Tire rotation with spare

[MarkN]

It’s time for new tires. I’m currently running the oem spare and I m debating getting a new spare to match all the other tires and wheels. One concern is the width of my tires will have my spare sitting lower affecting ground clearance. How many of you have a matching spare that you rotate on the vehicle and is it worth it as for as the longevity of the tires. I should mention I am running 35” tires on a Rubicon.

Mark

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[mountainpass]

If you have 3- 35s and are running a shorter tire on one thats bad on the differential.

 

[mountainpass]

As for spare. I'm running 35s and went ahead on bought a cheap 35 for spare.

 

[fourfa]

Yeah I bought 5 aftermarket wheels and do a 5-tire rotation. My 12.5s definitely protrude lower than stock and are prone to scrapes on shelf drops. I added a hitch insert to protect it (see my profile pic). When I did the Rubicon I strapped the spare in the back seat to protect it (it would have been shredded otherwise)

Is it worth it for cost or longevity? Strictly speaking, no, it’s exactly the same… You buy 5 tires at a time instead of 4 but get 25% more miles before wearing out. Mainly I just want to know my spare wheel and tire are the exact same as what I have on the ground, and I can keep going after a flat without needing to baby anything

 

[Wildtoad]

If you're off roading a lot, I would suggest a spare to match your other tires. If not you are in no worse a situation than this that have a temporary donut tire to use when you have a flat. Having the odd sized tire on the ground should encourage you to get the original tire repaired.

I swapped out the OEM tires on my 21 Glad when they had less than 8k miles, but kept the OEM spare tire as the spare. IF I ever have a need to use the spare, It will be for just a day to two until I can get the in use tire repaired.

 

[Janster]

To keep the costs down… and/or the easiest option (I think)…..

Don’t rotate the spare in with your rotations. Contact your local tire shops and ask if they have USED 35” tire that will work with our OEM spare wheel. It could be a skinny pizza cutter …and doesn’t need to be the same width as your main tires/wheels. As long as the tread on the spare will pass inspection (if your state has inspections).

That’s what we did back in our offroading days…. We had a USED 35” tire under the YJ for years. Tire shops are glad to sell you a used tire.

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

I have 5 matching tires and wheels. I finally ran the tires this one came with and bought the spare a while ago because I knew what tires I wanted to run. When it’s time for my next oil change I’ll be doing the 5 tire rotation. This is with 37” Patagonias.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Costs are roughly the same over TIME, but you spread the cost out over more years with the 5 tire.
I've had TWO instances where I was thankful I had a matching spare - and did a full rotation.

Consider you blow a tire and it can't be fixed - you'll buy a new matching tire - IF YOU CAN - but it will be unworn, or, you swap on the spare that has the same amount of wear and move on.
You can also just leave the spare on and have the tire with the boo-boo fixed and hang it under the truck instead of having to put it right back on.

I always do a 5 tire rotation bit - it doesn't cost you more at all, and it shoves the time you need new tires off into the future.
The miles are spread over 5 and not 4.

 

[Blade1668]

I've done 5 tire rotation for my JT, but some how I noticed that one tire had slightly more wear than the others. It had been the spare position then on right front. Now back as spare. On a few prior threads of this I've commented on this subject before. I've ended up with sets of orphan tires by having a tire (or two) destroyed and not available to replace. Having 3 tires with under 5000 miles on them to find out the company stopped that pattern for tread in that size. On more than a few occasions, in one case the weekend after getting the tires. Not as common now as in 90's and early 2000's but possible or not available where you are when it happens. I would really like to "find" the clown(s) who caused it for for me and several others. Jackasses drove T-post sections in trails, along with other stuff. Some of the groups trying to get all the trails closed down when Tellico was open to 4x4s.

 

[XraytecH]

You will lose some clearance with a wider tire in the under bed carrier.

I have a matching spare and use this rotation pattern...

 

[pcrawfordpt]

I run a full size spare 37x12.5R17 and do a five tire rotation. It’s actually easier because you start with the spare and rotate one tire at a time, and only use a single jack. I wheel very hard trails and have never scraped the spare. I do have a 3.5 RockJock Pro lift though. I do tuck the shiny side up just in case. Another advantage of the five tire rotation is you will likely not age your tires (or spare) out. A lot of people that do four tire rotations have a spare that is aged out, or even the wrong size.

 

[awitty67]

Thanks for the diagram I am getting ready to rotate my spare for the first time on a new set of tires including the spare of the same size. I am currently running 35’s with no issues with the slight protrusion.

 

[MarkN]

If you have 3- 35s and are running a shorter tire on one thats bad on the differential.

Ive heard that before so my plan was to put the spare on the front . I know it would suck in a rain storm moving tires around. I may look at a narrow 35 for my spare. Thanks for the input.

Mark

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I run a full size spare 37x12.5R17 and do a five tire rotation. It’s actually easier because you start with the spare and rotate one tire at a time, and only use a single jack. I wheel very hard trails and have never scraped the spare. I do have a 3.5 RockJock Pro lift though. I do tuck the shiny side up just in case. Another advantage of the five tire rotation is you will likely not age your tires (or spare) out. A lot of people that do four tire rotations have a spare that is aged out, or even the wrong size.

Or is out of air when needed most......

 

[Stan H]

My spares are lower in tread with the new tires. My old rims and tires are my spare's They dont enter rotation. They literally are only there to get me time to patch it up plug the tire etc..

Timing out a spare is just like the spare that came with the jeep.
Sucker was up under there long enough the rim was rusting out. Waste of time to have a spare UNDER a vehicle. I HATED that with a SEETHING passion. Rubbed on this on that dragged on mud grass . This spring I took it out and removed the crank and took out that shield thing and got rid of that worthless crap.

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