Trail spare tire weight reduction

Steeprocker

Steeprocker

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Considering reducing the weight of my trail spare tire. Never had an issue with the 255/85r16 toyo mt. Just don’t want to give up the spare.
Current setup:
26 lbs Stock Moab rim 16”
61 lbs Toyo mt 255/85r16
87 lbs total

Option 1, swap spare to a AT tire
26 lbs stock Moab rim 16”
54 lbs Falken AT 255/85r16
80 lbs total. (-7lbs)

Option 2, drop to a 15” rim
18 lbs raven rim 15”
64 lbs toyo mt 33x10.5r15
82 lbs total. (-5lbs)

Option 3, drop to a 15” with a sxs tire
18 lbs raven rim 15”
48 lbs toyo sxs mt 33x9.5r15
66 lbs total. (-21 lbs)

Thoughts?
 
Less on spare is better. Hopefully never use; if you do not for long anyway.

Cost ?? Not worth a lot to save 20 lbs, don't think.
 
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I think the SxS tire would be a bad idea because if you need the spare on the trail, you may also need it to get to town or home. Not sure how that would hold up to the weight and heat? With the other two options you lose the ability to do a 5 tire rotation and for only a 5-7 lb weight loss.

You could consider a plug/patch kit and compressor or air tank. With products like glue tread and some others you may even be able to patch a sidewall if needed. That would be a much larger weight loss, but everything comes with a cost/risk.
 
I do a 5 tire rotation to stretch the time between tire purchases, and I've also had multiple occasions where I switched to the spare pre-emptively because for example, I saw a nail as I was preparing for a 1600 mile round trip to go wheeling, and since the spare matched I left the tire with a nail in it on the tailgate for 3 months until I could get it patched at my convenience. I wouldn't consider a <10lb savings to be at all worth losing that convenience...however the 20+ pounds is not insignificant so the SxS tire option is interesting.

I've literally not once looked into that...if the load capacity and speed rating is sufficient and all it lacks is some sort of government regulatory approval for highway use, then it could be worth considering.

What is your goal? Are you after offroad performance, reduced strain on the tailgate and hinges, or just easier handling for yourself?
 
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Steeprocker said:
Considering reducing the weight of my trail spare tire. Never had an issue with the 255/85r16 toyo mt. Just don’t want to give up the spare.
Current setup:
26 lbs Stock Moab rim 16”
61 lbs Toyo mt 255/85r16
87 lbs total

Option 1, swap spare to a AT tire
26 lbs stock Moab rim 16”
54 lbs Falken AT 255/85r16
80 lbs total. (-7lbs)

Option 2, drop to a 15” rim
18 lbs raven rim 15”
64 lbs toyo mt 33x10.5r15
82 lbs total. (-5lbs)

Option 3, drop to a 15” with a sxs tire
18 lbs raven rim 15”
48 lbs toyo sxs mt 33x9.5r15
66 lbs total. (-21 lbs)

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Given those options I don’t think it’s worth the effort. Moving the spare into the bed of the Jeep is worth the effort if that’s workable in your scenario. The issue isn’t just weight, it’s also the location of the weight.
 
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Something I need to do is get rid of my tire carrier bumper and move my spare back to my tailgate with reinforced hinges. I'm guessing that would save me 60-80 lbs.

-Mac
 
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JMT said:
Given those options I don’t think it’s worth the effort. Moving the spare into the bed of the Jeep is worth the effort if that’s workable in your scenario. The issue isn’t just weight, it’s also the location of the weight.
Click to expand...

Moving mine to the bed of my truck really helped ;)
 
To each their own...but I've had tire failures 8 hours from home. I wouldn't drive a vehicle with three 315s and one 255 down the freeway just to save 8 lbs. Or period. My ten cents...we live where wheeling involves freeway trips and a constant reminder that remember, you have to drive this home.

-Mac
 
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macleanflood said:
To each their own...but I've had tire failures 8 hours from home. I wouldn't drive a vehicle with three 315s and one 255 down the freeway just to save 8 lbs. Or period. My ten cents...we live where wheeling involves freeway trips and a constant reminder that remember, you have to drive this home.

-Mac
Click to expand...
X2, my thoughts too.
 
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macleanflood said:
To each their own...but I've had tire failures 8 hours from home. I wouldn't drive a vehicle with three 315s and one 255 down the freeway just to save 8 lbs. Or period. My ten cents...we live where wheeling involves freeway trips and a constant reminder that remember, you have to drive this home.

-Mac
Click to expand...

There is a 4% difference is tire diameter between the two sizes. 3-3.5% is generally considered acceptable. I am not worried about the additional 0.5% because (1) the tires on the ground are at 50% and the spare at 100%,, reducing the difference is tire diameters to closer to an acceptable 3.5%, and (2) odds are that the spare will age out before it ever hits the ground. Statistically, most tire failures can be addressed with a tire plug kit, further reducing the odds that the spare will ever need to be used.

Even if the spare must be put into use, the difference is diameter is not enough to worry about in the relatively short distance between the place of tire failure and the closest tire repair facility. There is seldom any need to drive 8 hours home at freeway speeds to find the closest place to get a tire fixed.

Also, my "skinny" spare is 16# lighter than the tires on the ground and being narrower sits tighter to the tailgate, thus even less weight cantilevered off the back.

But if you think a same-size spare is necessary to keep the sky from falling, by all means run your full size spare.
 
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LONGJP2 said:
A long time ago, my CJ had 33 x 9.5 x 15 tires.
Is there not anything close to that in a 16"?
Click to expand...

Funny you would mention 33x9.5-15 spares.

I ran that size BFG AT as a spare with my CJ which had 35x12.50-15 MT tires on the ground. I would have purchased that width for my LJ if they were still available, but couldn't find anything that skinny that would work,* which is how I ended up with 255/85R16 currently.

(* Interco has a skinny tire, but it is heavy, so I opted for the Maxxis instead because it is lighter and was considerably less expensive.)
 
Given the weights you posted, and the issue you're asking about...
I don't think i'd bother to even think further into it, and would just match my spare to my other tires.

We're looking at a difference of 14lb between your heaviest and your lightest option.
That's no more than the weight of a $20 grocery store trip in the back, so 'weight savings' is going to be almost PURELY placebo effect.

Not to mention, the peace of mind of having an ACTUAL wheel/tire for your vehicle, versus some rinky-dinky bandaid spare.

As a few others have said, get to a position where you NEED that spare and you'll be glad that it's a direct match of your other 3 wheels on the ground.

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Also, someone correct me if i'm wrong...
But if you ever upgrade to lockers/LSD/lunchbox of any sort, the undersized 'spare' could wreak some havoc on your drivetrain...?
 
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