Wheel loose on swing away carrier

Hi all,

Fitted my swing away wheel carrier last week and I cannot get the wheel hold firm?? If got the alloy wheel adaptors fitted but don't know what I'm doing wrong?

How tight did you fix the spare wheel on? Could be vibrating loose being in the air under it own weight.

saxavordian said:

How tight did you fix the spare wheel on? Could be vibrating loose being in the air under it own weight.

Click to expand...

It's never been driven yet. Not sure if I need to fit some sort of spacer as they are 18" alloys???

What does the wheel fix up against as you tighten the nuts?
The studs on my WH carrier are very long and you can adjust the position of the spare depending on the width of the tyre (for instance, a wheel fitted with a 7.50x16 can be mounted closer to the rear door than a wheel fitted with a 265/75x16).
On my carrier you first wind on a second set of wheel-nuts (steel wheel type) and then a large washer which acts as the back-plane for the hub to press against (these never need to be touched again unless you change the type of wheel / tyre). You then fit your spare and tighten the nuts, the wheel presses against the large washer and everything is held firmly in place.

I've put the steel wheel nuts on BUT I don't have any big washer?? That would work!! Do these come in a kit or something??

Following on from the above, I don't have a photo of my carrier without the spare fitted but I just found these two photos on the web and they show it perfectly. The washers on my carrier are much larger but the principle is the same.

Look at the first photo, the studs are long and there is nothing for the centre of the wheel to press up against and so you will just keep tightening the nuts until they either bottom out (leaving the wheel rattling) or the wheel presses against the carrier.
On the second photo a set of washers has been fitted (there is probably a nut behind each of those washers) and the rear of the hub presses against these as the wheel nuts are tightened holding the wheel firmly.
The set-up on the third photo is more sophisticated. The studs are shorter so no second nut / washer is required and the hub presses against the large plate.

Tip: As a precaution against theft I put a bike cable lock round carrier and wheel spoke. You have to remember to oil the lock now and again or you cant get it off when needed.

https://www.aldi.co.uk/laminated-pa...d-id=CBD2A55782B1DCA267ED0AC194C641EF0725AD9F

Think I've found what I need?

Depending on your carrier then that may well do the job.
Seems pricy for what is in effect just three large washers, luckily I have a workshop full of useful parts so sourcing large diameter washers with the correct centre-hole was not a problem.