80 series L/C wheel carrier...my story.

Some years ago I bought a s/h OppLock rear wheel carrier which sat in the shed for years.
I finally found a small towbar install mob who put it on for me at a minimum cost. So, now I have 2 spares, one underneath and one on the back.The rear number plate had to be relocated, and a light wired to illuminate it. The lead for the light is a curly cord arrangement I wired as I was sick of undoing a connector when opening the back.
So, what were the practical effects?
Yes its slightly more difficult to access the barn doors, but that is far outweighed by the convenience when I have a flat tyre.
There was no extra fuel useage noticed on trips.
The OME springs didn't seem to sag, nor does the truck look down on one side.
Not having to get under the vehicle and retreive the spare when needed has given me peace of mind.
However,
I noticed a problem with the carrier after my last 12000K trip across the continent. It looked like the bearing(s) had collapsed inside the carrier. Took it to another small workshop who showed me the insides. These consisted of a hollow metal tube and a bearing. The tube had fractured, making the wheel carrier decidely wobbly.In no time at all they machined up a solid bit to replace the stuffed hollow tube.
Result, a cheap rear wheel carrier that will go the distance and pace. In all I'd be surprised if the thing cost me more than about $500. A far cry from todays prices.