier mid ships to my X250 Burstner but wasn’t happy with the overall effect. The stock position for those equipped with a carrier has a scalloped crossmember that allows the wheel to sit flush with the floor. As mine wasn’t designed that way it meant the wheel was a bit low, not dangerously so, but enough for me to feel uncomfortable. I then adapted a Sprinter carrier and mounted it to the rear frame rails under the garage. The pics explain better than me.

 

[SimonM]

I can’t find the pics of mine for now, but the first 2 stolen off the net show the scalloped relief crossmember and then how it sits under the chassis. The last one is my modified rear mount.

 

[SimonM]

This was my x-member with the bracket attached.

 

[witzend]

I'd be tempted to carry it in the garage when you need it getting it out from under the van will be a struggle it could be dark an raining traffic spray from passing cars and you having to kneel down an pull it out possibly put flat one back. Mines in the garage

 

[SimonM]

I’m not concerned about getting it out from under. I don’t carry the tools to lift the MH and I’d simply leave that to the recovery services. The same goes for my car as well, why pay for the AA cover and not use it? Mine for the MH comes with the insurance cover.

 

[trevskoda]

You could be caught out in the darkest of places for hrs ,i keep mine on me bum and all tools to change.

 

[nabsim]

You could be caught out in the darkest of places for hrs ,i keep mine on me bum and all tools to change.View attachment 52797

But at leas5 you can be comfy, have a cuppa, a meal and even a snooze while waiting

 

[channa]

The underslung carriers are the spawn of the devil , myself rather change s wheel than wait an eternity for recovery but if that’s your choice at least you can make a fresh cup of tea

 

[paulhelenwilko]

This was my x-member with the bracket attached.

Thankyou for the photos. Are you saying that if you want to fit the fiat original part then it must have the scalloped cross member ?

This is my cross member, is it possible to get a Fiat spare wheel holder to fit this cross member ? or is that why you made a bracket to fit ?


Paul

 

[paulhelenwilko]

Appreciate all the comments against having the wheel underslung but my reasons are :

1/ I always use the recovery people to change wheels. Like above can always make a cuppa !
2/ The wheel is out of the way.
3/ Weight is low down and central.
4/ I can use a 5th Tyre pressure monitor.

Paul

 

[SimonM]

The x-member you can see in the very first pic has extra relief that allows the spare wheel to be withdrawn flush to the floor. Your x-member, like mine, does not have that extra space meaning the wheel sits several inches lower down and the carrier needed to be adapted ( a posh word for bodged ) and for me it was then too low for comfort. In practice it may have been quite OK but I wasn’t going to keep it - just in case.

 

[SimonM]

Found a picture of mine with the carrier fitted, along with the extra brackets I made up. The x-member also needed to be drilled to get it all to work. Before and after.