Thread: TDCi Defender - Wheel Carrier

Originally Posted by solmanic

I still prefer the convenience of being able to open the back door easily.

...so back to my original question, is $500 ($525 delivered) for the Bearmach carrier on fleabay a good price or not?

Originally Posted by Scallops

From what I remember from my wheel carrier buying experience $525.00 delivered is a very good price.

Originally Posted by dullbird

fom my experience its the same price

When I bought a Tdi and a Puma version of the Bearmach 4 months back the Puma (and post 2002) variant was $75 more than the Tdi version. Including freight to here was just shy of $500. I did shop around and that was the best price at the time.

Originally Posted by dm_td5

When I bought a Tdi and a Puma

version of the Bearmach 4 months back the Puma (and post 2002) variant was $75 more than the Tdi version. Including freight to here was just shy of $500. I did shop around and that was the best price at the time.

as far as I was aware they didn't do one for the PUMA we are just fitting TD5 carriers

Originally Posted by Michael2

Why I like the Kaymar.

I bought my Defender with a Kaymar wheel carrier, in all honesty, I would have been too tight to spend that kind of money myself.

However, now that I have it, I can compare it to others.

(1) it is MUCH stronger

(2) it doesn't touch the back door. Now I know you all want the convenience of something that opens with the back door, but on a recent trip a member with one such wheel carrier gently reversed into a dead dried out tree with a 6 inch wide trunk, that just fell on impact. That nudge was enough to bend the wheel carrier, and at the same time dent the back door and break the glass on it. I don't believe the Kaymar would have flinched in such an impact, and even if the impact were strong enough to flex or bend the wheel carrier, the door would still be safe.

(3) Because it's locked at 2 points on the chassis, I feel comfortable stepping on the spare wheel to get roof rack access, I wouldn't with a lighter duty carrier that hinges onto bodywork and the door.

You could justify the Kaymar by projecting costs over the life of the vehicle. I reckon the others would all need some strengthening or repair at some stage, either to the carrier, the door or the bodywork.

- Michael

Actually I think the key issue with the Kaymar is the strength of the rear cross member it bolts on to, not the tyre carrier itself.

My personal preference is for the open with door style having had a Kaymar on a D1 I found it very inconvenient, particularly when its bucketing down rain or everything is covered in dust or mud.

As for the rear window... They can also do it, but not as easily! The worst though is the standard door mounted spare