Spare Tire Mount Question

[Imagineer]

Looking for common wisdom for tailgate mounted spare tire carriers?

My ’97 has an OEM tire carrier with a Tera Flex relocator bracket. The prior owner put 35” tires on and obviously needed to raise up the spare.

It seems to me that the spare tire is hung about 4” further than necessary off the back of the Jeep. Given the weight of the spare, this seems to be putting undue torque on the tailgate.

I’m thinking I’ll make a better tire carrier that will tuck the spare closer to the Jeep, raise it another inch or so, and possibly tilt it forward a bit (for aesthetics).

Are there reasons not to change the position of the spare tire on Jeeps?

 

[JMT]

Looking for common wisdom for tailgate mounted spare tire carriers?

My ’97 has an OEM tire carrier with a Tera Flex relocator bracket. The prior owner put 35” tires on and obviously needed to raise up the spare.

It seems to me that the spare tire is hung about 4” further than necessary off the back of the Jeep. Given the weight of the spare, this seems to be putting undue torque on the tailgate.

I’m thinking I’ll make a better tire carrier that will tuck the spare closer to the Jeep, raise it another inch or so, and possibly tilt it forward a bit (for aesthetics).

Are there reasons not to change the position of the spare tire on Jeeps?

View attachment 645328

The spare should be closer to the tailgate and be braced against snubbers that are mounted to the tailgate.

 

[Gilaguy23]

leverage on the weak gate is not its friend.

 

[oldjeepman]

If you take the relocator off is the tire closer to the carrier?

 

[Imagineer]

If you take the relocator off is the tire closer to the carrier?

Yes, but removing the relocator, I'll have to use the OEM lugs on the tire carrier which would it lower the spare tire about 4". Also, not sure if it matters, but there are no rubber snubbers on the tailgate.

I'm in the process of building new bumpers for this Jeep and will have the license plate in the middle of the rear bumper. I feel the spare tire is currently too low to allow the license plate to be effectively viewed, so in addition to bringing the tire closer to the tailgate, I'm going to raise it about an inch from where it is now.

 

[TheBoogieman]

Stock carrier and your choice of ways to take the weight off the hinges. Never had an issue EVER. Nearly 8 years with a 35" tire and heavy steel wheel on my current Jeep.

 

[Rubiconned]

You should have gotten the Rugged Ridge TJ tire carrier, if you can cut and weld. It's 1/4" thick steel. In original configuration it also pushes the spare tire out too far. So, I cut and welded the carrier to reconfigure it and my 35" tire now not only rests against the snubbers but also on the top of the bumper.

Stock, unmodified:

After modding:

 

[BC Moto]

CaliFab tire carrier, attaches to the rear door and is bolted into the oem roll bar> its adjustable height and depth. This is a 35

 

[BC Moto]

Side view