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To carry a spare or not to carry a spare, that is the question

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Old 09-27-2018, 03:14 PM
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Default To carry a spare or not to carry a spare, that is the question

Pros and cons of spare carry. Been off roading all my life with mostly ATVs and SXSs without a spare. I carry plugs and compressor and have gotten away with it. Had flats that I’ve plugged with some having to have a bunch of plugs to hold air and I’ve had a bead come loose that I had to improvise a little to get it to seal back up. I know if I went a long ways from home I could carry on the roof if needed and leave it at the trailhead. Just wanta hear other opinions.
Old 09-27-2018, 03:25 PM
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Originally Posted by samiam
Pros and cons of spare carry. Been off roading all my life with mostly ATVs and SXSs without a spare. I carry plugs and compressor and have gotten away with it. Had flats that I’ve plugged with some having to have a bunch of plugs to hold air and I’ve had a bead come loose that I had to improvise a little to get it to seal back up. I know if I went a long ways from home I could carry on the roof if needed and leave it at the trailhead. Just wanta hear other opinions.
I'd say once you get over a 33 tire even possibly a 32 a spare is just a lot of extra weight and uneeded.
Old 09-27-2018, 03:26 PM
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better safe than sorry.
Old 09-27-2018, 04:40 PM
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A 33 can be fitted in the back without the hatch panel and the bench up. So i don't see the reason why not to carry a spare up to a 33". I have to drop the rear bench to secure my 35" spare now but I think it helps with the center of gravity and it's always better safe than sorry.
Old 09-27-2018, 05:03 PM
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Originally Posted by unidentifiedbomb
A 33 can be fitted in the back without the hatch panel and the bench up. So i don't see the reason why not to carry a spare up to a 33". I have to drop the rear bench to secure my 35" spare now but I think it helps with the center of gravity and it's always better safe than sorry.

I’ve seen a 31” in the back but not a 33. Can you elaborate with some pics too??? I guess the reasons why I don’t want to carry is that I have 33s and don’t want the extra weight hanging off the back as well as the high $ of a rear tire carrier bumper.
Old 09-27-2018, 06:20 PM
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Lay the 33" spare down, shut the hatch with the bench up. 31" spare is the biggest you can fit in the stock spare location.
Old 09-27-2018, 07:32 PM
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Punch a hole in the sidewall and you'll wish you had one, lol...

Old 09-27-2018, 08:22 PM
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Originally Posted by firebane
I'd say once you get over a 33 tire even possibly a 32 a spare is just a lot of extra weight and uneeded.
unneeded? If you do any wheeling out in the middle of nowhere a spare is most definitely needed
Old 09-27-2018, 08:33 PM
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"To carry a spare or not to carry a spare, that is the question"

If 12+1 won't do it, it's time to do something else...
Old 09-27-2018, 10:08 PM
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To me would depend on were you would be wheeling the farther or more remote the more you should carry a spare! really comes down to how far do you want to walk?
Old 09-28-2018, 07:14 AM
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I carry my 34x10.50 swamper on my roof rack ,its like a gun, id rather have it and not need it THEN need it and not have it !!!
Old 09-28-2018, 08:29 AM
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Originally Posted by tinytrax78
I carry my 34x10.50 swamper on my roof rack ,its like a gun, id rather have it and not need it THEN need it and not have it !!!
This is my wheeling mantra.

For daily driving, I don't carry a spare, that's why I have AAA. As for offroad, I don't carry an entire wheel, just a tire. That and a couple of tire spoons. Lay the tire down flat, and use the space inside it as storage....maximizes cargo. I mount and balance my own tires anyway, so it's a good practice to be familiar with.
Old 09-28-2018, 11:33 PM
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I'm with roninofako. No spare needed around town, always carry one when I go off road. Why fight with plugging tires and resetting beads, assuming you don't slice a sidewall, when you can just change a tire? I have 33s. I set my spare flat in the cargo area. Put a board on top of the tire and you have the same storage space, just elevated a foot higher.
Old 09-28-2018, 11:58 PM
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Originally Posted by bad_idea
I'm with roninofako. No spare needed around town, always carry one when I go off road. Why fight with plugging tires and resetting beads, assuming you don't slice a sidewall, when you can just change a tire? I have 33s. I set my spare flat in the cargo area. Put a board on top of the tire and you have the same storage space, just elevated a foot higher.
That's a good idea, bad_idea!

When I went to Ouray, CO I ratchet-straped it to the top of my roof. I ended up making four of the holes in the black rail a little larger to accept the hooks on the ratchet straps.
HAHA The spare ended up staying up there for about a month after I got back to Kommiefornia.
Old 09-29-2018, 12:02 AM
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My 33x12.5 on a steel wheel weighs in at 75 lbs or so. I'm not hoisting that over my head. Irritating enough to lift into the back of the jeep.


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