Hello! Log in or Register   |  Help  |  Donate  |  Buy Shirts See all banner ads | Advertise on TheSamba.com  
TheSamba.com
 
factory spare tire location storage space?
Page: 1, 2  Next
Forum Index -> Vanagon Share: Facebook Twitter
Reply to topic
Print View
Quick sort: Show newest posts on top | Show oldest posts on top View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Brianfromutah
Samba Member


Joined: May 30, 2012
Posts: 150
Location: Utah, Heber City
Brianfromutah is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 8:16 pm    Post subject: factory spare tire location storage space? Reply with quote

I was under my van today looking at the now empty spare tire area in the front of the van. (tire is on the back)

Seems like a waste of valuable space.

does anyone use this space to store something other than the tire?

Just curious what i could use the space for.
_________________
'89 Westy Syncro w/ '09 Subaru 2.5
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Classifieds Feedback
shadetreetim
Samba Member


Joined: January 10, 2011
Posts: 1994
Location: Riverside, California
shadetreetim is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 8:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been seriously considering water storage. I feel like I need to add some weight to the front to offset the spare and aux batteries being in the back.

I had also thought of bolting a couple of large ammo cans to the clamshell to hold seldom used items I think I need with me. Spare parts anyone?
_________________
Tim Potts

Doing my best every time I drive it to dispel the myth these Vanagons have to be slow!


'89 Vanagon Bluestar/Country Homes 1.8T & .77 4th
'74 Jeep CJ5
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Brianfromutah
Samba Member


Joined: May 30, 2012
Posts: 150
Location: Utah, Heber City
Brianfromutah is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 9:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i was thinking auxiliary batteries maybe? i wonder if hey would fit. maybe with a custom built tray or something...
_________________
'89 Westy Syncro w/ '09 Subaru 2.5
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Classifieds Feedback
Phishman068
Samba Member


Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1866
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
Phishman068 is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 10:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a skid plate there on my syncro, and strapped too the skid plate I keep 3 ammo cases. They're water tight, steel, and convenient. In one I keep "electrical Spares" which includes a few spools of wire, a soldering iron, countless connectors, relays, etc. It's gotten me out of a few jams. I could probably take the 10 feet of 4 gauge out though.... : )
In another I keep "Cooling System": Which includes a bunch of hose, a bunch of T's, a bunch of clamps, and a bunch of caps. The bostig cooling system is quite simple and doesn't have a bunch of location specific hoses, so i've got what I need to make repairs!
In the last one, I keep "Bostig Spares/Macguiver". Bostig spares means 1 spare spark plug wire (the longest), a set of plugs, and an exhaust hanger. You should see how many spares I have to carry in my waterboxer powered van...
: )
The "MAcguiver" section includes metal 'plumbers tape', an assortment of sheet metal screws, an assortment of metric bolts, nuts, and washers, Tape, Sealants, Additional Hose clamps, and a jar of salted peanuts (i get hungry sometimes when fixing...)

With these three bins, I've gotten out of plenty of jam, and yet they take up no interior space, and are there when I need them.
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559766&highlight=winter+rust
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482402&highlight=sunroof+syncro
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569774
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6864936#6864936

"Along with the ability to go fast, one looses the desire to hurry."
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address Gallery Classifieds Feedback
pnwkayaker
Samba Member


Joined: April 01, 2008
Posts: 918
Location: Sammamish, WA
pnwkayaker is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 11:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the description!

Do you have any pictures available of this setup? Also, how difficult is to access the ammo cases with a skid plate instead of the regular tire carrier?

I was thinking of using a 55 gallon barrel to create some sort of water tight container, never thought of using ammo cases.
_________________
87 Syncro Westy EJ25 ("Tardis")

Seattle Meetup at Marymoor (link)
A collection of Simple Useful Mods (SUM) (link)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
whynotvw
Samba Member


Joined: May 04, 2004
Posts: 1322

whynotvw is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 11:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I carry Solaire anywhere BBQ grill. Pelican case would be nice in there.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
70coupyel
Samba Member


Joined: September 06, 2006
Posts: 1657
Location: So.Cal
70coupyel is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 12:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

"Clamshell storage" search finds you all this good stuff:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/search.php?search_keywords=clamshell+storage&search_forum=20
_________________
TheAndante wrote:
Saying that specs are different than dimensions doesn't make sense. Porsche specs/VW specs/engineering specs are nothing but a series of dimensions,sizes,percentages,measurements, etc.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=338946&highlight=
70 KG Coup
83 Westy Waterboxer
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
whocanduncan
Samba Member


