As a newbie who likes to head into the mountains solo (not on difficult trails) I like the security blanket feeling I get from having that spare back there.
Yeah. If you're not setup with some kind of air pressure source, and a spare repair kit, then a spare is the way to go. Tire repair kits are cheaper than new tires, and even with an air compressor, the system is probably still less expensive replacing a tire. That said, repair takes time in the field. But, plus side, the repair doesn't need additional repair once you're back in civilization. Just from the rear view consideration not carrying a spare is a gain.
This is anecdotal, but 6 years ago in the deserts trails of West Texas I lost two tires in one day to shale that ripped through the sidewalls on some very expensive 35" AT tires. I got out by cutting one sidewall for a patch on the lesser damaged tire and using some machine screws I had, plus the rubber cement from my plug kit and had a temporary patch that got me to a highway, where I call for roadside assistance from my insurance plan. I carry heavy duty large patches now to temp fix a slashed tire sidewall.
Bottom line: you ARE less prepared without a spare. It is a choice. It is a compromise. Know what you are compromising, what ever you choose. Driving a trail repaired tire on the highway is not recommendable. IMHO a spare delete is usually due to the previous choice of enormous tires, which are a choice more than a necessity. It is a choice to specialize, opposed to generalize. It may be "better" for a few things, but generally less broadly useful. Again, "a choice."
Grew up on a ranch and my dad rarely had a spare in his pickups. 90% of the time it wasn't a big deal, even before the age of cell phone coverage. But the 10% lead me to ALWAYS have a full size spare in my vehicles with the tools to change a tire.
I've had fix a flat work once when it was my only option. Out of town and after hours at any tire shop I picked up a inch and a half self tapper. Actually pulled the screw and installed a plug which made it worse. Then went back and bought the gew and a 12v charger. Used the whole bottle and filled it up. Leaving it parked with the hole on the bottom over night. Was good in the morning and actually lasted about 6 months before starting to leak again. I'd never travel without a spare, its way more than just a tire as a tool, or any of my other tools I carry. Definitely saved thousands in towing and I can help others in need.
I’m a firm believer in having a spare tire, if for no other reason than the expediency and confidence of knowing I have another “out.” I had an ‘88 Subaru wagon in the early 2000’s that had narrow 185 section all seasons that I tore on a “mild” high clearance road to see the racetrack rocks in Death Valley. I’m sure glad I had the even narrower 165 section spare stored *in the engine bay.* As heat soaked and dry that thing was, it got me back out to the pavement for AAA. I’ve had probably another 3-4 incidents involving tires in remote situations since then, but the longest repair was finding a flat tire in on the hybrid we have parked on the driveway-with no spare.
At 62 years old, I grew up with the rule of: "It's better to have it, and not need it, than to need it, and not have it." I have a 2018 jl unlimited sport s. I've built it up over the years and have always carried a spare. Yes, tire technology has grown considerably, and there are numerous tire repair kits out there as well, but nothing can replace the security of knowing you have a full- size spare when you really need one.
Having cut 6”+ holes in more side walls than I would like to think about…. I would never not carry a spare. Another perspective for those who run 37”+ tires, the more you get away from large cities, the fewer tire shops are going to have a tire in stock for you to get home. Spare tire, patch kit, and bailing wire on every trip….
I like the spare on my Rubicon for safety reasons. I was rear-ended hard a year or so ago and I got out of the Jeep expecting the back end to be in really bad shape. To my surprise, the only damage was one small scratch on the rear wheel itself, it was really small and I'm very picky. We exchanged information because this happened at night and I wanted to go home and have a chance to look at the Jeep close after I got it into my well lit garage. I took the rear wheel off, checked all of the bumper gaps looked over ever inch of the vehicle and it was just fine. I told the girl that hit me to keep me out of her claim because my Jeep wasn't damaged, her car was undrivable, it just happen to be the perfect height so it did no damage to my Jeep.
Also a good reason to always have a tow hitch receiver, one more thing that extends out from the frame of the vehicle to protect in getting rear ended.
Tires are at the top of our list of equipment failures that would prohibit getting off trail. Secondly, having just purchased 5 40s, we now have increased the potential service life of the tires by ~25% by rotating them regularly.
I run a spare. Ive needed it multiple times off road and on. I’ve seen folks flat two tires at once. I also carry OBA and a full repair kit. But you do you. 👍🏻
I carry a spare. But, it depends on where I am and what the issue is whether I replace, or repair a flat tire. If nothing else, including your spare in your tire rotation schedule basically adds 20% more life to your tires. Also, I run a 1953 Dodge M37CDN with Michelin XML military tires on Canadian Military LAV Hutchinson beadlock rims, so there is the pro of having easy access to the inner tire carcass, but also the con of a lot of weight in the rim/tire combo. I'm kinda an old fart, so the way I looked at it was to have many options in order to go with the easiest one in a given situation. Just my 2 cents, before taxes and inflation.
A good part of my off-roading in my FJ is in Lava fields and/or mountainous areas with lots of sharp rocks. It’s all remote off-roading requiring self-sufficiency. My main solution to this is the BF Goodrich KO2s. While I probably should carry a full spare in the matching KO2, for now I just ensure they are well maintained (rotated, inspected and replaced), while carrying one of the car’s original stock tires on the rear door mount, which is a significantly less robust Dunlop Grand Trek tire. So far the KO2s have been the best of all worlds, and I have not faced any issues.
I am on my second set of BFG Ko2 tires on my Taco. I have a matching rim with a full size 33" spare locked under my canopy in the bed of my truck. I had Cooper MT tires before my 1st set of Ko2 and I love these tires alot more. They work excellent where I live on the SE side of Mt. Hood we get 1-2 feet of snow every year. The trails on the mountain are less than 5 min from my house as well so yea lots of fun with the BFG Ko2.
As yet another suggestion: Working in the Automotive Service industry for over 25 years, it's a no-brainer that *Aluminum* rims are *much* heavier than their steel counterparts. If you are to carry a spare, please avoid feeling you *need to* have your spare assembly match your existing rims and consider the weight savings of a steel rim mounted with a tire of the same height. Functionality vs. Trailer-Queen will save that wear and tear, as well as fuel mileage and overall vehicle performance.
My aluminum wheels are lighter than my steel spare. Better advice is to check the weight of the wheels when shopping for them, spare included. I bought the steel spare because it was cheaper.
No way I would go without a spare. I tried it once and we didn't like not having it. Having the spare doesn't bother us at all. I have the smittybilt tub mounted for my 35. it sits really low on there and close to the body of the Jeep. The 35 is no higher than the oringal tire. I also removed the rear tail light and added a rugged ridge bracket to my spare to hold the backup camera and 3rd brake light.
I use the Rig-d ultra swing for my 40" spare. The biggest problem with the Rig-d is getting the tire on and off of the the Rig-d. I carry a DIY hoist with boat wench so I can change a tire by myself if necessary. But my first option is always a field repair.
I carry my spare on a Wilco Offset swingout. I prefer the plug any flats on the truck, sidewall damage is the time I would use a spare tire. The sidewall repair I've seen are for low PSI, may get you off the trail but not for hiway use.
