Tire on the Bonnet (2 Viewers)

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Joe45

Joe45

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Trying to relax while my HJ is at the mechanic getting a look over and possible rewiring, so I am already thinking of cool things to do.

One of those things is putting the spare tire on the bonnet/hood. Anyone done that? I would imagine it would make the hood rather difficult to lift! Do people put helpers like gas struts for that?

I really like that old school safari look... a lot, and it seems very much out of the way compared to the back or side, plus the weight hanging on a spare tire rack or door. Yes, I know it's more weight on the front, but with that heavy I6 diesel on there, I don;t think it really makes much of a difference.

Now, yes, it is a pickup and right now the spare tire rests in the bed, strapped to the rear window guard, but eventually this will have a camper box and the tire will need to go elsewhere. I am a diehard pizzacutter aficionado and currently have basically 33x10R16s. If they made a 33x7R16 I would go with that!!!
 
There is not a lot of strucural strength in all the various front end sheet metal pieces. They will not like the weight. And if you actually take your rig off road the vibration and constant road impacts will result in significant additional stress. Beat it all to death over time if the rig is more than a pavement princess.

Opening your hood will SUCK!!! Gas struts or not.

Visibility will be impacted as well. A lot more than you likely think if you have not tossed a tire up there to see..

Diesel I see... so dual batteries. Winch? Beefy bumper? Your front axle already carries a bigger share of the load than most rigs. Adding more helps nothing.

Did ya think that your aerodynamics at road speed could not get any worse. A '40 series is a brick with a top hat on after all. Well, hang a tire on the front of that brick and guess what...

All in all, it is IMHO, a bad idea for no reason other than looking cool in some eyes.


Mark...
 
Most people just buy a series I-III if they want that style...

Do whatever you want dude, but you aren't going to get much or any support...no one does it. Maybe if you use a 7.5-16 tire at most...why would you want to lift 75-100lbs ontop of the hood.....
 
Seems like a poor idea to me, same as mounting fuel cans on the sides so you rig is wider and will not fit between trees and rocks as well. Looking cool isn't always functional/practicable let alone tactical.

But it's a free country (for now) do what you want and spend your money as you see fit. I sure that if you change your mind because it doesn't work out, a little more money will fix that issue.
 
Joe45 said:
Trying to relax while my HJ is at the mechanic getting a look over and possible rewiring, so I am already thinking of cool things to do.

One of those things is putting the spare tire on the bonnet/hood. Anyone done that? I would imagine it would make the hood rather difficult to lift! Do people put helpers like gas struts for that?

I really like that old school safari look... a lot, and it seems very much out of the way compared to the back or side, plus the weight hanging on a spare tire rack or door. Yes, I know it's more weight on the front, but with that heavy I6 diesel on there, I don;t think it really makes much of a difference.

Now, yes, it is a pickup and right now the spare tire rests in the bed, strapped to the rear window guard, but eventually this will have a camper box and the tire will need to go elsewhere. I am a diehard pizzacutter aficionado and currently have basically 33x10R16s. If they made a 33x7R16 I would go with that!!!
Click to expand...


i think your in the wrong LAND forum ?



1698816850506.png



1698816863614.png
 
You'll notice that the Land Rovers have a center depression in the hood and a raised-up lower edge for the windshield. This allows to keep driver visibility better when looking out over the top of the tire. Usually very narrow wheels/tires are used for the spare up there.

Additionally, there is considerable cross-bracing under the hood, and an added brace package under there when securing the tire on the top side. Also a beefy hood support rod vs the standard scissors hood support. While it does have the "cool" factor, lifting the hood can become a chore with the added weight. Some of the international off road competitions and safari adventures also carried additional spare tires/wheels and fuel cans up on roof racks--all of which are heavy to retrieve. When you're really far away from civilization, carrying extra items and where you secure them, is all part of the experience. Not really needed for today's mall cruising or freeway driving. But, yeah, very cool and to each his own !
 
Difficult to get it up and down there, I don't think the structure will support it (unless you reinforce the hood) and the looks -> well depends.

Get a rack for the back-door and do it in a proper way, means, install a reinforcement inside the cabin to support the additional weight, then you can go even for bigger wheels and a spare canister (ore more).
 
FJ45SID said:
Isn’t that what the clamps
Are for on the bonnet…..The tyre? Or tire for
You USA fellas lol
Click to expand...
Those spring clips are to retain the folded down windscreen.
 
All these guys with short 40s aren't worrying about getting more weight up front.
With a loaded up camper body on the back of a stretched 45, you really don't need a steel wheel (or 2) hanging 6 feet behind the back axle.
Mine is chained up underneath - don't you have the winch thingy under the bed?
 
45Dougal said:
All these guys with short 40s aren't worrying about getting more weight up front.
With a loaded up camper body on the back of a stretched 45, you really don't need a steel wheel (or 2) hanging 6 feet behind the back axle.
Mine is chained up underneath - don't you have the winch thingy under the bed?
Click to expand...
I do have the winch thingy, but my issue is having to retrieve the tire if I am bogged down, and have been thinking of an auxiliary fuel tank in that spot.
 
One thing I have thought of is manufacturing a sort of support bracket for the tire with a way to pull it when the hood needs opening. A lightweight cable with a small hand crank that pulls on a roof rack could work.

In the end, it seems better to keep that spare in the back or under, in the back, yes. But I am just weighing options and ideas.
 
Make a bracket over hood off aprons, use a swing out pivot on 1 side, put tire over hood, swing out when need open hood, problem is you wont be able to see s*** with tire on hood.
 
peesalot said:
Make a bracket over hood off aprons, use a swing out pivot on 1 side, put tire over hood, swing out when need open hood, problem is you wont be able to see s*** with tire on hood.
Click to expand...
Yeah. I will have to test it. I only like pizza cutter tires, so that may help a bit. The thinnest I could find in a 33" radial was the 10" ones. BFG used to make a 33x9.5 but no more.
I would go with a 33x7 if they were available in radials!

Another option is get another hood and modify it so the tire sits deeper in it, but then, that nay interfere with the engine etc.
 
Buy a Rover. I think @wngrog has put the 4plus swing out spare tire carrier on the back of FJ45's. Maybe he has a pic handy.
 
MOTOV8R said:
Been discussed before, Mark weighed in on that thread as well seems a favorite topic. If you were going to do it, closer to stock tires would work best.

Post in thread 'Mounting items on the hood of the FJ40'
Mounting items on the hood of the FJ40 - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/mounting-items-on-the-hood-of-the-fj40.459782/post-6370496
Click to expand...
What do ya know... 12 and a half years and I still have the same opinion. Just with more words. ;)

I just had a flash of a mental image for of a spare 18.4x16.1 ag tire on the hood of the '40. Or a 35 or 37 inch tire mounted on the hood of one of the '80s. ;)


Mark...
 
Joe45 said:
Yeah. I will have to test it. I only like pizza cutter tires, so that may help a bit. The thinnest I could find in a 33" radial was the 10" ones. BFG used to make a 33x9.5 but no more.
I would go with a 33x7 if they were available in radials!

Another option is get another hood and modify it so the tire sits deeper in it, but then, that nay interfere with the engine etc.
Click to expand...
Kenda makes the Klever RT 33x9.5. Just put those on last Spring. Happy with them so far. See post #141 on my signature link
 
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