Discovery 1/2 Rear Door Table

I was driving Jeeps Cherokee and Grand Cherokee for over 15 years, There were 2 things that I always felt they are missing, rear door spare tire carrier and a… rear door table.

Buying a Land Rover Discovery 1 solved both issues (raised a lot of other ones, but that is for other posts 🙂 ). The Disco 1 comes with a rear door spare wheel carrier and it is very easy to add a “built in” table for it as well.

There are few ways to build the table, some people use the original door panel as the “wall” against the table and only connect hings and cables, I, on the other hand, decided to replace the original door panel (which was looking old) with a new Aluminium panel. I think it looks better and safer.

I made the panel and the table of 2mm Aluminium. First, I cut the panel, shaped as the original door one. Then, I cut another one, shaped like it as the table. Think of that, I would not do that again, instead, I would cut the table as a rectangle which will give a bigger table.

I added a cell under the table (as in the original panel), if you make one too, pay attention to the distance between the table and the cell lip, mine are pretty close and that is disturbing.

I used stainless steel wires to hold the table in place while open and a 5/16 nut to hold it in close position. I tried to avoid the nut, but it was rumbling without it.

Last thing, but most important, the fire extinguisher. It is a “must have” item in every car and particularly in an over lander/ off road one. You can never know when you will need it, but if/when you’ll do, you will want it near you and ready for fast action. I can tell that from my own experience, one of the stoves in our camping suddenly broke and with had flames for over 2 meters height, fast action with the fire extinguisher and it only ended with light burns on the hands.

Pictures of the table in my 1998 Discovery: