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Roof rack spare wheel carrier


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Hi Ian,

 

Have you actually tried getting a spare wheel up onto the roof of your Bessacarr? I assume it is the 2007 E435 you have mentioned previously?

 

I certainly would not want to try on our AT and imagine your spare wheel will be similar weight to our Merc.

 

Also what is the max loading weight for the roof bars?

 

As an alternative have you considered a tow bar mounted spare wheel carrier? It may cost more if you haven't got a towbar but will be a lot simpler to fit and will help keep the weight lower which in turn will keep the centre of gravity lower.

 

Keith.

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I think the chances are nil that you’ll find a commercially-available ‘kit’ to allow a spare wheel to be mounted on your Bessacarr’s roof bars, though it ought to be practicable to adapt the type of system commonly used on 4x4s

 

http://tinyurl.com/h45de2w

 

As Billggski did, you could put the wheel in a large roof-box but, as he warned, a motorhome spare-wheel and tyre will weigh well over 20kg and getting it on and off the roof would have plenty of visit-to-the-A&E potential. Possible alternatives might be to mount the spare wheel on the motorhome’s rear wall or (as Keith has said) on to a tow-bar fitting - at least that would avoid mountaineering. ;-)

 

(Personally, although my 1st and 2nd motorhome had a spare wheel as standard and I’ve mounted a spare wheel in my current Rapido’s garage, If the only realistic option were to carry the wheel on the roof, even if the motorhome had roof-bars and a ladder I’m pretty sure I would choose not to.)

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Keithl - 2017-02-16 9:08 AM

 

Hi Ian,

 

Have you actually tried getting a spare wheel up onto the roof of your Bessacarr? ................Keith.

And, just as importantly, how you could get it down again under control, under whatever roadside conditions you might need it. They weigh about 25kg/50lbs, they don't 'arf bounce if dropped (bit like a rugby ball - very unpredictably), and the thought of one bounding away into traffic on a busy road, well, doesn't bear thinking about! :-)

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Hi point for consideration is the impact of all that weight high above the centre of gravity on the vehicles cornering. It is likely to accentuate any roll.

 

To me this sounds dodgy. Better to hang it on a bike rack on the back, the weight is equivalent to two bikes.

 

Peter

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