What is some of y’all’s opinions on having or not having the spare tire mounted on the back? I’m curious if people like taking the spare off or not
Spare tire or not?
- Thread starter Jharr_02
- Start date
Well let's put it this way: If you plan to do any off-roading, then you'd be stupid to remove the spare tire.
If all you plan to do is drive your Jeep on-road, then removing it would do no harm in my eyes.
Personally I think Wranglers look silly without spare tires.
If all you plan to do is drive your Jeep on-road, then removing it would do no harm in my eyes.
Personally I think Wranglers look silly without spare tires.
I've got one for the simple reason, I need something for the AAA guy to put on if I have a flat.
89grand
TJ Addict
I don't have one. I get the reason to have one, but what if you get two flats? There is a good chance you won't get a flat at all, I never have, I do carry a tire repair kit though and have on board air, but there is no guarantee you will only get one flat.
It seems everyone assumes if you will get a flat, it will only be one.
It's really nice not have a huge heavy spare on the back, and blocking part of my vision.
It seems everyone assumes if you will get a flat, it will only be one.
It's really nice not have a huge heavy spare on the back, and blocking part of my vision.
My spare is a large can of fix a flat, a 12v compressor, and a plug kit. I've not changed a flat in 40 years. I do throw a spare in the back if I know I'm going to be in bad stuff though. I also have a good support group that can bring me a tire if needed, or me carry one to them.
I've never really thought about more than one flat at the same time. I've had a lot of flat tires in my lifetime, I've never had two at the same time. Hmmm...I guess if you don't wheel alone, and had 2 flats, someone could loan you their spare in addition to your own. Of course, what if you have three. Or four. I think I'll keep my spare with me.
They are also physically better balanced without the weight behind the axle and there comes a point where a big spare just gets in the way.
89grand
TJ Addict
That was my point earlier. If you're on a trail tough enough to rip open side walls, who's to say one spare is enough. If you get a standard flat, one can use a tire repair kit. I carry a repair kit and have on board air. If the trail was so rough I had a good chance of shredding a side wall, and did, and had one spare, I'd replace the tire and do a u turn back home.
My Jeep feels a lot lighter on it's toes without a 90+ pound tire back there. It's also really nice to open the tail gate with nothing on it, and the greater visibility without it there.
It's a personal choice though. Nothing wrong with running a spare at all, I just made the decision not to.
Mumblewood
TJ Enthusiast
I run one but have never needed it, I have built a couple carriers for it, one sits in the tub above the rear wheel wells and the one I’m currently running The tire sits on the bumper with the carrier attached to the roll cage and sits a little inside the tub with no tailgate essentially becoming the tailgate. It’s also a little small at 36” whereas I run 37”s. Not ideal but will work in a pinch. The only time I don’t run one is when I’m the dunes to keep the weight as low as possible, and sometimes on a deep snow run, but that always makes me nervous.
They spare also makes a great place to set your beer! Or hang onto if you had to many beers!
Driving on road local, spare is removed with the knowledge that I may need to have a friend bring my tire. Off road, 35” spare is always in the back as I don’t run a back seat.
After my spare got hung up on a few ledges during a recent Moab trip I relocated it to inside the tub.
As far as needing a spare, in the last 30 plus years I have only ever needed a spare on one wheeling trip, we were lost, midnight, Winter run, all the jeeps were extremely low on fuel and I decided to puncture a sidewall on two different tires less than twenty minutes apart.
As far as needing a spare, in the last 30 plus years I have only ever needed a spare on one wheeling trip, we were lost, midnight, Winter run, all the jeeps were extremely low on fuel and I decided to puncture a sidewall on two different tires less than twenty minutes apart.
Similar threads
