Hi all,

I don't have a spare with the FL2 I picked up yesterday, but rather I have the compressor and that white puncture repair kit

So I have a few choices
1) Keep it as is, then use the huge amount of space in that area for storage of things such as tow ropes etc. But as I'll have a Trans K9 in the back also, I'm wandering it'll be impossible to get to anything without removing the dog crate. So looked on eBay and I can pick up one of the FL2 floors for £50ish.

I was then thinking that I could cut into the floor and make a door, that'll be on the other side from the dog crate and that I can just lift up and then gain access to tow ropes, medical kit etc.

What a re peoples thoughts?

2) get myself a spare wheel, jack etc, and replace the puncture kit - I will still have the issues with the dog crate, but will also still have some storage space in there for tow ropes etc


So what do people think?

Personally I fancy option 1, but will always listen to advice

A few weeks ago I started to make a replacement floor panel for mine (although I do have a spare wheel) using two pieces of plywood and a piano hinge, so that I can access the wheel well without completely emptying the boot. I’ll get round to finishing it at some point, just not had the time and yet to order carpet to cover it.

Actually it will be three pieces of plywood, as I am putting a strip under the feet of my dog grill so that I can get the floor panel out without affecting the grill. I did have to compromise between putting the hinge far enough back to still be able to get the wheel out, or far enough forward to be able to access the well with my usual storage boxes in the boot - and chose the latter.

I guess in your case, instead of hinge running across the car, you could have a hinge lengthways so that you can access down the side of the cage. 2005 D3 2.7 Auto
Previously:
2010 MY FL2 TD4e GS - Now gone at 199,500 miles, about 135,000 of them mine.
‘93 Defender 110 200TDi CSW
‘87 Defender 90 4 cyl Petrol
‘83 110 CSW V8 - best ever!
Range Rover 2-door V8 (not sure of year - 4-speed box and vacuum diff switch)
Series III SWB Diesel

Last edited by Worms on 29th Jun 2018 8:16 am. Edited 1 time in total

You can't beat a proper spare wheel some punctures can't be repaired with the kit.

I'd agree with full size spare and jack. I have the Land Rover dog guard and cage and for the few minutes it takes to get to the wheel. If the boot is full, hey ho... at least I know I am going to get home that day, regardless of the destroyed tyre.

I also have (in the shed) the factory supplied full size (HSE?) polystyrene wheel well insert / floor support with compressor and gunk - the thing fills the entire wheel well giving good support to the floor but no useful storage space. I replaced that with a matching alloy as my very first 'mod'.

Spare wheel every time  Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

Personally I would ditch the spare wheel unless you are a serious off-roader. It will release a huge amount of storage room and save a lot of weight too.
In several decades of driving I have never had a puncture ( hope this doesn't jinx me now ) and if I need to use my AA roadside service ( again never used to date ) then I am prepared to wait for someone else to come and fix it on a dark, rainy night.

On that note, if anyone wants to swap their compressor and goo for my unused spare (Scorpion tyre ) then please pm me  Cheers,
Raz
FL1 TD4 GS Auto 2001 Silver
FL2 TD4 Auto 2007 Black
FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2012 Fuji White

HappyNomad wrote:

I'd agree with full size spare and jack. I have the Land Rover dog guard and cage and for the few minutes it takes to get to the wheel. If the boot is full, hey ho... at least I know I am going to get home that day, regardless of the destroyed tyre.

I also have (in the shed) the factory supplied full size (HSE?) polystyrene wheel well insert / floor support with compressor and gunk - the thing fills the entire wheel well giving good support to the floor but no useful storage space. I replaced that with a matching alloy as my very first 'mod'.

Interested in selling the holder?

Option 2 for me.
I got an unrepairable puncture when going out at around 7.30pm for a meal on the last night of a holiday in the Peak District in our Evoque. A full set of new Scorpion Verde's had only been on for less than 400 miles. I fitted the spare, got to our meal (15 mins late) and got home to Essex the next day. Had I had goo, it wouldn't have worked. I would have ruined my last day and missed my last meal. Despite phoning round early on Saturday morning, no tyre centre within 50 miles had a matching Scorpion Verde so if I hadn't have had a space saver spare wheel, I would have had to accept an odd make of tyre at whatever price they wanted to charge me. A spare wheel, even a space saver, gets you out of trouble and buys you time to shop around to get the correct tyre at the best price. Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

Out of curiosity what is the advantage in having a dog crate as opposed to just a dog guard that keeps them in the boot ? Jules

I have a springer who loves mud and water, the Trans K9 keep all the mud and water inside the crate, so you don't get the water/mud/send etc all over your boot. They are also crash tested and keep the dog(s) inside the crate which is strapped down to the car anchor points

They cost a bit of dosh, but well worth it in my opinion

Click image to enlarge

i would buy my unused 19" shaddow chrome alloy wheel and pop a tyre on it

That why i bought it, but never got round to doing it, even though i have a spare part worn tyre to do it

better than ruining a tyre with gunk trying to fill it Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

the gunk apparently ruins the tyre and makes its scrap, even if the damage was repairable.

spare tyre all the way wherever possible. nothing worse than being stuck in the middle of nowhere with no phone signal and a shredded tyre.

Iguana wrote:

HappyNomad wrote:

I'd agree with full size spare and jack. I have the Land Rover dog guard and cage and for the few minutes it takes to get to the wheel. If the boot is full, hey ho... at least I know I am going to get home that day, regardless of the destroyed tyre.

I also have (in the shed) the factory supplied full size (HSE?) polystyrene wheel well insert / floor support with compressor and gunk - the thing fills the entire wheel well giving good support to the floor but no useful storage space. I replaced that with a matching alloy as my very first 'mod'.

Interested in selling the holder?

If you don't get a spare, get a TPMS so you are aware of a flat tyre early enough. I have had three punctures in the last two months all from screws. After getting a TPMS the second two punctures I plugged and repaired. The first puncture I didn't notice early enough & destroyed the tyre. Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

Acoustic insulation ARB TPMS 3xARB air compressors After cooler Air tank On-board OCD pressure air/water cleaning Additional 50L fuel Carpet in doors ABE 2x1kg Waeco 28L modified fridge Battery 4x26ah Solar 120w Victron MPPT 100/20 DC-DC 18amps 175amp jumper plug Awning 6x255/60R18

I don’t know what the no-spare wheel well comes fitted with, but I would imagine that the threaded insert for the wheel holder is already in place? If so, you don’t need the official LR wheel holder - and I would argue you don’t actually want it either! It places the wheel with the wheel centre upwards, so most of the usable space is underneath it. If you turn the wheel over, the fixing will only just hold it and then you are left with the rod that supports the floor panel getting in the way of using the space for anything that can’t be packed in around it.

If you are starting from scratch it might be better (and cheaper) to use a suitable bolt and plate to hold the wheel in (facing down). By the time you put in the jack, wheel brace, some tools, jump leads, 12v air-pump, tow-rope, overalls, safety glasses, work gloves etc there will be enough in there to support the floor without needing the LR designed item! 2005 D3 2.7 Auto
Previously:
2010 MY FL2 TD4e GS - Now gone at 199,500 miles, about 135,000 of them mine.
‘93 Defender 110 200TDi CSW
‘87 Defender 90 4 cyl Petrol
‘83 110 CSW V8 - best ever!
Range Rover 2-door V8 (not sure of year - 4-speed box and vacuum diff switch)
Series III SWB Diesel