Total weight and GVM is becoming an increasing issue for a lot of people, so I totally get wanting to trim your kit to only what you expect to use. I’ve been on E rated BFG KO2s since 2015 and haven’t had a flat tire in all that time (though I’ve found nails and screws in the blocks occasionally). I can easily see the case for dropping my spare tire to save that 80 or 90 lbs given that I’ve never needed it on these tires. However, that’d be like saying “I haven’t been in an accident in 10 years, so I don’t really need insurance.” The way I see it, your kit has two different categories - stuff you expect to use (stove, sleeping bag, etc.) and stuff you hope you don’t need but want to have in case you do (things like insurance, a spare, a winch, and recovery gear). Your personal tolerance for failure determines how much of that 2nd category you need to bring. If you can’t patch a flat, are you with other rigs that can drive you back to town to get the tire replaced or are you going to have to walk for several hours just to get cell phone service to call someone? Will not having one (during your preferred off-roading activity/style) be a minor inconvenience or a major issue taking up hours of your time? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to whether or not you need to carry a spare.
I have a 2010 JKU with a rampage trail view top with tonneaux cover that exposes the roll cage. I installed my tire in a slant back configuration on the roll cage with angle iron running horizontally between driver and passenger side roll cage, bolting a heavy duty tire carrier bracket in the center of it and reinforcing structural integrity with 1/8 thick U channel steel vertically between the two horizontal L brackets. Its solid mounted for any terrain, makes it easier to access since you can now open the tailgate and step on bumper to access it. Also visibility is not an issue since i mounted a 1080p rear view mirror/camera with a wider angle, than looking out rear window. Hope this may help fuel some ideas for some. What i wanted is to put the weight over rear tires since i am running 38’s, but also eliminate swinging a 200lbs tailgate tire carrier open when i’m on steep embankments with not a lot of room to work. Last thing i want is the jeep, tearing the terrain on a cliff because my tailgate is open and adding all the weight to the right. Hope you guys like. Try it! Works like a dream! Leave me a message if you want pics. Thanks.
Usually not mentioned is the spare should be exactly the same diameter as the other tires. Doesn't have to be the same tire, width or rim size. I run 31"s and have a 31"x8" commercial van road tire that's a genuine 6 ply on a big rim so the tire weight is low so it's easily handled, and doesn't stress the stock rear gate carrier. Used it twice, broken valve stem and a sidewall puncture where I couldn't fix my tire with my repair kit. Oh, I almost forgot to explain why *all four tires* on a Wrangler have to be the same diameter. In 4WD the transfer case delivers the same driveline shaft RPM to the front and rear differentials so if you have different sized tires front and rear, like 31"s on the front and 33"s on the back you'll grenade the transfer case as it loads up. Same with tires on a common axle, if they're different diameters they'll spin the differential continuously, burn up the clutch packs on an LSD quickly and fail prematurely. Agreed, in sand and slippery low speed conditions the drivelines and axles can stay relaxed because of tire slip but at speed on pavement or hard rock better have all the same sized tires.
I really like the idea of having the skill to patch a catastrophic failure in the field. I’m going to look for your tube selection video. Thanks a lot.
Driving a Wrangler (a Rubi) as an everyday vehicle, I can definitely say that the rear view with spare leaves a lot to be wished for. Since mine is a 2016 it has no backup camera which would help. Considering what you said about modern tires I can agree in many ways. Spares are far less necessary than they used to be. But even in the city there is frequently some chump that thinks putting a nail in your sidewall is "fun."
I used to be a tow truck operator… I cannot tell you how many times, I’ve seen and towed ppl who had gotten 2 or even 3 flat tires!!! But that was city driving… 🤣☺️
Just trying to get into off roading, but it seems like a good portion of the disadvantages mentioned could be mitigated by just carrying the tire itself. Having on board air seems like a must regardless, so it's just a matter of remounting. Makes it lighter, plus frees up the middle to store tools or whatever.
I had a 10 year old spare tire and got a big gash in my tire swapped it out drove about 20 miles home made it safely 😅 so totally worth it in the middle of the night.
My mustang didn't come with a spare which I thought was insane. But years later, I've never needed one and just imagine the amount of weight I would have carried around over all those thousands of miles for virtually no reason.
I have not done anything for my Tacoma yet. I am sort of waiting for Apogee to release the BSD compatible rear bumper with the tire carrier (R&D was sidelined due to covid restrictions and limitations). For my old ranger, I made a vertical bed mount that attached to the bed side (similar to the generic type sold everywhere), but I gave it to a friend when I changed tire size and stopped carrying a spare tire. I did have a tubeless tire repair kit as well as slime in my ranger. I DO believe in carrying a spare, particularly on long trail rides, though if I had a dedicated off road truck/jeep, whether I put a spare on it or not would depend on how I used it. For my Tacoma, it is my plan after I can get a lift kit (2.5-3") to get a set of 8: 33" tires as I also plan on building a flatbed utility trailer into an "overlanding trailer" that uses matching wheels/tires. The trailer will have two spare tire mounts on a swing out frame, and will have a spare tire for the trailer, as well as relocating the trucks spare to the trailer. I tend to follow the aussie's lead when off roading. While we are not as likely to wind up hundreds of miles from the nearest town here in the states, we do have plenty of rocks that can destroy multiple tires on a longer trip.
I think the quality of the tire and it's sidewall matters a lot when considering to ditch the spare. Also how worn down do you let your tires get. I've always carried a spare, but have never had a problem in the dirt/rocks/etc, even after picking up nails in my sidewalls or taking deer hits (Montana Life). I've mainly only ran Coopers though, that sidewall on the ST Maxx and Pros is no joke.
I have a gladiator that I carry a 37” spare underneath, it’s a bfg km2 and it fits… barely, yea it’s heavy but it’s out of the way and it helps with weight on that end of the vehicle. I travel upwards to 700 miles one way for work and I like having the security that it’s there even though I carry a plug kit and I have 24 hour roadside. As for offroad in the Rockies, i wouldn’t have to have it due to not being solo and being with friends but since it’s out of the way… I’m glad it’s there.
I feel better(especially on the trails) having a spare tire on hand just in case. I put the Rugged Ridge HD tire carrier on my JK to hold the spare 35.
There was a short time when I was in between rear bumpers I ran without a spare. 90% of my driving was city driving and didn't worry. But, the times I was up in the mountains...it was hard to not think about the "what if" situations.
I really love my Excessive Industries Gatekeeper on my TJR. It's so adjustable--I went from a 35 to a 37 to a 40, and could fine tune where I wanted the tire. You can mount things to the accessory plates to help with storage. I like that it serves as a roll cage to my fuel cell, too, which fits so perfectly underneath it. Inboarding the tire improved my vehicle balance tremendously--I can feel a real difference on climbs and descents in the rig's balance point.
Good point. Looking back years ago my Dad owned several Willys Jeeps. I never once seen him change a tire in the eight years of cruising around the Black Hills of SD. I now own a Wrangler and don’t have a spare. Besides a spare is for the unadventurous.
I used "fix a flat" on the tire of a rental skid loader once, that i sliced on a rock. I told the rental folks when i returned the vehicle so they wouldnt get blasted by slime. But the fix a flat stuff worked.
We just bought a Jeep Compass and found it didn't have a spare . matter of fact talked to the parts guy at the dealership and he said there not even making them anymore . so we can buy a full size tire and rim BUT there is no place to store it on the Compass . all i can say your roadside service better be awesome Jeep .
