My D3 has lost its virginity - spare wheel winch

**HarryO** · 9th January 2012, 03:55 PM

My D3 has lost its virginity – it now has a Toyota part on it

After struggling with the spare wheel cable again

I have finally decided to install an old Landcruiser spare wheel winch (chain type). Cost me $70 at the wreckers - KISS principle - simple chain system never had a problem with mine back in the day.

Already half way through the conversion - used the existing winch plate for the mounting plate - that way the bolt holes and chain line up, etc. Tack welded and tested it last night and it works a bloody treat

now all I have to do is finish the welding and make it look respectable.

Have photo’s if anyone is interested - did not plan it out (story of my life) so no detailed plans available but it was really easy to do.

Tombie · 9th January 2012, 04:08 PM

Good to see some lateral thinking...

But if you get less punctures and you wont need to use it

**D3mike** · 10th January 2012, 08:22 AM

Mine died recently at Tallarook - Getting a Kaymar now

**discojools** · 10th January 2012, 08:29 AM

Learnt my lesson early on with my D3 and that is to never rewind the cable without the tyre attached. Never had a problem since. Still a silly design that I thought they would have fixed on the D4...

**oldsalt** · 10th January 2012, 10:24 AM

Now that I have fitted my rear carrier I'm going to sell the whole winch assembly - I'll clean the dust off and put it in the "markets" section, so if you know anybody who wants a "spare" winch cable etc point 'em in the right direction.
cheers

**bbyer** · 10th January 2012, 02:00 PM

It would be nice to see a picture of the finished prototype.

It would be even better if Land Rover saw your mod. What you are saying is that a time tested design is already out there and that LR could fit the design on their new production.

Considering the phenomenal number of RR Sports that they sell, at some point, you have to eventually get a few things right as too much wrong, too often, starts to matter.

**Stuart02** · 10th January 2012, 06:34 PM

And if they could just make it operatable from /anywhere/ other than under the #$%&ing loadspace!!

**Meccles** · 10th January 2012, 07:52 PM

I'm interested. Had a 100 series cruiser myself, actually the spare wheel winch was a recall, they used wire on 2001 models, had some fail, recalled and fitted them with the chain winch. As you say, never a problem from that time on. Thought I might swap mine out for a cruiser unit, just figuring out how to get to the wind down part as this is from the side. What did you do?

**HarryO** · 12th January 2012, 05:18 PM

I had to figure out a way to use the existing Landrover mounts – so I used the Landy spare wheel winch base plate and turned the Landcruiser winch on its side. That way the socket for Landcruizer winding up/down still comes up through the existing hole inside your Landy (dumbest idea ever made). Only way I could get it to work.Had to make some guides for the chains because the Land Cruiser winch is now laying on it’s side. Now Fully installed and it works a treat…

Tried to upload photo's but can not figure out how too...

**HarryO** · 12th January 2012, 05:37 PM

Figured it out … my photo's were to big..

Photo 1 is the Landrover base plate cut out ready to recieve the Cruiser winch
Photo 2 is the Cruiser winch tack welded into place
Photo 3 and 4 are the completed unit - note that I had to use the Landrover piece that actually holds the wheel rim at the end of the chain. The Cruiser one is just too big to go through the hole in the Landrover rim.

Extended the chain to that I do not have to crawl under the vehicle to connect / disconnect the spare – makes life easier.

Thread: My D3 has lost its virginity - spare wheel winch

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My D3 has lost its virginity - spare wheel winch

So LR could introduce a time tested design then.

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