I don't know how much modding it would be but I recall a Chevy of some sort with a cable mount electric lift operated with a key. Unfortunately I cant remember what model was but I'm sure someone might know. I have seen one like it operate and it was nice and smooth. Just a thought though.

 

I like the hood-mount idea. Now you just need to figure out how to raise the hood without removing the spare.

 

You just need to get one of those $50 winches from Harbor Freight, they're rated to something like 3000lbs, should lift a tire no problem. Serously though just find a spare tire lift for a Yota they work really good all the time and you never have to lube them.

 

As firm as my truck rides if I mounted my spare tire on the hood within a few miles it would be in the engine compartment with the hood wrapped around it.
I do believe the Land Rover tire is quite a bit lighter than ours.

If you do get one off from a lighter duty truck be sure it can handle the weight of our rim and tire with a decent safety margin.

I have seen them come loose from pickup trucks on the freeway and it usually wedges itself under the bumper with the rear end of the truck bouncing wildly in the air, before it becomes a road hazard for the people behind it.

I see people driving down the freeway with them dangling by the cable waiting for it to dislodge from the plate or to snap the cable.

After it is raised into position I would want a threaded rod into the cross member so you could secure it to the frame.
A runaway tire can kill someone, it happens all the time.
Jim

 

Yeah my thought is to be able to raise and lower the tire without killin myself. I am with you on the tire comin loose thing. My intention was to use the original steel bracket to secure the thing once it up there. I'm not 20 years old anymore and workin with that mount will be a pain in the butt.

 

Just install a tilt front clip.

 

I installed a hydraulic lift gate (junk yard find) and relocated my spare to the side of my rack, 2 nuts and a padplck hold it in place. Sits just outside the rack, drivers side, been there for the past 10 years, no problems, no blindspot.
bob 92

 

arggg server hickup and I get to retype this....

Somebody here or on TDR a few years back made a simple hinged carrier. Had two pivots on the frame and pinned up to a bracket he put on the reciever hitch. Tire sat in it then you flipped it up into place. I was thinking about it again over the weekend while putting in the goose hitch.

Andy