I have valve stem caps with a integrated core removal tool on them and a foot pump. Ive been in back country and woke up to a tire on the ground from a screw. Jacked it up, remove the core, let it ballance with the atmospheric pressure and reinstall the core before pumping it up to a pressure i can use. Saves a half hour of foot pumping on large mud tires. I did it once in some dunes with no pump, just popped back out and no pressure. Not really advised but it got us out of there at about 3 miles an hour.
I live in Australia and have seen the best tires in the market get shredded in outback WA and most of the time it's more than one that goes at the same time, spares are essential, engineering the tires for corrugated terrain that will make it shake goes along way
Last time I had a flat on the trail it would have been at least a 12 hour ordeal to handle. I know people carry plugs which is odd to me. Most flats off road are sidewall gashes.
I had a old 4x gmc with 34" mud tires with almost a cord of wood on it when I got a 3" slice on the bottom of one from a sharp rock. No spare but i carried a couple big cans of fix a flat and a 12v tire pump, but no spare. 50 miles out in the woods on bad dirt roads. Put a can in and pumped up the tire and made it half way home then aired up again and made it home. Had to order a new tire.
I’m on my second jeep and it’s strictly my daily driver. Few years ago I decided to skip a spare when it was time to get new tires. Haven’t looked back. Probably improved gas mileage slightly lol.
I'm a delete guy. Looks alot cleaner, and the weight savings doesnt hurt. .. Have a good set of 35" Maxxis tires and i throw the spare in the back when I go off roading.. The rear seat is also never in the Jeep, so.. space for gear and things is not really an issue.
I fixed the sidewall of a 33 inch BFG AT with 5 plugs. I drove that tire for a year before the plugs dried out and I simply replaced them with new plugs. I never had over 20Lbs of air since it was a Samurai, and I don't recommend it, but it's just something I did and couldn't believe it held so well. I had a spare, but wanted to see just how long it would last. LOL
No spare seems to be the rage lately, at least with rigs that are more crawler oriented. I get that the weight of the spare, especially on a 37+ tire and wheel, is pretty big. Hanging that weight somewhere in the area of the rear bumper is seemingly less than ideal weight distribution, especially on steep climbs. For the small tire rigs I think there's another benefit that may have not been mentioned (my apologies if it was and I missed it), but having a 5th full size spare tire that you can work into your tire rotation schedule is going to get you a little longer tread life. As the price of tires shoots up like it has in the last 18 months, it seems like that particular benefit may have more merit and value.
You definitely need to carry a spare tire if your those junk Milestar tires. I have seen so many of those tear the sidewall while off road at low pressures. Milestars have terrible traction in for east coast wheeling conditions. I’m running Cooper 37s MTs on my Rubi392 - for now my spare tire carrier solution is the Mopar kit. When I step up to 40+ tires I’ll get a different solution. The departure of angle of the JLU wranglers does wonders to prevent your spare tire from taking an impact off road; however adding a stinger bar to your rear trailer hitch is nice extra insurance!
Of course you need a spare tire. Doesn't matter how tough your tire is, no tire is indestructible. The Goodyear MTR/Kevlar is about as tough as a tie can get, but I've still punctured and torn 3 of them on the trail, including one while crossing 40in of water. I definitely would have been screwed without a spare. And there is one added benefit to having a spare tire. You can rotate it with your other 4 tires, making all of your tires last 20% longer.
I mostly wheel at offroad parks but I don't have a tow rig. I drive my all-terrains to the trail and pully my TSLs on a trailer. I don't like having a spare hanging off the back (because COG & departure angle), so I throw one of my 35" ATs in the back of my XJ. Even having a spare, I bring everything I'd need to patch or swap a tire.(gets used on other people's rigs more than my own... Anything to keep things rolling.) I've used slime before with good success. It'll stop small punctures and at least slow larger ones. It is a pain to clean out though, so I only use it when I have a problem.
Last winter we cut a four inch slice in a BFG All Terrain side wall. If we didn't have a spare tire we would have been in trouble. Way up a wash, many miles from home and the cell phones don't always work.
Crazy! I actually just happened to see that RiG'd supply Raptor at Gunwhale brewery in Orange earlier this month. Not sure who owns it but, it's an awesome looking build.
Always carry a spare tire unless you're close to town and you're at a place like maybe Sand hollow or something like that but if you're going off-roading like on the Rubicon or someplace where it's a long distance always carry a spare bad idea not to...
To me, a spare makes a jeep original. Jeep was the one of the first to attach the spare to the rear of the vehicle. Not many others do. It also's good for tire rotation. It can extend your tires tread by up to 20,000 miles. In my opinion it's best to have it and rotate it than not if you need it.
We were travelling through Mozambique a few years ago and my mate got a double blowout and damaged his wheels. We were 300 Km from the nearest tyre shop and we were pushing to get to the border before it closed otherwise we were sleeping at the border post which is dodgy as fuck. He put his spare on and I gave him my spare, 45 min later and we were on our way. Living in Africa = Always carry a spare. If you can do it, carry 2 ... Just my perspective.
I always take it. In or out of the vehicle. F Bronco Sasquatch. Great review. I put it inside when rock crawling, so as not to damage the rear on rock steps, etc.
I just ordered and bought my first ever Jeep a not quite almost a year ago. A 2021 JL Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. A few weeks ago I had to drive to Denver, which is about 2 to 2 1/2 hours away from my house. Not long after I merged onto the I-25 Southbound freeway and while I was in stop and go traffic I noticed that a semi truck and trailer right next to me was dropping metal off of it. Before I could get into another driving lane further away from the semi I suddenly noticed my drivers side rear tire tpms warning light come on. The tire was losing air so fast I could literally watch the psi’s drop on my dash’s warning light. Fortunately, I was able to get over onto the shoulder of the road in time and sure enough, there was a huge hunk of metal in my tire. The tire only had around 3,200 to 3,400 miles on it as well. Needless to say, I was pretty freaking pissed! So now I have to buy a whole new tire.
i actually think about removing my spare tire on my 110 Defender TD5. I use it as a overlander and have a tire fix kit and an air compressor. so the only case where i would need a spare tire is, if the tire wall is cut by a big rock. Cause its a Camper/Overlander Build, i never go on very hard trails where this could be the case. I Would get so much more meaningful mods instead of the spare tire like extra storage or a bike carrier mounted on the rear door but it doesnt feel right to eliminate it :D
On a more serious note. you make good points. I see people trying to carry around 2 spares sometimes which I think is way overkill. I have never had to use mine at all but I carry a plug kit with extra plugs and a air compressor as well (1997 80 series Land Cruiser). There have been times when I have had to use those tools but not on my rig..on other's that were not prepared.
On 4wd 24/7 youtube channel they've had a few times where they have had to go through quite a few spare tires and have to use other spares from their friends. So there is a time and a place for multiple spare tires when you do trips out in the middle of nowhere.
I daily drive my lifted trail vehicle. (99 Jeep Cherokee w/ 3im lift on 31×10.5) i dont keep my spare with me unless I go beyond 30 miles from my hometown. And even then, a 31in tire on a 15in rim sits comfortably on my roof without causing too much body sway.
I have a Wrangler and I live in an urban area and In the last six years, I have gotten ten flat tires from punctures (four on the Wrangler and six on my previous car), all of them while driving on pavement. I will never not carry a spare tire. I am not going to wait for hours for someone to tow my car away and/or leave my car with one tire missing on the side of the road/freeway, just because I got one flat tire, that would be ridiculous. Now if you trailer your off-road rig around and only use it to actually go off-road, then I can see not having one, but you are dumb if you don't have a spare tire on your every day vehicle. Do not rely on other people for this, be prepared: have a spare tire on your daily driver, and if you have a purpose built off-roader, and you don't want to carry a spare, then carry it on the trailer or the vehicle you towed it with. Do not be stupid. Wanting that look of no spare tire on the back is not worth potentially having to leave your vehicle somewhere or wait for hours for someone to tow you to a tire shop, which may not be possible depending on where you are. Flat tires are something that happens to everyone, if they were rare, insurance and warranties would cover them, but they aren't, they are an accepted likely occurrence for drivers to have to deal with, that is why pretty much all cars come with spare tires no matter what category of car. Also, not all tires are fixable, of the ones I have had in the last six years, seven of them were not fixable and the tires had to be replaced because either the sidewall was damaged or the puncture was just way too large. Having a tire repair kit is great, I would definitely recommend it, but it should be there only in case of an absolute emergency, like popping two or more of your tires at once. If it is not an emergency, then deal with fixing it later, and at a professional shop, it might be savable if a pro does it, whereas your jury rigged fix might make it so that the tire has to be replaced. Other safety things you should always have in your car: Fire Extinguisher, first aid kit, flashlight, and flares or reflective triangles.
I typically always keep my spare with me. I work fairly close to home, but if I got a flat without my spare there's not hardly any 39s spares lying around. I couldn't even get the spare to fit in my wife's car are have her bring it to me since it weighs about 135lbs.
Great info! I have a 4x4 lab’s bumper with spare tire and Jerry can swing outs on 80 series land cruiser. I have a 35” spare. It’s solid and works great, but thru the rear view mirror, I can see is it rocking or vibrating when I drive over washboards etc. I feel it’s causing unnecessary wear to the hinge over time. Your vid got me thinking of relocating to the roof or inside the cabin. I have the room In many circumstances! First time on your channel…Subbing…
So like hear me out. I'm not a bad driver but I can be dumb. I was backing up to get into a Sonic booth at night and I didn't see that there was a support pole behind me. But I felt it! Lmao I got out, dreading the ass kicking my dad was going to give me for denting the trunk of the car he gave me for FREE. Without the tire in the back taking the brunt of it. It would have been worse because I hit HARD. no damage
If i were to have a car like these, i WILL always have a spare tire on the back, even if it isn't needed! Am i the only one who thinks a spare tire can be neat :D
For those of us who added 33s to the stock wrangler jl not and issue as Jeep improved the weight tolerance to 85 lbs. 33s weigh approximately 58lbs much rather have that spare when needed!
My spare tire helps me get more miles out of my tires because I include it in my rotation(in theory anyways) technically same amount of miles but it prolongs it lol
I have the ADD front and rear bumper showed in the video. Its real nice to look at but the rear one is totally under built. It broke at the swing point in three places after one year. Had to remove and have it reinforced/painted at fab shop. $530 bucks later its better but the tire also bounces around like crazy. I would give this an F for durability and functionality.
Let me save 9 minutes of your time: Fake mall crawling pavement queens: ditch the spare tire and buy a grumpy grill instead. People who use their 4x4 like a 4x4, don’t want to rely on AAA to save the day and don’t want to ruin your friends day on the trail because they couldn’t be bothered to cover their own ass: spare tire. Got it. Thanks.
Ive had sheet metal fly off the truck in front and slice my side wall. Also had a allen wrench go thru the side wall. Yes side wall not the tread. So i couldnt even patch it.
I would say it all depends. I have a JL with a tailgate reinforcement and it was always fine with level 5-6 rated trails as I started doing the level 7-8 trails is where I ran into the issues. On the last trail I was going through a V Notch and my rear spare came down on the ledge slowly and was holding the weight of the jeep and dragged off it slowly and didn’t think much of it. The spare was also deflated for more give. When I looked at the jl the tailgate was bent in 3 areas and also bent the interior structure that holds the door latch shut. My reinforcement was fine but everything bent around it. So guess it doesn’t matter how strong the reinforcement is. So currently I do the spare tire delete and strap the spare in the back for events. Now that it’s fixed don’t want to deal with a tire strike. I guess it’s just how you off-road.
It doesn’t matter if you’re on pavement or off-road. Just carry a spare. It’s better to have a tire and not need it, than to need it and not have it. I don’t understand why anyone would choose not to carry one.
Dude...always carry a spare. Every time a see a jeep with missing spare, I shake me head or even worse a stock size spare when the rest of the jeep is on 35's. Lucky for me a 35 inch spare fits under my gladiator bed and it's in the way of nothing...
Thumbing this down. A flat is one thing every driver can do to get back in action. Skip tools, first aid kit, fuel, water, cell phone. No spare is a bad idea.
My stock spare is located under the truck. 03 expedition. Sure if I did big wheeling, or any wheeling for that matter it could get damaged if I ran over something, I guess
As a newbie who likes to head into the mountains solo (not on difficult trails) I like the security blanket feeling I get from having that spare back there.
Yeah, you want a spare. This is just a click bait title for ads for carriers.
lol yeah, got a flat twice last year. It helped to have had a spare.
Yeah. If you're not setup with some kind of air pressure source, and a spare repair kit, then a spare is the way to go. Tire repair kits are cheaper than new tires, and even with an air compressor, the system is probably still less expensive replacing a tire. That said, repair takes time in the field. But, plus side, the repair doesn't need additional repair once you're back in civilization. Just from the rear view consideration not carrying a spare is a gain.
@@theeddorian Don't get me wrong. I have all that other stuff, too. 😄
@@ksb2112 I have the repair kit and a compressor and still have the spare on the back too. Suspendors and belt as you know.
It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it
No doubt
This is anecdotal, but 6 years ago in the deserts trails of West Texas I lost two tires in one day to shale that ripped through the sidewalls on some very expensive 35" AT tires. I got out by cutting one sidewall for a patch on the lesser damaged tire and using some machine screws I had, plus the rubber cement from my plug kit and had a temporary patch that got me to a highway, where I call for roadside assistance from my insurance plan.
I carry heavy duty large patches now to temp fix a slashed tire sidewall.
Bottom line: you ARE less prepared without a spare. It is a choice. It is a compromise. Know what you are compromising, what ever you choose. Driving a trail repaired tire on the highway is not recommendable. IMHO a spare delete is usually due to the previous choice of enormous tires, which are a choice more than a necessity. It is a choice to specialize, opposed to generalize. It may be "better" for a few things, but generally less broadly useful. Again, "a choice."
Grew up on a ranch and my dad rarely had a spare in his pickups. 90% of the time it wasn't a big deal, even before the age of cell phone coverage. But the 10% lead me to ALWAYS have a full size spare in my vehicles with the tools to change a tire.
I've known over a dozen guys who used their spare to get them out of being stuck. Keep your spare !
I've had fix a flat work once when it was my only option. Out of town and after hours at any tire shop I picked up a inch and a half self tapper. Actually pulled the screw and installed a plug which made it worse. Then went back and bought the gew and a 12v charger. Used the whole bottle and filled it up. Leaving it parked with the hole on the bottom over night. Was good in the morning and actually lasted about 6 months before starting to leak again.
I'd never travel without a spare, its way more than just a tire as a tool, or any of my other tools I carry. Definitely saved thousands in towing and I can help others in need.
I’m a firm believer in having a spare tire, if for no other reason than the expediency and confidence of knowing I have another “out.” I had an ‘88 Subaru wagon in the early 2000’s that had narrow 185 section all seasons that I tore on a “mild” high clearance road to see the racetrack rocks in Death Valley. I’m sure glad I had the even narrower 165 section spare stored *in the engine bay.* As heat soaked and dry that thing was, it got me back out to the pavement for AAA. I’ve had probably another 3-4 incidents involving tires in remote situations since then, but the longest repair was finding a flat tire in on the hybrid we have parked on the driveway-with no spare.
At 62 years old, I grew up with the rule of:
"It's better to have it, and not need it, than to need it, and not have it." I have a 2018 jl unlimited sport s. I've built it up over the years and have always carried a spare. Yes, tire technology has grown considerably, and there are numerous tire repair kits out there as well, but nothing can replace the security of knowing you have a full- size spare when you really need one.
Having cut 6”+ holes in more side walls than I would like to think about…. I would never not carry a spare. Another perspective for those who run 37”+ tires, the more you get away from large cities, the fewer tire shops are going to have a tire in stock for you to get home. Spare tire, patch kit, and bailing wire on every trip….
I carry 3 tubes and have beadlocks. So i feel thats alot less room and weight
Yeah I'd you have beadlocks that's a good option
I like the spare on my Rubicon for safety reasons. I was rear-ended hard a year or so ago and I got out of the Jeep expecting the back end to be in really bad shape. To my surprise, the only damage was one small scratch on the rear wheel itself, it was really small and I'm very picky. We exchanged information because this happened at night and I wanted to go home and have a chance to look at the Jeep close after I got it into my well lit garage. I took the rear wheel off, checked all of the bumper gaps looked over ever inch of the vehicle and it was just fine. I told the girl that hit me to keep me out of her claim because my Jeep wasn't damaged, her car was undrivable, it just happen to be the perfect height so it did no damage to my Jeep.
That's why I'm never talking mine off lol I ones backed up into a pillar and the tire took the brunt of it. I hit it hard too!
Ya but if Yu get on icey road or hydroplane on water that' spare is gonna whip Yu around easier
Also a good reason to always have a tow hitch receiver, one more thing that extends out from the frame of the vehicle to protect in getting rear ended.
Tires are at the top of our list of equipment failures that would prohibit getting off trail. Secondly, having just purchased 5 40s, we now have increased the potential service life of the tires by ~25% by rotating them regularly.
I run a spare. Ive needed it multiple times off road and on. I’ve seen folks flat two tires at once. I also carry OBA and a full repair kit. But you do you. 👍🏻
It’s like having 4x4 you don’t need it but
It saves your ass when you need it 👍🏼
I carry a spare. But, it depends on where I am and what the issue is whether I replace, or repair a flat tire. If nothing else, including your spare in your tire rotation schedule basically adds 20% more life to your tires. Also, I run a 1953 Dodge M37CDN with Michelin XML military tires on Canadian Military LAV Hutchinson beadlock rims, so there is the pro of having easy access to the inner tire carcass, but also the con of a lot of weight in the rim/tire combo. I'm kinda an old fart, so the way I looked at it was to have many options in order to go with the easiest one in a given situation. Just my 2 cents, before taxes and inflation.
A good part of my off-roading in my FJ is in Lava fields and/or mountainous areas with lots of sharp rocks. It’s all remote off-roading requiring self-sufficiency. My main solution to this is the BF Goodrich KO2s. While I probably should carry a full spare in the matching KO2, for now I just ensure they are well maintained (rotated, inspected and replaced), while carrying one of the car’s original stock tires on the rear door mount, which is a significantly less robust Dunlop Grand Trek tire.
So far the KO2s have been the best of all worlds, and I have not faced any issues.
I am on my second set of BFG Ko2 tires on my Taco. I have a matching rim with a full size 33" spare locked under my canopy in the bed of my truck. I had Cooper MT tires before my 1st set of Ko2 and I love these tires alot more. They work excellent where I live on the SE side of Mt. Hood we get 1-2 feet of snow every year. The trails on the mountain are less than 5 min from my house as well so yea lots of fun with the BFG Ko2.
As yet another suggestion: Working in the Automotive Service industry for over 25 years, it's a no-brainer that *Aluminum* rims are *much* heavier than their steel counterparts. If you are to carry a spare, please avoid feeling you *need to* have your spare assembly match your existing rims and consider the weight savings of a steel rim mounted with a tire of the same height. Functionality vs. Trailer-Queen will save that wear and tear, as well as fuel mileage and overall vehicle performance.
My aluminum wheels are lighter than my steel spare. Better advice is to check the weight of the wheels when shopping for them, spare included.
I bought the steel spare because it was cheaper.
Steel rims are far better for offroad. If you knock some rocks aluminium rims can brake. Steel rims can be fixed with a hammer.
This reply is why i’m here. Thank you. I have a steelie wheel back there…getting tires next week.
No way I would go without a spare. I tried it once and we didn't like not having it. Having the spare doesn't bother us at all. I have the smittybilt tub mounted for my 35. it sits really low on there and close to the body of the Jeep. The 35 is no higher than the oringal tire. I also removed the rear tail light and added a rugged ridge bracket to my spare to hold the backup camera and 3rd brake light.
This video is an ad for the spare tire carriers, packaged with clickbait. No one should be out without a spare.
Rugged ridge mount ? Looking to place a backup cam . Sounds good , is that the name of company ? Model #? Cheers
I use the Rig-d ultra swing for my 40" spare. The biggest problem with the Rig-d is getting the tire on and off of the the Rig-d. I carry a DIY hoist with boat wench so I can change a tire by myself if necessary. But my first option is always a field repair.
RiGd Supply Megafit Ultraswing on my built Suburban.
I carry my spare on a Wilco Offset swingout. I prefer the plug any flats on the truck, sidewall damage is the time I would use a spare tire. The sidewall repair I've seen are for low PSI, may get you off the trail but not for hiway use.
Total weight and GVM is becoming an increasing issue for a lot of people, so I totally get wanting to trim your kit to only what you expect to use. I’ve been on E rated BFG KO2s since 2015 and haven’t had a flat tire in all that time (though I’ve found nails and screws in the blocks occasionally). I can easily see the case for dropping my spare tire to save that 80 or 90 lbs given that I’ve never needed it on these tires. However, that’d be like saying “I haven’t been in an accident in 10 years, so I don’t really need insurance.” The way I see it, your kit has two different categories - stuff you expect to use (stove, sleeping bag, etc.) and stuff you hope you don’t need but want to have in case you do (things like insurance, a spare, a winch, and recovery gear). Your personal tolerance for failure determines how much of that 2nd category you need to bring. If you can’t patch a flat, are you with other rigs that can drive you back to town to get the tire replaced or are you going to have to walk for several hours just to get cell phone service to call someone? Will not having one (during your preferred off-roading activity/style) be a minor inconvenience or a major issue taking up hours of your time? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to whether or not you need to carry a spare.
You are right!
