Thread: Standing on Spare Wheel and Bike Rack

After a while you might find that the door hinges wear a bit prematurely, (I am ssuming that the wheel is still attached to your door and not on a carrier), which will mean that the rear door will not stay open when you want it to. This happens on all of them at some stage, and is the main reason why Daniel (from MULGO) has made up his gas strut conversion.....so it stays open no matter what.....and so the weight of the wheel has no effect on its operation.

Also just had a look at the rack online and I reckon it would be touch and go....................I am the same as you, I need the object for trial and error. Luckily I have the 110 and my mountain bikes just go straight in with the rear seat folded forward............... I do like the look of those racks though !!

Cheers

Can't comment on the bike rack issue but I regularly stand on the spare wheel of my D90, for exactly the same reason you do Jim. I would imagine that the load applied to the door doing this is probably insignificant compared to the dynamic load applied to the door when you are hitting bumps and the spare is 'forced' to accelerate upwards and downwards repeatedly over very short time spans.

Cheers
KarlB

Standing on the wheel works a treat when packing and unpacking (don't let Health and Safety see you though...). I have however always had a spare wheel carrier fitted. At 95kg I personally don't think it a wise idea to stand on the wheel without a carrier, hence I've had to budget the carrier with the roofrack on my current 90. The frame holding the spare mount has been known to tear through the door skin with the combination of shaking, vibrating, corrosion and added weight...

That's a very nice bike rack, but my bike rack is just a simple Z arrangement that slides into the towbar receiver and carries 3 bikes ($65.00 from the local cycle shop). I actually bungie the bikes to the spare to prevent unnecessary bounce. Obviously the door can't open with this setup in place.

Cheers

Suggest you consider doing as I did. Get a wheel carrier and adapt a standard tow ball bike carrier to bolt onto spare wheel. That way you can stand on the wheel without concern and also have the bikes swing out of the way when you open the door. Mine went right around Aust with bikes on the back without a problem.

If the rack is like this one, I think you would have problems with the bikes not clearing the spare wheel.

Cheers, Murray

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ebp4v-jDh78]YouTube - ‪Kuat NV Hitch Mount Bike Rack Demonstrated by Rack Outfitters‬‏[/ame]

Originally Posted by KarlB

Can't comment on the bike rack issue but I regularly stand on the spare wheel of my D90, for exactly the same reason you do Jim. I would imagine that the load applied to the door doing this is probably insignificant compared to the dynamic load applied to the door when you are hitting bumps and the spare is 'forced' to accelerate upwards and downwards repeatedly over very short time spans.

Cheers
KarlB

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

What he said.


PS get yourself the best 4X4 bike rack on the market:

iSi Advanced 4x4 Bicycle Carrier and Bike Rack Systems

Happy to carry $20,000 worth of bikes offroad on one, barely affects departure angle and the rear door clears it easily.

That iSi carrier looks the goods..........................



I can't see the weight of a couple of bicycles being an issue hanging out the back, although I wouldn't be hanging them on the door itself.
This is a hitch receiver type carrier I made when I had a 'bike' and it worked quite well, on or off road. Some of the weight was shared through the straps to the roofrack.............

Originally Posted by rijidij

That iSi carrier looks the goods..........................



I can't see the weight of a couple of bicycles being an issue hanging out the back, although I wouldn't be hanging them on the door itself.
This is a hitch receiver type carrier I made when I had a 'bike' and it worked quite well, on or off road. Some of the weight was shared through the straps to the roofrack.............

The isi rack IS the goods

I also carry on moto (KTM 530) on the back of the Deefer (it's important to have hobbies) - the rear crossmember is still attached, so bikes will be nothing by comparison.