Joined: March 14, 2013
Posts: 4
Location: Austin, TX
whocanduncan is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 1:04 am    Post subject: factory spare tire location storage space? Reply with quote

Train Horns. Very Happy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Classifieds Feedback
moogster
Samba Member


Joined: December 07, 2004
Posts: 29
Location: united kingdom
moogster is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 2:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Our aircooled westy joker is converted to dual fuel petrol/lpg so we have a lpg tank fitted in place of the spare wheel.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Classifieds Feedback
ZanaEvyPapa
Samba Member


Joined: July 31, 2010
Posts: 255
Location: Gainesville, FL
ZanaEvyPapa is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 5:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Keep in mind, lots of folks consider the spare tire to be an integral part of the safety system for frontal collisions in that it absorbs and dissipates energy.
_________________
82 Diesel Westy
03 Jetta TDI
Gainesville, FL
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Classifieds Feedback
WM971252
Samba Member


Joined: September 10, 2004
Posts: 1781
Location: Franklin CT
WM971252 is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 6:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ZanaEvyPapa wrote:
Keep in mind, lots of folks consider the spare tire to be an integral part of the safety system for frontal collisions in that it absorbs and dissipates energy.


X2... VW liked to use spares in part of the collision protection.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website Gallery Classifieds Feedback
syncromike
Samba Member


Joined: November 14, 2011
Posts: 660
Location: Boise, ID
syncromike is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 7:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

WM971252 wrote:
ZanaEvyPapa wrote:
Keep in mind, lots of folks consider the spare tire to be an integral part of the safety system for frontal collisions in that it absorbs and dissipates energy.


X2... VW liked to use spares in part of the collision protection.


I've seen that posted before, but wouldn't a decent skid plate do the same? After all, factory 16" Syncros didn't ship with a spare there...
_________________
_____________________
'91 Syncro w/ Country Homes PopTop
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Facebook Twitter Instagram Classifieds Feedback
hans j
Samba Member


Joined: May 06, 2006
Posts: 2713
Location: Salt Lake City UT
hans j is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 8:32 am    Post subject: Re: factory spare tire location storage space? Reply with quote

whocanduncan wrote:
Train Horns. Very Happy


This is what's going in my skid plate, plus the air tank. Likely some spare parts that can get wet too.
_________________
1986 Canadian Syncro Westy TDI - 1989 Syncro Single Cab - 2001 Audi S4 - 1981 VW Caddy ABA - 1980 VW Caddy EV - 1973 VW T-181
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Syncronoid
Samba Member


Joined: January 21, 2012
Posts: 1110
Location: Stanford, CA and Bend, OR
Syncronoid is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 8:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Spare parts and tools in a water-tight, lockable (to the skid plate) container is my plan. I gotta' get on that.
_________________
'90 Syncro Westy w/GW2.5L
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
danfromsyr
Samba Member


Joined: March 01, 2004
Posts: 15129
Location: Syracuse, NY
danfromsyr is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 9:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

WINCH Exclamation
_________________
Abscate wrote:
These are the reasons we have words like “wanker”
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Gallery Classifieds Feedback
kbeefy
Samba Member


Joined: March 10, 2006
Posts: 600
Location: Central Oregon
kbeefy is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 11:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a gowesty skidplate with a small gas jug strapped to it for fuel for my heater (diesel/kerosene). I'd love to stuff some batteries in there, but it doesn't look large enough for the golf cart 6 volters I have in my trailer. This summer I'll look into either redesigning the skidplate with a hinge, or building a new one with more room above it.
_________________
86 syncro CHC, NorthWesty subbie 2.5, decoupler, locker, custom interior, 225/75r16 Duratrack's on CLK's, Toyo cabin heater, ARB fridge, 300w Zamp Solar, Gowesty bumpers/skid/rails, Fiama awning

'86 Syncro Westy. Stock for now.

2000 F350 7.3 CC LB 11' Northland Cabover

2006 Subbie OBXT

2002 Tacoma DoubleCab 4x4

1969 Mustang Basket Case 351c/FMX/9

http://kbeefy.blogspot.com/
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Phishman068
Samba Member


Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1866
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
Phishman068 is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Mar 15, 2013 6:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

No, i do not have any pictures of this setup. However, They fit fine and access is acceptable. Obviously if I need to get to them, it means laying on my back, but the idea is that this is where I keep parts I don't use much. They're held in place with a set of ratchet straps and have a safety cable/pad-lock running through them all.

