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Thread: 130 tray height to avoid wheel rubbing

  1. #1
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    130 tray height to avoid wheel rubbing

    I have just taken my 'new' Defender (a 2000 TD5 ex-RFS 130) off-road for the first time. I sold my last one (a 1983 3-door 110) 16 years ago and I had forgotten just how well Defenders handle in their natural environment!

    However, I also discovered a small problem - when the rear axle is significantly articulated, the rear wheels scrape the underside of the tray. (I was actually quite happy when I discovered this was the source of the horrible grinding noise as it sounded like the rear diff was disintegrating!)

    The underside of the tray sits 140mm above the top of the rear spring mounts. (Which is roughly in line with the top of the wheels.)

    Is anyone able to tell me how high their tray is mounted? (Or, if you have a tub, the clearance inside the wheel arches.)

    Thanks - Phil

    [Sorry the photo is upside down...]
    80FC1924-DE32-4618-8B9B-6F4653B74A94.jpg

  2. #2
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    Could you measure the distance between the axle housing and bump-stop, add a little more for when articulated as the outside of the tyre will end up slightly higher.

    Than add say another 50mm.

    This wouldn’t be the minimum height you need between the top of the tyre and underneath of the tray.

    Another consideration is what size tyre you are wanting to run long term, if your planning a taller tyre than you will need to add this in.

    Some trays are mounted in-necessarily too high

  3. #3
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    Mine is a 110 but I suppose some dimensions would be the same.

    I have standard 235/85/16 tyres and initially had a problem with rubbing in cross axle situations. They didn't rub if the axle was level, only when one rear wheel was up and the other was down.

    My alloy tray has 40mm deep stiffening ribs underneath. Those ribs are 180mm above the top of the spring tower. I used an angle grinder to remove a small path of the ribs where the tyre rubbed.

    So that patch gives me 220mm above the tower and the problem hasn't returned. The top of the tyre is about 40mm above the top of the tower.

    1973 Series III LWB 1983 - 2006
    1998 300 Tdi Defender Trayback 2006 - often fitted with a Trayon slide-on camper.

  4. #4
    austastar's Avatar
    austastar is offline YarnMaster Silver Subscriber
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    Hi,
    D130 cab chassis sometimes carry a camper.
    My rear tyres used to touch a 45mm deep wooden support for the tray planks. After cutting that out I have 200mm clearance unladen and haven't touched since.
    Cheers

  5. #5
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    The box on my 130 is built the same as a generic aluminium tray, it has 100mm longitudinal members sitting on the chassis with lateral members approx 40mm deep sitting on that. The standard tyres that were on it (sorry can't recall the size, think they may have been 7.50/16) used to rub heavily. I added a second 100mm channel section under the existing, to improve both the tyre clearance and the departure angle. Now with 255/85 tyres it has plenty of clearance.

  6. #6
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    I went out and measured my tray tonight, I have never had the tyre scrape the tray and I've had it on full articulation plenty of times. Suspension is standard Puma.

    IMG_0913.jpg
    Height from tyre to underside of tray

    IMG_0915.jpg
    Tray height from Chassis

    IMG_0916.jpg
    Tyres are 265/75-16 pretty much the same diameter as stock

    IMGP4818.jpg
    Photo showing the tray height in relation to the cab


    Regards

    Tote
    Go home, your igloo is on fire....
    2014 Chile Red L494 RRS Autobiography Supercharged
    MY2016 Aintree Green Defender 130 Cab Chassis
    1957 Series 1 107 ute - In pieces
    1974 F250 Highboy - Very rusty project

    Assorted Falcons and Jeeps.....

  7. #7
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    My old 130 ‘95 vintage rubbed so I screwed a sheet of reinforced rubber to the alloy ribs above the tyres - stopped the horrible noise and the amount of tub time is small so it never wore out

    Current 130 ‘09 vintage I rebuilt the tray so it could have diesel/ water/ spare and a parts drawer underneath... I made it as low as possible with twin 75L tanks and the spare but it still has plenty of clearance - no rubbing

    Steve
    '95 130 dual cab fender (gone to a better universe)
    '10 130 dual cab fender (getting to know it's neurons)

  8. #8
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    not quite mounted at the bare min for clearance. I can fit 2 x 35" tyres under the deck, leaving the deck free for canopy and storage

    IMG_8335.jpg IMG_1667.jpg IMG_1662.jpg
    MLD

    Current: (Diggy) MY10 D130 ute, locked F&R, air suspension and rolling on 35's.
    Current: (but in need of TLC) 200tdi 110 ute & a 300tdi 110 ute.
    Current: (Steed) MY11 Audi RS5 phantom black (the daily driver)
    Gone: (Dorothy) MY99 TD5 D110

  9. #9
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    Thanks for the replies - they are very helpful! It looks like my tray is at least 50-70mm lower than other similar vehicles and so a minor adjustment like grinding off the strengthening ribs won't make enough of a difference.

    I also took the suggestion of measuring from the axle to the bump stops - it is the same as the distance between the wheel and the bottom of the tray, so with a the bump stop squishing a bit and some axle articulation I probably need an extra 50mm+ of height on the tray. I might see if I can jack up the car on the weekend and get a better idea. (Or revisit my Year 8 triangle geometry!)

    The up-side of raising the tray is that I will then have room for water/fuel storage and/or a drawer. The down-side is having to do it at all...

  10. #10
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    My 225’s used to hit the steel tray and cause quite a bounce.
    I didn’t want to lift the tray due to higher COG and handling so I made wheel boxes/tubs and cut them welded these into the tray.
    It kept the tray at a not rediculous height.
    Having a flat tray does put the weight up high, so any action to counter that helps👍
    Horses for courses, it’s just another option.
    Dc

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