It would be easier to show you what I did by send pics, but here's the
way I ended up doing the mod on my van, FWIW. This mod drops the
clamshell about 1.5-2 inches in the back to let the tire rest on the
cross-member and keeps the clamshell from hitting the frame while
opening or closing. Taking out the 2 spring-bars allows more room above
and removing some of the frame gives enough room side to side to keep
the steering shaft from binding.

In a nut shell, after removing the clamshell, I sawed off the rear of
the clamshell beyond the hinges with a sawsall and metal blade, rounded
the rough edges, made 4 lowering brackets, removed the upper tire
spring-bars, sawed off the passenger-side frame in an arc, rounded that
rough edge, bolted the brackets to the fixed hinge on the frame, bolted
the other end of the brackets to the clamshell hinge, cut a 12-18" long
plastic split-loom with some grease inside to slide over the steering
shaft to keep the tire from rubbing (works great). A little underbody
spray on the frame metal and you should be ready to shoe-horn that tire
into it's new home.

This is by no means a perfect solution, but it does do the job. I am
able to store a Michelin LTX LT215/75/R15 on a Rhein wheel

Email me next week if you want pics.

Keith O.
90 Westy Syncro

On Jun 22, 2006, at 5:26 PM, Automatic digest processor wrote:

> Date:    Thu, 22 Jun 2006 13:04:05 -0700
> From:    Jeffrey Tschumperlin <jkt.register@GMAIL.COM>
> Subject: Clam shell mod for 15" whell
>
> OK, so Bob did this and wonder what the details are to do this.
> Currently
> have my spare on the rear rack hanging from hatch.  For obvious
> reasons I'd
> like to get it off of here and up front.  Can someone give me the
> details as
> to how to modify the clam shell to accomodate.  Do you need to stow it
> flat?
>
> Thanks,
> JT