Mercedes vario 814 self build bus to FLT palace

[wolfie2]

Maybe just take a spare tyre...a lot lighter...some flexibility...and just need a tyre man to fit it. Better than getting completely stranded. Must be able squeeze one in somewhere.

 

[Lenny HB]

Body looks in a lot better nick that that old bus you bought.

 

[Manic]

Has it got a tow bar, if yes you could make a frame to mount spare on.

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[Northernraider]

Thanks for the update Tam.
Can’t the spare wheel be mounted on the back doors like on some 4x4s? I know they’re heavy ish and that may put too much weight on the door hinges but we do see them mounted on the back of PVCs. I have also seen spare wheels mounted on the front. Mostly seen this abroad though.

No back doors ...

Can you weld a bracket up and put it under the van? Even just a big piece of m16 thread with a central spindle or two in the same size as the wheelnuts and fix it?

No space anywhere

 

[Dutch 68]

No back doors ...

No space anywhere

What about the tow-bar carrier?

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[Jamesh]

No back doors?

Just weld a mounting plate to the inside and bolt through?

Or is Tam finally stumped by an old iveco daily!!!

Cheers James

 

[Northernraider]

Body looks in a lot better nick that that old bus you bought.

Its rusty underneath but no sign of having any welding done. Mostly paint lets it down

 

[Northernraider]

What about the tow-bar carrier?

That might be a possibility ill have to check the clearance. Not sure if the bike rack would hold it behind it either. Ill look tomorrow

 

[Littlewheels]

Why bother! Most don’t, you need to ask yourself how many times in the past you have had a puncture measured against the time/miles covered ,l very much doubt it’s that much to worry about and if it happens you get on the blower and call a man out.
The system is geared up for this eventually.

 

[Abacist]

Take a tyre carcass if you can

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[Lenny HB]

Why bother! Most don’t, you need to ask yourself how many times in the past you have had a puncture measured against the time/miles covered ,l very much doubt it’s that much to worry about and if it happens you get on the blower and call a man out.
The system is geared up for this eventually.

Loads of times, had one in the car this year, had them in previous 2 Motorhomes, I think every caravan we have had.
Far too many to risk going without a spare.

 

[Northernraider]

Why bother! Most don’t, you need to ask yourself how many times in the past you have had a puncture measured against the time/miles covered ,l very much doubt it’s that much to worry about and if it happens you get on the blower and call a man out.
The system is geared up for this eventually.

Well that was my thinking as i never had the spare tyre out the garage of 5he hymer in the 3 years ive owned it ...and apart from the wee alto last year ive never had a spare on a vehicle so it seems daft to carry it . But so used to carrying one you then think it would be sods law that the one time you didn't you would need it. . My sisters motorhome has never had one . I have breakdown cover and unlike the vario it isnt an umcommon vehicle....or tyre size.

 

[Northernraider]

Loads of times, had one in the car this year, had them in previous 2 Motorhomes, I think every caravan we have had.
Far too many to risk going without a spare.

You're quite unlucky then lol ... Ive had slow leaks on tyres but not one that i couldn't inflate with my wee tyre inflator.

 

[Just smiffy]

I had a puncture in my car last year, ran over something and a big hole so couldn’t use gunk, breakdown picked me up and a new £100 tyre…
Probably the first puncture in 15yrs or more…

but you do go to out of the way places Tam and off road so your odds will go up…

 

[Northernraider]

No back doors?

Just weld a mounting plate to the inside and bolt through?

Or is Tam finally stumped by an old iveco daily!!!

Cheers James

The back has one window and a bike rack on it ...the top is fibreglass the bottom might be steel but ive no idea whats between that and the inner wall of the van so not sure if it would take the weight . Then theres the number plate etc to take in to account.

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[Just smiffy]

The back has one window and a bike rack on it ...the top is fibreglass the bottom might be steel but ive no idea whats between that and the inner wall of the van so not sure if it would take the weight . Then theres the number plate etc to take in to account. View attachment 541321

Chain it to the bike rack…?