I have a 2010 JKU with a rampage trail view top with tonneaux cover that exposes the roll cage. I installed my tire in a slant back configuration on the roll cage with angle iron running horizontally between driver and passenger side roll cage, bolting a heavy duty tire carrier bracket in the center of it and reinforcing structural integrity with 1/8 thick U channel steel vertically between the two horizontal L brackets. Its solid mounted for any terrain, makes it easier to access since you can now open the tailgate and step on bumper to access it. Also visibility is not an issue since i mounted a 1080p rear view mirror/camera with a wider angle, than looking out rear window. Hope this may help fuel some ideas for some. What i wanted is to put the weight over rear tires since i am running 38’s, but also eliminate swinging a 200lbs tailgate tire carrier open when i’m on steep embankments with not a lot of room to work. Last thing i want is the jeep, tearing the terrain on a cliff because my tailgate is open and adding all the weight to the right. Hope you guys like. Try it! Works like a dream! Leave me a message if you want pics. Thanks.
Im going to start carrying two tires with no wheel and will swap if needed on the trail, some tire bars and starting fluid and Im good to go.
35” Cooper ST on a TeraFlex HD hinged tire carrier on a 2016 JK. No issues in past five years.
Cooper is the best!
Usually not mentioned is the spare should be exactly the same diameter as the other tires. Doesn't have to be the same tire, width or rim size. I run 31"s and have a 31"x8" commercial van road tire that's a genuine 6 ply on a big rim so the tire weight is low so it's easily handled, and doesn't stress the stock rear gate carrier. Used it twice, broken valve stem and a sidewall puncture where I couldn't fix my tire with my repair kit.
Oh, I almost forgot to explain why *all four tires* on a Wrangler have to be the same diameter. In 4WD the transfer case delivers the same driveline shaft RPM to the front and rear differentials so if you have different sized tires front and rear, like 31"s on the front and 33"s on the back you'll grenade the transfer case as it loads up. Same with tires on a common axle, if they're different diameters they'll spin the differential continuously, burn up the clutch packs on an LSD quickly and fail prematurely. Agreed, in sand and slippery low speed conditions the drivelines and axles can stay relaxed because of tire slip but at speed on pavement or hard rock better have all the same sized tires.
I really like the idea of having the skill to patch a catastrophic failure in the field. I’m going to look for your tube selection video. Thanks a lot.
Driving a Wrangler (a Rubi) as an everyday vehicle, I can definitely say that the rear view with spare leaves a lot to be wished for. Since mine is a 2016 it has no backup camera which would help. Considering what you said about modern tires I can agree in many ways. Spares are far less necessary than they used to be. But even in the city there is frequently some chump that thinks putting a nail in your sidewall is "fun."
I used to be a tow truck operator… I cannot tell you how many times, I’ve seen and towed ppl who had gotten 2 or even 3 flat tires!!!
But that was city driving… 🤣☺️
Just trying to get into off roading, but it seems like a good portion of the disadvantages mentioned could be mitigated by just carrying the tire itself. Having on board air seems like a must regardless, so it's just a matter of remounting. Makes it lighter, plus frees up the middle to store tools or whatever.
Or just bring a tube
Currently roof mounted. Simple and cheap solution. Only downside is a bit more weight up high and a bit more drag.
I had a 10 year old spare tire and got a big gash in my tire swapped it out drove about 20 miles home made it safely 😅 so totally worth it in the middle of the night.
My mustang didn't come with a spare which I thought was insane. But years later, I've never needed one and just imagine the amount of weight I would have carried around over all those thousands of miles for virtually no reason.
"mustang" is the reason for this comment being way off base
I have not done anything for my Tacoma yet. I am sort of waiting for Apogee to release the BSD compatible rear bumper with the tire carrier (R&D was sidelined due to covid restrictions and limitations). For my old ranger, I made a vertical bed mount that attached to the bed side (similar to the generic type sold everywhere), but I gave it to a friend when I changed tire size and stopped carrying a spare tire. I did have a tubeless tire repair kit as well as slime in my ranger. I DO believe in carrying a spare, particularly on long trail rides, though if I had a dedicated off road truck/jeep, whether I put a spare on it or not would depend on how I used it. For my Tacoma, it is my plan after I can get a lift kit (2.5-3") to get a set of 8: 33" tires as I also plan on building a flatbed utility trailer into an "overlanding trailer" that uses matching wheels/tires. The trailer will have two spare tire mounts on a swing out frame, and will have a spare tire for the trailer, as well as relocating the trucks spare to the trailer. I tend to follow the aussie's lead when off roading. While we are not as likely to wind up hundreds of miles from the nearest town here in the states, we do have plenty of rocks that can destroy multiple tires on a longer trip.
I think the quality of the tire and it's sidewall matters a lot when considering to ditch the spare. Also how worn down do you let your tires get. I've always carried a spare, but have never had a problem in the dirt/rocks/etc, even after picking up nails in my sidewalls or taking deer hits (Montana Life). I've mainly only ran Coopers though, that sidewall on the ST Maxx and Pros is no joke.
I have a gladiator that I carry a 37” spare underneath, it’s a bfg km2 and it fits… barely, yea it’s heavy but it’s out of the way and it helps with weight on that end of the vehicle. I travel upwards to 700 miles one way for work and I like having the security that it’s there even though I carry a plug kit and I have 24 hour roadside. As for offroad in the Rockies, i wouldn’t have to have it due to not being solo and being with friends but since it’s out of the way… I’m glad it’s there.
I've used slime before, but it is a very temporary fix. Still a good "tool", to have if it's needed!
I feel better(especially on the trails) having a spare tire on hand just in case. I put the Rugged Ridge HD tire carrier on my JK to hold the spare 35.
There was a short time when I was in between rear bumpers I ran without a spare. 90% of my driving was city driving and didn't worry. But, the times I was up in the mountains...it was hard to not think about the "what if" situations.
I really love my Excessive Industries Gatekeeper on my TJR. It's so adjustable--I went from a 35 to a 37 to a 40, and could fine tune where I wanted the tire. You can mount things to the accessory plates to help with storage. I like that it serves as a roll cage to my fuel cell, too, which fits so perfectly underneath it. Inboarding the tire improved my vehicle balance tremendously--I can feel a real difference on climbs and descents in the rig's balance point.
Good point. Looking back years ago my Dad owned several Willys Jeeps. I never once seen him change a tire in the eight years of cruising around the Black Hills of SD. I now own a Wrangler and don’t have a spare. Besides a spare is for the unadventurous.
BETTER TO HAVE IT AND NOT NEED IT …… THAN TO NEED IT AND NOT HAVE IT .
I used "fix a flat" on the tire of a rental skid loader once, that i sliced on a rock. I told the rental folks when i returned the vehicle so they wouldnt get blasted by slime. But the fix a flat stuff worked.
We just bought a Jeep Compass and found it didn't have a spare . matter of fact talked to the parts guy at the dealership and he said there not even making them anymore . so we can buy a full size tire and rim BUT there is no place to store it on the Compass . all i can say your roadside service better be awesome Jeep .
I have valve stem caps with a integrated core removal tool on them and a foot pump. Ive been in back country and woke up to a tire on the ground from a screw. Jacked it up, remove the core, let it ballance with the atmospheric pressure and reinstall the core before pumping it up to a pressure i can use. Saves a half hour of foot pumping on large mud tires. I did it once in some dunes with no pump, just popped back out and no pressure. Not really advised but it got us out of there at about 3 miles an hour.
