Thread: defender bonnet mount for spare tyre?

Jimmy -- you have heard correctly.

The TD5 Defender has a completely different bonnet to the 200, 300TDi and 110s. They are essentially lighter due to them not having the re-enforcing of the other bonnets.

My understanding is that it took squeezing to get the TD5 into the engine bay and there was no room for re-enforced bonnet. There is actually no lining on TD5 bonnets as there was on the 300 and 200 TDis.

Not sure that you would really want one up there anyway. I had one on my 130 300 TDi and it was a pain. Needed arms like Dean Lukin to lift the bloody bonnet, could not fully open the vents and obscured your vision.

Hope this helps.

Opposite lock make a strengthening kit and a piece of chequer plate for later model Fenders,

http://www.oppositelock.com.au/redesign/de...&itemID=SWCLRDB

Wonder if they would do diff guards?

Originally posted by Noddy
Jimmy -- you have heard correctly.


Not sure that you would really want one up there anyway. I had one on my 130 300 TDi and it was a pain. Needed arms like Dean Lukin to lift the bloody bonnet, could not fully open the vents and obscured your vision.

Hope this helps.

Not sure I get you on the vent thing. Your other points are true. They might not be the most convenient thing around - I only use mine when I'm carrying two spares, but by God they're sexy.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>Not sure I get you on the vent thing[/b][/quote]

From memory I could not fully open my vents with the wheel up there as it was hard up against the spare. It would open, but not fully. Reduced air flow into cabin.

You might be better off getting yourself a second bonnet for when you want the additional spare as they only take a couple of seconds to change over.

The other differences on bonnets with the spare mounted on them are:

1 - The support is a solid pole rather than a hinged thingy (I think you'll find it's a valid tech term... :wink: ) to take the weight of the spare.
2 - There are 4x supports along the front edge rather than just 2x. (The adjustable ones with the lump of rubber on the end)

What you want to do is find someone with the bonnet mounted spare & swap the bonnets over to see if it fits with the TD5 though.

HTH

Mark.

Originally Posted by noddy

Jimmy -- you have heard correctly.

The TD5 Defender has a completely different bonnet to the 200, 300TDi and 110s. They are essentially lighter due to them not having the re-enforcing of the other bonnets.

Does the TD5 have the cross brace supports for the bonnet that sit in front of the radiator (part # MUC6658 & MUC6659)? I would imagine that they are there to bear the weight of the tyre.

My original 200TDI bonnet reinforcing broke at the welds under the spare tyre and where it joined the brace at the rear of the bonnet, between the hinges. It was fine for 60,000km of slow rough tracks, but 'fast' dirt roads and corrugations did it in.

I'm planning to place a spare tyre mount on my 'new' 200TDI bonnet but will use chequer plate reinforcing as well, and take it all the way back to between the hinges.

Originally Posted by crump

Opposite lock make a strengthening kit and a piece of chequer plate for later model Fenders,

http://www.oppositelock.com.au/redesign/de...&itemID=SWCLRDB

The Opposite Lock item is South African, and for the life of me I can't recall the source manufacturer.

It looks a bit lightweight, but I can report the Td5 version has survived a Cape York trip. No damage to bonnet or firewall. I carried this spare flat, to make it more compliant, ease the vibration effects on the bonnet.

Usual caveats: take the wheel off first to check water / oil. The Td5 bonnet strut isn't designed to cope. Vision straight ahead is ok, but placing the near side front wheel when in creek beds etc is impossible. It's guess work. On road the weight is noticeable, there's a little more front end kneel in corners. The issue of legalities, engineering certificate etc is all yours. And you're limited to a 235, a 255 is a bit too big for vision.

FWIW on corrugations, sometimes the wheel/bonnet would vibrate madly, other times it's the dash assembly. Rarely both together.

Regards
Max P