Member Since: 13 Aug 2009
Location: Not London Anymore (or the US for that matter)
Posts: 1923
D4 MY 13 spare wheel winch cluster :censored:
Least any other D4 owner be left in the same predicament, you may wish to learn from my experience.
8 month old D4; flat tyre; drop the spare to change it using the unbelievably crappie hook and eye system that replaced the good old socket system on previous cars. The upshot was that the utterly rubbish hooked bar that joins the wheel brace rounded off leaving me unable to properly raise the spare wheel. It also left me - for a while at least - unable to disconnect the wheel brace from the hooked metal rod, given that it had rounded off and managed to become stuck in the hole on the wheel brace. In the end, and with a good hammering using the scissor jack, I managed to disconnect the brace.
Anyway, be warned: the new (not improved) system can leave you in a real fix by the side of the road.
Heaven knows why LR messed with the bolt head system. My car is not a yet one year old, has never had it's spare lowered, and failed on the first attempt at raising it. Well done the technical whizzes at Gaydon. Will be writing to LR tomorrow asking for a replacement wheel changing kit.PAGODA
13th Apr 2014 12:20 am
steveraspberry
Member Since: 18 Sep 2011
Location: Nr Sevenoaks,Kent
Posts: 2081
TBH I don't see the problem. I had to use both winches on mine and Alis' cars, both with the new hook and eye system to fit a couple of Uncle Rays wheel protectors. I had no problems with either personally and, as I'm sure you know, I have restricted mobility and hand function. If the system works fine for me with my limitations, could this possibly be something else fella? My17 Volvo XC90 Inscription
MY15 Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian
RGK Tiga Fx Wheelchair,
Large Alsation called Abbs
Medium blue Staffie called Piglet
Medium Alsation called Bailey
14th Apr 2014 7:22 pm
phl
Member Since: 07 Dec 2012
Location: Sydney
Posts: 111
The system is not ideal, but I've changed tyres in the middle of a track in the Vic High Country, as well as a normal road surface, and although not brilliant (with a loaded load area), it has worked.
An electric system would be nice though...
17th Apr 2014 3:40 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72794
Can the crappy new winch simply be replaced by the old style d4 hex head winch?
17th Apr 2014 6:28 am
DiscoJake
Member Since: 23 Aug 2013
Location: Hereford
Posts: 1429
phl wrote:
An electric system would be nice though...
Amen
At the price of the vehicle it should be electric in my opinion
17th Apr 2014 7:20 am
WillyEckerslike
Member Since: 22 Aug 2013
Location: Out in the world
Posts: 967
With the price of the vehicle, there should be a blow up butler in the glove box who leaps out and fixes your flat tyre for you!
17th Apr 2014 1:54 pm
mse
Member Since: 27 Jun 2005
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 2702
I can see the complaints at an electric one on here...especially when it fails Mike
17th Apr 2014 4:54 pm
pagoda
Member Since: 13 Aug 2009
Location: Not London Anymore (or the US for that matter)
Posts: 1923
steveraspberry wrote:
TBH I don't see the problem. I had to use both winches on mine and Alis' cars, both with the new hook and eye system to fit a couple of Uncle Rays wheel protectors. I had no problems with either personally and, as I'm sure you know, I have restricted mobility and hand function. If the system works fine for me with my limitations, could this possibly be something else fella?
SteveR and anyone else who's interested in trying to get LR to stop rodding us off with shoddy kit on an expensive car:
I am delighted for you that the tools provided with your car haven't failed. But to be perfectly clear, given that some learn harder than others, the rod with the slightly flattened/oval bit (don't know the correct term) that fits into the off-round (I'll keep making up phrases) shape on the wheel brace rounded off when winching up the wheel; ie, the wheel brace turned 90 degrees out of it's properly seated position, whilst the hooked rod didn't move. A cursory glance at the tool set will show even those with no idea of the principles of tools and tooling (like me) how this could easily happen. It is very mild steel, it seems. In my case, "it" happened before the ratchet clicked. So, I had an almost properly seated wheel, and a rounded off hooked bar stuck in my wheel brace that was a to remove. It's not hard to grasp the concept of how this could happen, Steve. It could not possibly happen on the last - and far better - design. My point is - very simply now - that the new design has a very clear flaw. I can assure all concerned that I was not using the tools for anything other than their intended purpose.
The good news, surprising only to a few it seems, is that LR happily gave me a new set of equally crappy tools, commenting that it isn't the first time it's happened.
Apparently they're looking at the design.
I bet they are. The old one was perfect. I wouldn't want an electric one. Ever.
Anyway, so what? Just be aware it can happen when ratcheting up the wheel. Even when done properly! PAGODA
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Will be writing to LR tomorrow asking for a replacement wheel changing kit.
to remove. It's not hard to grasp the concept of how this could happen, Steve. It could not possibly happen on the last - and far better - design. My point is - very simply now - that the new design has a very clear flaw. I can assure all concerned that I was not using the tools for anything other than their intended purpose.