I live in Australia and have seen the best tires in the market get shredded in outback WA and most of the time it's more than one that goes at the same time, spares are essential, engineering the tires for corrugated terrain that will make it shake goes along way
Last time I had a flat on the trail it would have been at least a 12 hour ordeal to handle. I know people carry plugs which is odd to me. Most flats off road are sidewall gashes.
Fix a flat the best of worst ideas for a flat. It makes replacing the tire messy and some shops refuse to touch it
I've never had that issue and I've ran Fix a flat for years. I've never had any tire shop say anything about it
@@ky0611 I also am speaking from experience
With highway travel at higher speeds, in my experience, frequently the flat shreds the tire, which obviously isn’t repairable.
The real question is: "Do you really need a Carhartt hat or not?" ;-) Ok..You are from Wisconsin so you get a pass.
It gets cold up here!!! 😂
A spare has saved my ass so many times, I’ll always have or acquire one for my vehicles.
I had a old 4x gmc with 34" mud tires with almost a cord of wood on it when I got a 3" slice on the bottom of one from a sharp rock. No spare but i carried a couple big cans of fix a flat and a 12v tire pump, but no spare. 50 miles out in the woods on bad dirt roads. Put a can in and pumped up the tire and made it half way home then aired up again and made it home. Had to order a new tire.
I’m on my second jeep and it’s strictly my daily driver. Few years ago I decided to skip a spare when it was time to get new tires. Haven’t looked back. Probably improved gas mileage slightly lol.
I'm a delete guy. Looks alot cleaner, and the weight savings doesnt hurt. .. Have a good set of 35" Maxxis tires and i throw the spare in the back when I go off roading.. The rear seat is also never in the Jeep, so.. space for gear and things is not really an issue.
I fixed the sidewall of a 33 inch BFG AT with 5 plugs. I drove that tire for a year before the plugs dried out and I simply replaced them with new plugs. I never had over 20Lbs of air since it was a Samurai, and I don't recommend it, but it's just something I did and couldn't believe it held so well. I had a spare, but wanted to see just how long it would last. LOL
PLUG LIFE
No spare seems to be the rage lately, at least with rigs that are more crawler oriented. I get that the weight of the spare, especially on a 37+ tire and wheel, is pretty big. Hanging that weight somewhere in the area of the rear bumper is seemingly less than ideal weight distribution, especially on steep climbs. For the small tire rigs I think there's another benefit that may have not been mentioned (my apologies if it was and I missed it), but having a 5th full size spare tire that you can work into your tire rotation schedule is going to get you a little longer tread life. As the price of tires shoots up like it has in the last 18 months, it seems like that particular benefit may have more merit and value.
A majority of the time I wheel alone, just me and the misses, so a spare is an absolute necessity for me. Along with a patch and plug kit.
You definitely need to carry a spare tire if your those junk Milestar tires. I have seen so many of those tear the sidewall while off road at low pressures. Milestars have terrible traction in for east coast wheeling conditions. I’m running Cooper 37s MTs on my Rubi392 - for now my spare tire carrier solution is the Mopar kit. When I step up to 40+ tires I’ll get a different solution.
The departure of angle of the JLU wranglers does wonders to prevent your spare tire from taking an impact off road; however adding a stinger bar to your rear trailer hitch is nice extra insurance!
Of course you need a spare tire. Doesn't matter how tough your tire is, no tire is indestructible.
The Goodyear MTR/Kevlar is about as tough as a tie can get, but I've still punctured and torn 3 of them on the trail, including one while crossing 40in of water.
I definitely would have been screwed without a spare.
And there is one added benefit to having a spare tire. You can rotate it with your other 4 tires, making all of your tires last 20% longer.
I mostly wheel at offroad parks but I don't have a tow rig. I drive my all-terrains to the trail and pully my TSLs on a trailer. I don't like having a spare hanging off the back (because COG & departure angle), so I throw one of my 35" ATs in the back of my XJ. Even having a spare, I bring everything I'd need to patch or swap a tire.(gets used on other people's rigs more than my own... Anything to keep things rolling.) I've used slime before with good success. It'll stop small punctures and at least slow larger ones. It is a pain to clean out though, so I only use it when I have a problem.
Last winter we cut a four inch slice in a BFG All Terrain side wall. If we didn't have a spare tire we would have been in trouble. Way up a wash, many miles from home and the cell phones don't always work.
Crazy! I actually just happened to see that RiG'd supply Raptor at Gunwhale brewery in Orange earlier this month. Not sure who owns it but, it's an awesome looking build.
Always carry a spare tire unless you're close to town and you're at a place like maybe Sand hollow or something like that but if you're going off-roading like on the Rubicon or someplace where it's a long distance always carry a spare bad idea not to...
To me, a spare makes a jeep original. Jeep was the one of the first to attach the spare to the rear of the vehicle. Not many others do. It also's good for tire rotation. It can extend your tires tread by up to 20,000 miles. In my opinion it's best to have it and rotate it than not if you need it.
We were travelling through Mozambique a few years ago and my mate got a double blowout and damaged his wheels. We were 300 Km from the nearest tyre shop and we were pushing to get to the border before it closed otherwise we were sleeping at the border post which is dodgy as fuck. He put his spare on and I gave him my spare, 45 min later and we were on our way. Living in Africa = Always carry a spare. If you can do it, carry 2 ... Just my perspective.
I always take it. In or out of the vehicle. F Bronco Sasquatch. Great review. I put it inside when rock crawling, so as not to damage the rear on rock steps, etc.
I just ordered and bought my first ever Jeep a not quite almost a year ago. A 2021 JL Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. A few weeks ago I had to drive to Denver, which is about 2 to 2 1/2 hours away from my house. Not long after I merged onto the I-25 Southbound freeway and while I was in stop and go traffic I noticed that a semi truck and trailer right next to me was dropping metal off of it. Before I could get into another driving lane further away from the semi I suddenly noticed my drivers side rear tire tpms warning light come on. The tire was losing air so fast I could literally watch the psi’s drop on my dash’s warning light. Fortunately, I was able to get over onto the shoulder of the road in time and sure enough, there was a huge hunk of metal in my tire. The tire only had around 3,200 to 3,400 miles on it as well. Needless to say, I was pretty freaking pissed! So now I have to buy a whole new tire.
i actually think about removing my spare tire on my 110 Defender TD5. I use it as a overlander and have a tire fix kit and an air compressor. so the only case where i would need a spare tire is, if the tire wall is cut by a big rock. Cause its a Camper/Overlander Build, i never go on very hard trails where this could be the case. I Would get so much more meaningful mods instead of the spare tire like extra storage or a bike carrier mounted on the rear door but it doesnt feel right to eliminate it :D
I would not venture into the Australian outback without a spare but I don’t carry one around when I’m in the city.
Hell yes pictures of middle of nowhere by yourself yes
On a more serious note. you make good points. I see people trying to carry around 2 spares sometimes which I think is way overkill. I have never had to use mine at all but I carry a plug kit with extra plugs and a air compressor as well (1997 80 series Land Cruiser). There have been times when I have had to use those tools but not on my rig..on other's that were not prepared.
On 4wd 24/7 youtube channel they've had a few times where they have had to go through quite a few spare tires and have to use other spares from their friends. So there is a time and a place for multiple spare tires when you do trips out in the middle of nowhere.
