Gladiator Expedition Rigs

[mog]

Any opinions on spare location? (38's won't fit under the rig)
Below is an interesting RTT hinge/lift.

I might be mistaken, but I thought you were trying to keep the ability to use your Freedom Panels over the front seats? The other thing I would check into is how much wind noise you end up with if the spare is mounted there. You could test that ahead of time. The Freedom Panels at the shortest point are only 26", so you might have up to 12" of tire hanging out over the front of the windshield. Even set back you will still have an overhang, and if you have a forward-hinged cap, you will need room for that to pivot.

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[Mules]

I might be mistaken, but I thought you were trying to keep the ability to use your Freedom Panels over the front seats? The other thing I would check into is how much wind noise you end up with if the spare is mounted there. You could test that ahead of time. The Freedom Panels at the shortest point are only 26", so you might have up to 12" of tire hanging out over the front of the windshield. Even set back you will still have an overhang, and if you have a forward-hinged cap, you will need room for that to pivot.

Good point about hangover! My RTT starts about 2" past the Freedom Tops and it looks like 38" tires would hang right to the top start of the windshield (see picture below). It would be a tight fit.

Here's the tricky part, I want to remove the freedom tops from underneath the roof rack. To to this, the roof rack will have to be mounted to an external tube frame like on a Defender. Problem is why take off the Freedom tops to look at the bottom of your spare.

Wind noise would be a drag on long trips. The Roof mounted spare is starting not to sound like a good idea.

 

[mog]

Wind noise would be a drag on long trips. The Roof mounted spare is starting not to sound like a good idea.

Some people report a 37" fitting in the stock location, so perhaps your 38" might fit if you partially deflate it? Not as convenient, but that sure is a great location. That was a selling point for me after having to deal with 46" and 42" spares, a low tucked out of the way factory spot is nice. The stock location also helps keep the CG low for handling, sway, and off-roading.

 

[Mules]

Some people report a 37" fitting in the stock location, so perhaps your 38" might fit if you partially deflate it? Not as convenient, but that sure is a great location. That was a selling point for me after having to deal with 46" and 42" spares, a low tucked out of the way factory spot is nice. The stock location also helps keep the CG low for handling, sway, and off-roading.

Good point. I've also heard about 37" fitting when deflated. I'll have to do some research.

 

[rharr]

Have you ever had to lift a BFG MT 35" tire on 15" rims? they are around 80lbs, i suspect a 38 will be about the same weight or more. FYI it sucks lifting one just to a rear tire carrier, get one on a roof 6' up and not dent or scratch anything... forget about it.

I would mount the tire to a rear bumper carrier and then figure out a way to hang you bike off the tire/carrier.

 

[Mules]

Have you ever had to lift a BFG MT 35" tire on 15" rims? they are around 80lbs, i suspect a 38 will be about the same weight or more. FYI it sucks lifting one just to a rear tire carrier, get one on a roof 6' up and not dent or scratch anything... forget about it.

I would mount the tire to a rear bumper carrier and then figure out a way to hang you bike off the tire/carrier.

I hear you. Those tires are a beast just to lift into the bed. I still like the idea of mounting it on a back bumper. Maybe by the time I finish the build, there will be some more options on the market.

I like the bumper below, but I think it comes to about $3,000 with all the options (ouch!).

The second picture is a hitch mounted spare, which I'm a bit skeptical about, although it sure looks good and is quite a bit cheaper.

 

[rharr]

i agree, bumper prices are high, I am hoping for some DIY fold and weld kits in future.

 

[Cruizer8]

You could always throw the spare in front like this:

It might even help balance the extra weight of having the camper and all the gear in the back. Not sure how it affects wind noise and I am sure it won’t help with fuel economy but looks kinda cool.

 

[Mules]

You could always throw the spare in front like this:

It might even help balance the extra weight of having the camper and all the gear in the back. Not sure how it affects wind noise and I am sure it won’t help with fuel economy but looks kinda cool.

I've seen them on the hood, but never on the front bumper. That's a first.

 

[FitfulGoat]

You could always throw the spare in front like this:

It might even help balance the extra weight of having the camper and all the gear in the back. Not sure how it affects wind noise and I am sure it won’t help with fuel economy but looks kinda cool.

I would also be cautious of heat and airflow to the engine bay. The added weight of the camper and overlanding gear is only going to make this more of a concern.

 

[Mules]

Here's the Roof Top Tent structure fastened together. In case of emergency, just flip it over for a John Boat!

 

[Mules]

With the added height, I should be able move around inside, when needed, without putting up the RTT. Later on, I could build a low profile top, for my daily driver and fitting in the garage. Just clip on the tall top for camping.

 

[A 2]

Here's the Roof Top Tent structure fastened together. In case of emergency, just flip it over for a John Boat!

I knew you were a boat builder

 

[Mules]

I've got too many ideas still floating in my head for the interior build. Do I make it from plywood, square aluminum tubing, or T-Slot aluminum. T-Nutz has 1" T-Slot aluminum about as cheap as 1" aluminum tubing. The T-Slot price goes up considerably when you add in the corner pieces, accessories, and shipping. My end goal is to build the interior layout light and simple, so that I can quickly take it out and use my truck bed. I'm leaning towards something like Goose Gear but carpeted like the pictures below.

I also like the square tubing design on the bottom. The idea there is to keep the seat frames open and use pelican like boxes for storage.

Any thoughts from you DIYers?

 

[FitfulGoat]

I’ll be doing T slot for my build. There are a lot more panel options as well when using T slot in my opinion. Versatility wins over the cost at least for me.

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