Hinging the skidplate makes for a much less effective skidplate, but more efficient storage place. Hmmm...
This space is too small to fit any reasonable batteries, and if you really take your bus through the rough stuff (why else do you have big tires?) you certainly don't want exposed electrical connections sitting around down there.

As stated, VW made and sold thousands of vanagons without a front spare tire, so they couldn't have thought it to be too big a safety liability.
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559766&highlight=winter+rust
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482402&highlight=sunroof+syncro
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569774
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6864936#6864936

"Along with the ability to go fast, one looses the desire to hurry."
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address Gallery Classifieds Feedback
tencentlife
Samba Member


Joined: May 02, 2006
Posts: 10067
Location: Abiquiu, NM, USA
tencentlife is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Mar 15, 2013 9:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
As stated, VW made and sold thousands of vanagons without a front spare tire, so they couldn't have thought it to be too big a safety liability.


Not in the US market.

Quote:
After all, factory 16" Syncros didn't ship with a spare there...


16's also weren't marketed in the US.

US DOT and EPA standards were overall considerably more stringent in the years that Vanagons were imported here, it was later that the EU and GB caught up to us in both safety and emissions requirements. You will see many features incorporated into US vehicles from the 70's thru the 80's that were not required for the same class of vehicles in the European markets at the same time. The spare tire is without question considered part of the forward crash structure.

That said, it is not as if the van is unsafe in a forward impact without a spare there, it's still a bomber structure there, but it has even more energy-dissipating capability with a tire in place, and you can bet the bank that the manufacturer evaluated it as such. They also undoubtedly considered the relative degradation of protection offered when the spare is omitted, and when the inflated spare is replaced with an uninflated, damaged tire, because that's why the vehicle carries a spare in the first place.

Quote:
WINCH


Mine is already there, since wheel/tire combo is much too big. And there's a lot of room left behind the winch.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=495322

Quote:
i was thinking auxiliary batteries maybe? i wonder if hey would fit. maybe with a custom built tray or something...


I'm about to build a hinged belly-plate to enclose the area. I considered mounting my new, larger aux. battery there, but the deal-breaker there is temperature. The regulator in the engine bay results in chronic undercharge of batteries in the cabin due to the higher engine bay temp. With the new battery I am adding a brush set with remote voltage regulator to the alternator, so the regulator can be inside the cabin and sense cabin temp to adjust the charge voltage point, so to benefit from that change both my batteries need to be inside the cabin.

http://www.davebarton.com/AdjustableVoltage.html


So that leaves me considering storage for spare parts, but I carry very few. A compressor and small air tank is a candidate, or maybe a tank for water or extra fuel.
_________________
Shop for unique Vanagon accessories at the Vanistan shop:
https://intrepidoverland.com/vanistan/

Please don't PM here, I will not reply.

Experience is kryptonite to doctrine.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Gallery Classifieds Feedback
otiswesty
Samba Member


Joined: November 21, 2006
Posts: 1729
Location: Portland
otiswesty is offline 

PostPosted: Sun Feb 09, 2014 8:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Second spare for a really bad day in the back country. It can be stock sized and still run for short distances.
_________________
1978 Sage Green P22 Westfalia
1989 T3 Syncro Single cab

Just a regular guy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
indytriple
Samba Member


Joined: April 27, 2009
Posts: 710
Location: Brownsburg, Indiana
indytriple is offline 

PostPosted: Mon Dec 29, 2014 8:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I put the following things in my 15" steel spare:

-1 Gallon Coolant
-1 Quart Engine Oil
-1 Quart ATF
-ATF Funnel
-12 Shop Rags

It doesn't show in this picture, but everything is placed within a heavy duty trash bag before being stowed away to keep everything clean, and to contain any potential leaks of fluids.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

_________________
"See The Glass As Already Broken."

87 Vanagon Westy Auto Bostig

www.bluegrassbicyclecompany.com
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Classifieds Feedback
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Forum Index -> Vanagon All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time
Page: 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

About | Help! | Advertise | Donate | Premium Membership | Privacy/Terms of Use | Contact Us | Site Map
Copyright © 1996-2023, Everett Barnes. All Rights Reserved.
Not affiliated with or sponsored by Volkswagen of America | Forum powered by phpBB
Links to eBay or other vendor sites may be affiliate links where the site receives compensation.