SPARE TIRE Inside Your Wrangler

wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Obviously, it's a thing and all the cool kids do it but am I really the only one out there who finds taking the spare off the tailgate to be completely unnecessary? I mean sure, I'm a mall crawler and don't have a clue about anything but am I really so crazy to not want to take up what precious little room I have inside my Wrangler by purposefully putting a big ass spare in it?

On a somewhat regular basis, I get guys asking me what "my thoughts" are on this and I thought I'd pose that question to all of you. Not trying to be factious here but rather, just looking for an honest discussion. Maybe even have some of you change my mind about it :)
 
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WJCO

WJCO

Meme King
I think it is really cool looking if done correctly with proper fabrication. But practically it makes no sense. Wranglers have limited cargo space as is and putting a tire there uses up almost all of it. If you're prepared and carry necessary tools, where are you going to put them now? If you're camping, where's your gear going to go.

Spare stays on the back for me.
 
Jwarden121

Jwarden121

New member
I noticed in a video yall did a while back with Bubba from Exodus he had the spare tire in the back, but then accidently backed into a tree and busted his back window out. I think its better on there for protection in the back, and frees up cargo space. A reinforced tailgate bracket cant cost that much more than a new back window.
 
bobfriesenhahn

bobfriesenhahn

Hooked
Jwarden121 said:
I noticed in a video yall did a while back with Bubba from Exodus he had the spare tire in the back, but then accidently backed into a tree and busted his back window out. I think its better on there for protection in the back, and frees up cargo space. A reinforced tailgate bracket cant cost that much more than a new back window.
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Mopar charges an arm and a leg for their tailgate reinforcement. And the lead time can be long.
 
2013rubirick

2013rubirick

Hooked
I’m not a fan of tires inside the jeep. We are very limited on space as it is and a 40” tire takes up all of it lol. I carry everything I need so I don’t have to depend on anyone else so I’m out of room as it is. Especially when I put 3 kids in the back seat!
 
wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
WJCO said:
I think it is really cool looking if done correctly with proper fabrication. But practically it makes no sense. Wranglers have limited cargo space as is and putting a tire there uses up almost all of it. If you're prepared and carry necessary tools, where are you going to put them now? If you're camping, where's your gear going to go.

Spare stays on the back for me.
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Oh yeah, no denying that it can "look" cool.
 
DirtHeadDavis

DirtHeadDavis

Hooked
Agree with everyone here and it being a classic Jeep trait especially, the spare belongs on the back. On top of taking up all your cargo space - I don't know if you guys have had to transport new tires in your rig before - but man the smell of fresh rubber is intoxicating! Lol. Ain't no way in hell I'd run a spare inside unless it was designed to do so such as in an XJ. Plus it looks very odd when the back end of a Wrangler (when equipped with a factory hard or soft top especially) is missing one.

I have seen some cool fabbed up trophy truck-esque mounts for them such as EVO-1 for example however.
EVO-1.jpg
 
Bear_JT

Bear_JT

Hooked
I agree with the others as well. For me, it is more practical mounted out back and not inside. Space is too precious and my family and I don’t want to be smelling a tire inside all the time. Plus it just doesn’t look right to me without a tire on the back.
 
jeeeep

jeeeep

Hooked
I think too many have bought into the "tailgate explosion" if you carry an oversized tire on the OEM carrier or aftermarket carrier.

I've also heard guys say they're saving weight on the tailgate to gain a little more clearance... umm.. you just moved the weight and it's still over the rear axle...yeah, logic lol

Mostly I think the larger the tire, the harder it is to lift onto the carrier of a lifted Jeep so they go with the "cool" carrier delete.

Those that don't carry a spare, "No, you cannot borrow my spare"

I've tossed a flat in the back instead of the carrier and was glad the Jeep was empty but not as a FT option

Keep it on the outside (y)
 
bobfriesenhahn

bobfriesenhahn

Hooked
DirtHeadDavis said:
Lol, while it's good to have one ALONGSIDE a full size spare, those guys swear by their tire repair kits.
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True overlanders (such as found in the remote deserts of Australia or Africa, but not in this forum) carry two spare tires and lots of tire repair kit. They may repair/plug tires three or four times on a bad day. The spare tires are for when a tire becomes ruined beyond repair.
 
JAGS

JAGS

Hooked
I don’t see how you could do some of the trips we’ve done/will do and have a spare in the cargo area. I guess maybe like Adam said, if you are only ever by yourself. But even still, with any amount of tools, parts, clothing, etc, not seeing the practicality of it.
 
U

Undertheradar

Caught the Bug
I take mine off completely for Sand Hollow or other trails where we will do a lot of steep verticals. Running a 42” tire that high and far back on those trails makes you way too light up front. Rubicon, Fordyce, Moab type stuff, I leave it on, it’s not a big deal.
 
CalSgt

CalSgt

Hooked
jeeeep said:
Those that don't carry a spare, "No, you cannot borrow my spare"
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wayoflife said:
For the love of god, the "no spare" guys are a different breed altogether.
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You guys beat me to it... I've seen way more "No spare" people than I have noticed with a spare in the back.

What are the odds of being able to get back on the road if you have a flat on a 37" tire and have no spare, especially on the highway or away from home. They're more common than they used to be, but my local tire shops don't stock 37's except for occasionally. You'd have to borrow a spare from another lifted jeep (good luck with that) or call for a roll back tow truck.
 
wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
CalSgt said:
You guys beat me to it... I've seen way more "No spare" people than I have noticed with a spare in the back.

What are the odds of being able to get back on the road if you have a flat on a 37" tire and have no spare, especially on the highway or away from home. They're more common than they used to be, but my local tire shops don't stock 37's except for occasionally. You'd have to borrow a spare from another lifted jeep (good luck with that) or call for a roll back tow truck.
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Yup and what's really annoying are the guys who run 1-tons and tires bigger than 37's and do this. Of course, they're also the ones who trailer their rigs to a trailhead and go on and on about how they can just tow their rig home if something goes wrong. Problem is, when they lose a tire, it's out on the fricken trail and unless all their friends have 8-lug, it's near impossible to find a spare that'll work, even if it's smaller.
 
wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
DirtHeadDavis said:
Lol, while it's good to have one ALONGSIDE a full size spare, those guys swear by their tire repair kits.
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My brother-in-law drives a Subaru and actually gets out there and explores. Of course, he's a tree hugger and has one that's all electric. Not too long ago, he blew out a sidewall exploring pretty deep in Nevada and when he went to change out his tire, all he found was a can of fix-a-flat and an air compressor 🤪

Fortunately, a more capable rig from a near by ranch just happened to run into him and saved his ass.
 
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