SWINGAWAY SPARE WHEEL CARRIER - DISCOVERY 3 / DISCOVERY 4

This was fine on a Series III with skinny tyres but as wheel and tyre options began to increase the logical choice was to put it on the back door. Ever since then Land Rover owners have suffered with rattling, cracked and broken rear doors, the larger the wheel & tyre and the rougher the conditions the worse the situation. Terrafirma Defender swing away spare wheel carrier suitable for 90 and 110 Station Wagons and Hard Tops. Suits all models from 1985 - 2016. The TF051 Defender spare wheel carrier is attached primarily to the body capping and to the rear crossmember for improved load bearing as well as the rear door via an anti-vibration sliding piston assembly that allows the carrier to move automatically when the door is opened and closed. The hinges incorporate tough nylon bushes for long life and a rust-free joint. The TF059 spare wheel carrier is purely chassis mounted and is ideal for all Classic Defender models including pickups and station wagons where opening the spare wheel carrier independently of the rear door or tailgate is preferred. The single arm carrier is beautifully engineered and is held closed with a clever over centre lockable SPARE WHEEL CARRIER lever arrangement and is assisted open with a gas strut which is essential on a side slope and to prevent to carrier closing under its own weight and for comfortable access to pickups. Contrary to Land Rover’s early trend with the Discovery of mounting the spare wheel on the rear door, the Discovery 3 & 4 was built with its spare wheel underneath the rear of the car. This caused uproar with Land Rover and Discovery fans as externally mounted spare wheels on Land Rovers have been a recognisable feature for decades. The prospect of having to wrestle the heavy spare wheel out from underneath a stuck Land Rover with a flat tyre filled buyers with dread, it also limited the size of the tyres that could be fitted due to the specific size space. The Discovery 3 & 4 has a drop-down tailgate and as such requires a swing away wheel carrier if the wheel is to be fitted on the rear of the vehicle, especially if the tyre size has been increased over standard. The Terrafirma spare wheel carrier attaches to the heavy rear chassis member close behind the plastic rear bumper. It is held closed with a clever over centre lockable lever arrangement and is held and assisted open with a gas strut, essential on a side slope and to prevent the carrier from trying to close under its own weight. This easy to operate spare wheel carrier also makes the space under the vehicle ideal for an extra fuel tank. Both spare wheel carriers are finished in a heavy satin black powder coating and are supplied with fitting kits and comprehensive instructions.