Is a Rear Wheel Carrier Needed?

I've had a couple fitted to previous Defenders and I found the ones opening with the rear door really convenient. The brand I fitted had a rudementory "piston" type arrangement that soaked up vibration. The piston would retract on opening the door and extend when it was closed. They were sold as "Africa Specification Wheel Carriers" and those who get the UK Landie mags will see them under Craddock's and Paddock's ads. OL seems to have one that might be the same arrangement?

I'm over a 100kg and I regularly stood on the spare to pack things on the rack and I never had any problems with bending, cracking or sagging.

Yep - the powder coating on them is crap! I must have fitted dozens to customers cars in the UK - many of them complain about the powder coating! That said, they are second to none for there reliability & ruggedness.

I spoke to Kaymar about this crap finish at the NSW Caravan and camping show the other week. They just said I must have had a bad one and they knew nothing of it!

My thoughts to date of Kaymar products - Excellent. Customer service though is very poor. Sounds like your better off getting one via ARB and relying on there customer service!

Jon

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Originally Posted by SVX37

Mine (Kaymar) is less than 12 months old and I am having issues with the paint flaking off and then surface rust appearing.:mad:

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I have had a Kaymar on my Defender since about 2000, I bought it after I saw a lesser 4wd with a bent rear door from the smallest bump. I thought it would not be hard to do, just backing into a bollard or the garage wall and the door on my then near new Defender would be wrecked. I find the powder coating on mine is still good, much better than Land Rover's paint on the rear chassis and waaay better the the ARB towbar. The biggest problem is the holding open pin, I keep losing them after they get squashed in the working parts. Also it is a pain to open it separately and lots of people open the door into the carrier. You can't open it from the inside either if you carry people in the back-back.

I have seen Army TD5 Defenders with massive cracks through the door frame, probably more noticeable because they have no door trim. They were replaced with the later type door which looked much stronger and had the rear window with the rounded edge.

Now I have a Discovery 2 it is so easy to just open the door, when I use the Defender I find excuses not to go to the back door, unless absolutely necessary.

Jeff

:rocket:

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Originally Posted by Yorkshire_Jon

Yep - the powder coating on them is crap! I must have fitted dozens to customers cars in the UK - many of them complain about the powder coating! That said, they are second to none for there reliability & ruggedness.

I spoke to Kaymar about this crap finish at the NSW Caravan and camping show the other week. They just said I must have had a bad one and they knew nothing of it!

My thoughts to date of Kaymar products - Excellent. Customer service though is very poor. Sounds like your better off getting one via ARB and relying on there customer service!

Jon

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Thanks for your comments Jon. ARB have been great in dealing with the issue. They took a photo and sent it to Kaymar. Kaymar then said, they wanted me to drive it to their head office to view it as they wanted to see it for themselves. ARB said that was ridiculous and just replaced the part for me.

I am back to ARB later this week as another section has the black powder coating peeling off.:(

Very happy with it.

A search will show what problems some members have had with their version which is attached to the door.

Thanks Guys

Geez , buy a Defender and travel only on the roads ;)

I may look dopey but come on :)

Thanks again all

I have actually bought a new /unused Scorpion racing or Bearmach ? one off fleabay for $ 300.

It's missing the door mounted pivot point but I'll get the boys at work to knock one up.

Good thinking about it holding the door open too!

I will have the cargo area seats refitted and so a one action carrier will be good

Pete

This thread has been good reading, particularly with a trip coming up with lots of rough and corrugated tracks/roads.

I Bought a KayMar today. Should have it by the weekend.

Thanks to all for their thoughts and experiences.

Cheers

new here but i have a 300tdi with 127 on the clock very straight tidy car had bull dust in bottoms of doors but the barn door has cracked up dead through the middle they are a light door i would have thought too light for a wheel to be mounted without reasonable bracing running from hinge to latch, have plans to brace mine i will be fitting my own arrangement;) with a tyre gate i am making up.
excelent forum keep it up

I have a 2007 defender and was thinking about putting a Kaymar rear wheel carrier on. For people ho have it, does it hold the back door open at all. Or will I have to put a gas stut in. If I put a strut in as well will the one by Mulgo be to quick at opening the door with less weight on it.
Thanks Peter

Finished fitting the new KayMar rear wheel carrier yesterday, Wow how heavy duty are these things !

When it is said that they are "over-engineered" they are not wrong - but it is not going to break any time soon :D.

In answer to previous post - 1/No it does not hold rear door open at all.
2/The Mulgo rear door Gas strut system works better without the wheel on the door.

I have the Kaymar rear bar which I am taking back again this week to show them the powder coating which is peeling off - under 12 months old.:mad: Very happy with its function however.

My rear door stays open by itself without the need for a gas strut. I spoke to Daniel (Mulgo) and he advised that with a Kaymar bar, there is no requirement.

Just purchased the Bumperettes from Mulgo - will post some photos and start a new thread.