Rear storage dilemma

[Sandez]

I just picked up a nice 2nd hand WK2 Overland the other day and I'm absolutely loving it. I've spent most of the week trying to think of things to do to it to make it better, but at the same time trying to restrain myself from spending too much! I want to turn this into a nice touring rig.

However, I'm in a bit of a pickle at the moment with what to do in the back for storage. My last ute I had rear drawers in the back and loved them, I want to do something similar in the GC but I'd build it myself. The dilemma I have is getting access to the spare tyre. I'd love to remove the spare and use that storage to put a couple water tanks, pumps and the air compressor there instead so it's all hidden and tucked away, but then I have the issue of what to do with the spare.

I don't want to put the spare on the roof, and I don't want to get a rear bar and tyre carrier.

Has anyone created a solution to overcome this? I was thinking something along the lines of a lift up drawer system, like how the false floor lifts up but the drawers lift up too. Any ideas are welcome.

Thanks

[GTiBren]

F

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

[Numb Thumbs]

A hinged, lift-up drawer system has been done by a guy on the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Can't remember the trade name, but if you do a search you should find the posts.

I dropped in to take a look and it looked like a good system. The main worry was the load on the gas struts which could result in them not working over time. The other worry was the weight of the system.

The design was quite cunning as it had a set of verticals at the back of the rear seats as part of a steel frame. The hinges were at the top of the verticals so the false floor lifted higher to allow access to the tyre.

I gave up on drawer systems because of the weight. I use a new false floor with fridge slide - which holds the fridge and the second battery - on the passenger's side and plastic crates on the other side. I use straps to hold the crates down, anchored to the child restraints on one end and to tie downs attached to the false floor at the other end. The false floor is attached to the spare wheel attachment bolt, which I have welded a loop to, via a ratchet strap. I carry a second spare on the roof.

If you don't put the spare on a carrier or the roof, you are going to have to be very creative...

Cheers
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[Sandez]

Thanks Numb Thumbs,

I think I found the drawers you mentioned here http://www.outbacktouringsolutions.c...er-system.html

And looks like it might have been forum member P&L http://www.ausjeepforum.com.au/forum...hp?albumid=579.

It's exactly what I thought I'd have to do (I may have gotten the idea in the past from those photos).

It doesn't seem too overly complicated to do, with the only cost being the struts if I want to include them, since I have most bits lying around at the old folks place.

The reason I like and prefer the drawers is that it's very neat and tidy and I can keep everything in the car, since I'm only renting and don't have a garage to store things in just yet. I know the additional weight is a negative but it's a small price to pay IMO.

If anyone else has some other ideas/solutions, I'm all ears.

Thanks

[Numb Thumbs]

Yes, that is one. Well thought out, but I still worry about the weight... It is scary how quickly you can exceed the GVM.

Cheers
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[Grippy]

I thought about this long and hard as my WG suffers the same problem, so either build a heavy tyre carrier or live with it somehow.
I made a new spare tyre cover out of ply, it has some angle iron bolted to it for the second battery and my Engel to be strapped to, then a drawer on the other side, on top of the drawer I stack small plastic tubs with various crap in them.
I was worried it would take ages to get the spare out, but takes about 2 minutes (quicker than my mates Prado with spare on the back), tubs come out, drawer, fridge and battery easily unbolt and come out quickly then I have access to the spare, easy as.
Compressor, axe and recovery gear fit nicely on the sides in the small spaces left over
sent from my WG Grand Cherokee using the ausjeepoffroad app

[Numb Thumbs]

My ply floor is similar but has a fridge slide. I can easily take the fridge off the slide and take out the boxes if I need to access the spare.



That is my old Waeco CF40 which has gone to god and is now replaced by a CFX40 which fits exactly the same.

Cheers
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