 

[Northernraider]

Chain it to the bike rack…?

Ive just been looking at that and wondering if i can somehow use the bike rack to carry it. Ill have a play around with that tomorrow as i wont be carrying a bike but i had planned to carry my chairs on that ... obviously put them inside for ferries etc to keep cost down but outside for traveling . Ill check it out tomorrow

 

[tonyidle]

The back has one window and a bike rack on it ...the top is fibreglass the bottom might be steel but ive no idea whats between that and the inner wall of the van so not sure if it would take the weight . Then theres the number plate etc to take in to account. View attachment 541321

Make a quick'n'dirty bracket to fit the towball bolts. It isn't worth wasting too much time on it & you can replace the towball when you come to sell.

 

[Jamesh]

6" sq angle up off the towbar in towards the van.

6" 3mm steel bent to circumference of the wheel.

Weld two together and a ratchet strap round wheel.

Cheers James

 

[Just smiffy]

It’s been done before….

Spare Wheel Fitted to Bike Rack

This must have been done before but after fitting a new Fiamma bike rack I had nowhere to mount my spare wheel (it had been fitted to the rear wall above the bumper) and looked at mounting it on the bike rack Basically the wheel hangs vertically from the carrier by a suitably bent 40mm x 4mm...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

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[Northernraider]

It’s been done before….

Spare Wheel Fitted to Bike Rack

This must have been done before but after fitting a new Fiamma bike rack I had nowhere to mount my spare wheel (it had been fitted to the rear wall above the bumper) and looked at mounting it on the bike rack Basically the wheel hangs vertically from the carrier by a suitably bent 40mm x 4mm...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Yes im not planning to carry a bike so i may just remove all the rails and see if o can sit the wheel directly on to the aluminium rack

 

[Northernraider]

6" sq angle up off the towbar in towards the van.

6" 3mm steel bent to circumference of the wheel.

Weld two together and a ratchet strap round wheel.

Cheers James

My wee welder won't weld anything thicker than 2mm i dont think ....at least not that i would trust. Ill explore the bike rack option first and see how that goes

 

[mitzimad]

If you need to weld thicker grind a chamfer on both edges and run welds in layers

 

[Dutch 68]

The back has one window and a bike rack on it ...the top is fibreglass the bottom might be steel but ive no idea whats between that and the inner wall of the van so not sure if it would take the weight . Then theres the number plate etc to take in to account. View attachment 541321

I see you got a towbar, so by far the easiest to get a Thule bike carrier , they are very very good quality so you can take an old mountainbike and it will be easy to strap the spare wheel to it as well, job jobbed. The tow bar mounted bike rack from Thule are much stronger then the Fiamma rack, and you can leave that in situ too for your chairs….

 

[Northernraider]

I see you got a towbar, so by far the easiest to get a Thule bike carrier , they are very very good quality so you can take an old mountainbike and it will be easy to strap the spare wheel to it as well, job jobbed. The tow bar mounted bike rack from Thule are much stronger then the Fiamma rack, and you can leave that in situ too for your chairs….

I don't want to add anything else on the back as it increases the length . If i strip the bike rails of the bike carrier and the wheel can sit in the cradle then ill do that. I'll figure something out with it.

Not working now till Thursday so if the weather holds up ill hopefully make some progress this week ...i also need to spray over the primer on the vario before the rain comes. Too many jobs and not enough hands and hours lol.

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[mitzimad]

How long is the van ?

 

[Northernraider]

How long is the van ?

Now with bike carrier down 7.5m

 

[Northernraider]

Problem solved

 

[Mousy]

Tam, will you make a bed up permanently in your “winter” van? I was just wondering if putting in a bed mattress might be more comfortable than jigsaw cushions?

 

[jockaneezer]

What are those bits that look like hinges under the backlights ?

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