@@built4wheelin275 yeah but....those guys are lunatics!!!! haha
Buy better quality tires
@@NigelNaughton 4x4 in Australia is a lifestyle. In America it’s just a hobby.
Same here
I daily drive my lifted trail vehicle. (99 Jeep Cherokee w/ 3im lift on 31×10.5) i dont keep my spare with me unless I go beyond 30 miles from my hometown. And even then, a 31in tire on a 15in rim sits comfortably on my roof without causing too much body sway.
Sounds awesome! Send us some photos on IG!
My daughter and I wheel together, we both have the same tires so we take turns on who carries the spare. Two jeeps one spare.
I have a Wrangler and I live in an urban area and In the last six years, I have gotten ten flat tires from punctures (four on the Wrangler and six on my previous car), all of them while driving on pavement. I will never not carry a spare tire. I am not going to wait for hours for someone to tow my car away and/or leave my car with one tire missing on the side of the road/freeway, just because I got one flat tire, that would be ridiculous. Now if you trailer your off-road rig around and only use it to actually go off-road, then I can see not having one, but you are dumb if you don't have a spare tire on your every day vehicle. Do not rely on other people for this, be prepared: have a spare tire on your daily driver, and if you have a purpose built off-roader, and you don't want to carry a spare, then carry it on the trailer or the vehicle you towed it with. Do not be stupid. Wanting that look of no spare tire on the back is not worth potentially having to leave your vehicle somewhere or wait for hours for someone to tow you to a tire shop, which may not be possible depending on where you are. Flat tires are something that happens to everyone, if they were rare, insurance and warranties would cover them, but they aren't, they are an accepted likely occurrence for drivers to have to deal with, that is why pretty much all cars come with spare tires no matter what category of car. Also, not all tires are fixable, of the ones I have had in the last six years, seven of them were not fixable and the tires had to be replaced because either the sidewall was damaged or the puncture was just way too large. Having a tire repair kit is great, I would definitely recommend it, but it should be there only in case of an absolute emergency, like popping two or more of your tires at once. If it is not an emergency, then deal with fixing it later, and at a professional shop, it might be savable if a pro does it, whereas your jury rigged fix might make it so that the tire has to be replaced.
Other safety things you should always have in your car:
Fire Extinguisher, first aid kit, flashlight, and flares or reflective triangles.
You guys are tripping with this one. Carry a spare and prepare to self rescue.
I typically always keep my spare with me. I work fairly close to home, but if I got a flat without my spare there's not hardly any 39s spares lying around. I couldn't even get the spare to fit in my wife's car are have her bring it to me since it weighs about 135lbs.
Great info! I have a 4x4 lab’s bumper with spare tire and Jerry can swing outs on 80 series land cruiser. I have a 35” spare. It’s solid and works great, but thru the rear view mirror, I can see is it rocking or vibrating when I drive over washboards etc. I feel it’s causing unnecessary wear to the hinge over time. Your vid got me thinking of relocating to the roof or inside the cabin. I have the room In many circumstances! First time on your channel…Subbing…
Thanks for the sub! Welcome to the team!
So like hear me out. I'm not a bad driver but I can be dumb. I was backing up to get into a Sonic booth at night and I didn't see that there was a support pole behind me. But I felt it! Lmao I got out, dreading the ass kicking my dad was going to give me for denting the trunk of the car he gave me for FREE. Without the tire in the back taking the brunt of it. It would have been worse because I hit HARD. no damage
If i were to have a car like these, i WILL always have a spare tire on the back, even if it isn't needed! Am i the only one who thinks a spare tire can be neat :D
Asking my jeep to carry more is like asking my wife to pull even her own weight
For those of us who added 33s to the stock wrangler jl not and issue as Jeep improved the weight tolerance to 85 lbs. 33s weigh approximately 58lbs much rather have that spare when needed!
I haven’t carried a spare in years! I also have t had a flat in years. I carry a tyre repair kit and a compressor and hope I’ll never need em.
My spare tire helps me get more miles out of my tires because I include it in my rotation(in theory anyways) technically same amount of miles but it prolongs it lol
These are all good points..
Real question here is :
What is the state where this video was recorded? Where is this I want to overland there?
I carry a spare 35 in the oem spot on my tundra under the bed. it fits perfectly and doesn't compromise any space in the bed or cab.
Same here. But I jst purchased gears and lockers and will now be rollin 37s
@@stevog44 that’s awesome dude
I have the ADD front and rear bumper showed in the video. Its real nice to look at but the rear one is totally under built. It broke at the swing point in three places after one year. Had to remove and have it reinforced/painted at fab shop. $530 bucks later its better but the tire also bounces around like crazy. I would give this an F for durability and functionality.
Let me save 9 minutes of your time:
Fake mall crawling pavement queens: ditch the spare tire and buy a grumpy grill instead.
People who use their 4x4 like a 4x4, don’t want to rely on AAA to save the day and don’t want to ruin your friends day on the trail because they couldn’t be bothered to cover their own ass: spare tire.
Got it. Thanks.
Ive had sheet metal fly off the truck in front and slice my side wall. Also had a allen wrench go thru the side wall. Yes side wall not the tread. So i couldnt even patch it.
I'm waiting for roughcountry to come out with a kit for the Bronco and my spare will be in the garage!
I've personally ripped the sidewalls of a brand new tire ain't no fixin that. Thankfully I always carry a spare. YMMV.
I would say it all depends. I have a JL with a tailgate reinforcement and it was always fine with level 5-6 rated trails as I started doing the level 7-8 trails is where I ran into the issues. On the last trail I was going through a V Notch and my rear spare came down on the ledge slowly and was holding the weight of the jeep and dragged off it slowly and didn’t think much of it. The spare was also deflated for more give. When I looked at the jl the tailgate was bent in 3 areas and also bent the interior structure that holds the door latch shut. My reinforcement was fine but everything bent around it. So guess it doesn’t matter how strong the reinforcement is. So currently I do the spare tire delete and strap the spare in the back for events. Now that it’s fixed don’t want to deal with a tire strike. I guess it’s just how you off-road.
It doesn’t matter if you’re on pavement or off-road. Just carry a spare. It’s better to have a tire and not need it, than to need it and not have it. I don’t understand why anyone would choose not to carry one.
Never leave without a spare ! No matter how annoying it might be
Dude...always carry a spare. Every time a see a jeep with missing spare, I shake me head or even worse a stock size spare when the rest of the jeep is on 35's. Lucky for me a 35 inch spare fits under my gladiator bed and it's in the way of nothing...
Thumbing this down. A flat is one thing every driver can do to get back in action. Skip tools, first aid kit, fuel, water, cell phone. No spare is a bad idea.
My stock spare is located under the truck. 03 expedition. Sure if I did big wheeling, or any wheeling for that matter it could get damaged if I ran over something, I guess
Should you get insurance if you never get into an accident?
Yes 😂
you may not need it but its there if you do. just like owning a 4 wheel drive. get it?
We take the spares with us when trailering to a location so we can go back an get it if we had to buy daily driving we like to carry a spare
The real question is: How are your pyro skills when it comes to reseating a bead?
I'd say fairly decent!🔥😂
Do you actually need an overland vehicles when you only go offroad 2 times a year ? 🤣
Fix A Flat is trash. Slime is good, Multi Seal is better. Project Farm did a comparison video on those 3 plus one other I have Multi Seal in my tires.