Spare Wheel Cover

[DCPU]

 

[Shaky]

Cheers For that.

I did speak to Melville & Moon recently about their full set of seat covers and was informed that the spare wheel cover comes with the set for £660.

 

[painter]

Good tread.

I'd prob mod the cubbie lock to a lockable push button type so it could also be opened without a key.

But for the money might go with the soft cover (for UV protection and maybe personalisation) and rig up storage underneath.

 

[Stu_Barnes]

So some photos are in various other threads but I thought it worth drawing info on the one topic into it's own thread.

My answers are for the UK specification vehicles & just my interpretation of what I have seen and read.

Standard vehicles get no spare wheel cover and so look like this:
View attachment 7792352

Belstaff editions get a hard centre cover and so look like this:
View attachment 7792351
There's an optional accessory for all models, interesting priced the same whether you have a cover or not, of a lockable storage box:
View attachment 7792353
View attachment 7792354
View attachment 7792355
View attachment 7792356

Early prototypes were seen with a more traditional full cover than may have been semi-rigid but this seems to have been dropped, at least for now:
View attachment 7792357

And finally, there have been a few sightings of Melvill & Moon flexible covers on prototypes:
View attachment 7792358
View attachment 7792359

Might be worth adding what the spare wheel carrier looks like behind the spare wheel:
View attachment 7792360

And for those used to cracking rear doors under the weight of the spare wheel (I'm guessing lessons learnt from the Defender) then this is the not insubstantial inner casting to carry all that weight:

(Stu - getting message that "you may only attach 10 files")

Updated to 20 attachments per post, its called the @DCPU mod

 

[DCPU]

Thanks, I was only 1 short... so far!

 

[Deepblue]

So some photos are in various other threads but I thought it worth drawing info on the one topic into it's own thread.

My answers are for the UK specification vehicles & just my interpretation of what I have seen and read.

Standard vehicles get no spare wheel cover and so look like this:
View attachment 7792352

Belstaff editions get a hard centre cover and so look like this:
View attachment 7792351
There's an optional accessory for all models, interesting priced the same whether you have a cover or not, of a lockable storage box:
View attachment 7792353
View attachment 7792354
View attachment 7792355
View attachment 7792356

Early prototypes were seen with a more traditional full cover than may have been semi-rigid but this seems to have been dropped, at least for now:
View attachment 7792357

And finally, there have been a few sightings of Melvill & Moon flexible covers on prototypes:
View attachment 7792358
View attachment 7792359

Might be worth adding what the spare wheel carrier looks like behind the spare wheel:
View attachment 7792360

And for those used to cracking rear doors under the weight of the spare wheel (I'm guessing lessons learnt from the Defender) then this is the not insubstantial inner casting to carry all that weight:

(Stu - getting message that "you may only attach 10 files")

Hi @DCPU really like your comprehensive collection and coverage of this topic. As you have started at the IG rear end with spare wheel really looking forward to you covering other details of the vehicle… looking forward when you cover different bumper versions steel, plastic, winch or not

 

[DCPU]

Ha ~ I've a few thoughts there... but have been struggling to discern which bumpers are steel and which are plastic.

 

[DaveB]

Updated to 20 attachments per post, its called the @DCPU mod

Thanks, I was only 1 short... so far!

I notice that some of the newer reviews there is now a gas strut to hold the large door open.
The latest posts from Endeavour automotive they didn't have the strut. Must have been older prototypes.
They should help with the weight of the rear door and the weight of the spare on it.

 

[CountyV8]

I notice that some of the newer reviews there is now a gas strut to hold the large door open.
The latest posts from Endeavour automotive they didn't have the strut. Must have been older prototypes.
They should help with the weight of the rear door and the weight of the spare on it.

The gas strut is to stop the large door slamming shut and damaging the small door,

 

[DaveB]

Yes. Not just damaging the other door. There have been a few wagons over the years with spare wheel on the rear door and if you are parked on the slightest slope, or any wind, and it makes it extremely difficult to access whatever is in the back and also hold the door open.

On a side note I am surprised but extremely pleased that they designed the rear doors to suit right hand drive markets like mine.

 

[grenadierboy]

Yes. Not just damaging the other door. There have been a few wagons over the years with spare wheel on the rear door and if you are parked on the slightest slope, or any wind, and it makes it extremely difficult to access whatever is in the back and also hold the door open.

On a side note I am surprised but extremely pleased that they designed the rear doors to suit right hand drive markets like mine.

DaveB

Do you mean that the small door opens to the left and thus non-traffic side of the road for RHD markets?

 

[DaveB]

DaveB

Do you mean that the small door opens to the left and thus non-traffic side of the road for RHD markets?

Yes, Correct. If you have a single piece swinging door it should be hinged on the right for right hand drive markets and on the left for left hand drive markets. As this is two piece the larger on the right will be much harder to live with in left hand drive markets

 

[bemax]

So it should be hard to live with an Defender in a LHD country?

 

[DaveB]

So it should be hard to live with an Defender in a LHD country?

Not necessarily hard, just not great if you park on the side of the road with a car behind you and want to load or unload the back. The door opens towards the footpath blocking easy access.

 

[bemax]

that is - of course- right. But I hadn’t had this problem the last years. Maybe I didn’t park on the side of the road often enough or everybody keeps sufficient distance to my back Anyway, with a split door even this hardly noticed problem will become less relevant.
The really annoying thing about the back door has always been the missing damper. But I guess that’s the same for RHD and LHD anyway. And it’s easy to solve with the solution of the aftermarket…

 

[DaveB]

On the latest reviews there is a damper on the large door

 

[DaveB]

The jack on the left hand side

 

[bemax]

Yes I did see it. So there’s nothing to worry about regarding the back doors to me.

 

[Cavaleiro]

Great and informative post. Had added the lockable storage but never seen opened.

 

[DCPU]

Yes. Not just damaging the other door. There have been a few wagons over the years with spare wheel on the rear door and if you are parked on the slightest slope, or any wind, and it makes it extremely difficult to access whatever is in the back and also hold the door open.

I'm wondering what force is in the damper to hold the door open on a reasonable slope but not then make it difficult to shut on the level.

I was hoping that there would have been a more mechanical latch to lock the door open.