Best spot for spare

[FloydXJ]

Don't know if I'm on the right forum, am a newbie. Just purchased a 98 XJ with extensive mods, would like to open discussion for location of spare. Have considered roof rack, but am concerned about center of gravity. Don't think rear swing away is what I want, had that on both my TJ's. considering fabing something for inside cargo area. Want the rear seat to remain up, and tire size is 35" on 15x8 black steelie. Thinking something kind of prerunner looking so spare will fit. Any imput would be great. Im one of those "measure twice cut once" kind of guys. Thanks in advance.

Everyone is right :cheers:. It depends on what you want to sacrifice. A swing away to me is the most practical, because I use a lot of cargo space. While this is a considerable addition to your ass-weight, this weight difference is rarely the difference between making and not making an obstacle for most people's wheeling types.
Now if you can work with the limited space (a 35 is HUGE in the cargo area), you can hard mount it inside. I wheeled with a rig that had it mounted at an angle inside. This will be the most center-of-gravity sensitive place to put it with the rear seat up. Me and my heavy tire carrier actually did better than that rig that day...which reinforces that the spare tire COG issue is rarely what makes the difference since most of us are not pushing our rigs to the outer limits every time we go out. The roof mount is feasible too, since we are not right at the brink of rolling over all the time. I do not care for it because I don't like how it looks, it takes some work to mount it properly, and it makes the Jeep too tall for many garages and parking structures.

 

[barillms]

I've seen people get hung up on their swing away spare Many many many times.
Most of the people I wheel with run 38s-42s.... That's like 140-150lbs each. No way I'd want that hanging off my ass end, causing horrid body roll & bouncing leaf springs. Plus It would hang up up on steep climbs, it gets pounded against rocks & hillsides.

We all leave ours at camp, or chained or mounted to the trailer. Chances are you won't need it, but it's there if you do! If you're over 35" tire, it's just too big & heavy to lug around.

 

[ktm racer 419]

I've seen people get hung up on their swing away spare Many many many times.
Most of the people I wheel with run 38s-42s.... That's like 140-150lbs each. No way I'd want that hanging off my ass end, causing horrid body roll & bouncing leaf springs. Plus It would hang up up on steep climbs, it gets pounded against rocks & hillsides.

I had a 38 on my tire carrier before, no more noticeable body roll than without it, certainly not "horrid" and the leaves didn't bounce any extra. Maybe the people you wheel with have cheap/worn out springs and shocks?

Never hung up either, perhaps their spare tire mounts aren't high/close enough to the body?

In fact she seemed to fly through the air a bit easier with the weight better distributed. ever see where the jeepspeed guys mount their spare(s)?

 

[rockclimber]

my tire is up damn high. I've never been hung on the tire or carrier. I have been hung up on the rear bumper, it sticks out 4" from the hatch, so thats kind of an anchor... but it really only stopped me from going backwards

here

 

[Vanimal]

i run mine behind/against the rear seat, standing upright, parrellel to the seat. i strap it down, but had planned on welding a cross brace to the c pillars with a hub of sorts on it so i can bolt it in place. a 35 fits nice there, and only takes up a 12" strip of your cargo area. stays put, even in the gofast.

 

[rockclimber]

I

In fact she seemed to fly through the air a bit easier with the weight better distributed. ever see where the jeepspeed guys mount their spare(s)?

like I said. depends on where/what you wheel.

 

[zachandandy]

Mounted high and tight, I felt the difference on steep climbs. The front end seemed to struggle for traction. I plan to leave the spare at camp from now on. As far as functionality the swing away is great around town, but can be a real pain on steep muddy hills when you are trying to get in the back for tools/spares/recovery gear.

 

[Nealio240z]

Could always do what I do and never carry a spare... I carry a heavy duty inner tube around with me and a good plug/patch kit. Iv had to use both before- and always got home =)

 

[mtw_xj]

swing down stinger style carrier. its more or less a tire carrier and skid at the same time

<a href="http://s1294.beta.photobucket.com/user/marcdewolf8/media/406902_2629153642446_524151522_n_zps9cef8179.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b618/marcdewolf8/406902_2629153642446_524151522_n_zps9cef8179.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"/></a>

 

[mtw_xj]

 

[MaxxXJ]

Mine helps keep me planted in the rear

I honestly wouldn't wheel without my swing away, I've cut 2 tires in the sidewalls and you can't really patch those. Mine has never hindered me but I plan on moving it more up and out of the way soon.

@ KTM racer 419, I think the guys who say they hinder the vehicles performance are the same guys who are not running bilstein shocks and prolly have some crappy pro comp hydro shock. Or they have a 6" lift on short arms and blocks/spacer lifts. I'm at 4" and 31's but will have 33's soon and I've never had one issue with my swing away being a burden.

 

[rockclimber]

I honestly wouldn't wheel without my swing away, I've cut 2 tires in the sidewalls and you can't really patch those.

lies.

@ KTM racer 419, I think the guys who say they hinder the vehicles performance are the same guys who are not running bilstein shocks and prolly have some crappy pro comp hydro shock. Or they have a 6" lift on short arms and blocks/spacer lifts. I'm at 4" and 31's but will have 33's soon and I've never had one issue with my swing away being a burden.

I guarantee you it will climb better without the weight hanging off the rear.

and I run bilsteins.

 

[zachandandy]

Wow lets make assumptions about people who don't agree with you? 14" bilstiens on hoops through the floor, wagoneer rear springs, axle pushed back 3", boomerang shackles mounted at ~45 degrees. Approx 6" of lift. Dual rate metal cloak front springs, 3 link front, 12" bilstiens, prothane bump stops. Dana 60 rear, hp44 front. Is my rig built enough to have a valid observation that on steep climbs the front axle had less traction wheeling with the 37" spare mounted on the rear of the jeep?

 

[ktm racer 419]

because you managed to plug a sidewall doesn't mean every sidewall can be fixed with plugs jammed in it. seen em go both ways.

anywho. I noticed no negative handling or suspension quirkyness with a 35-38" spare on the back of my rig. I even had a pretty terrible suspension back there for a while lol (junk re leaf springs with stock shocks) eventually upgraded to clayton leaves with outboarded foa 2.0s.

If it sucked as much as some make it out to be, I wouldn't have run it.

 

[MaxxXJ]

Wow lets make assumptions about people who don't agree with you? 14" bilstiens on hoops through the floor, wagoneer rear springs, axle pushed back 3", boomerang shackles mounted at ~45 degrees. Approx 6" of lift. Dual rate metal cloak front springs, 3 link front, 12" bilstiens, prothane bump stops. Dana 60 rear, hp44 front. Is my rig built enough to have a valid observation that on steep climbs the front axle had less traction wheeling with the 37" spare mounted on the rear of the jeep?

Pics or it's just cool guy words

 

[rockclimber]

because you managed to plug a sidewall doesn't mean every sidewall can be fixed with plugs jammed in it. seen em go both ways.

it happens a lot out here... they aren't too hard usually. just a shit-ton of plugs.

 

[MaxxXJ]

it happens a lot out here... they aren't too hard usually. just a shit-ton of plugs.

I've seen them plugged as well too but if your half way thru a trail I'm not sure they would last under normal abuse. I'd like to see the difference wheeling with vs without but even if it made me wheel a little better I think I would still carry my spare. Most of my trips are day trips, enter one spot and exit somewhere else 15 miles from where you entered and go home.

 

[XJ_Rookie]

I have my 35" Spare mounted in the rear cargo area of my XJ. I have never had a problem with weight, room for camping / trail gear, or less than desired offroad capabilities. Me being the one with the extra cargo area since I wheel with mainly smaller rigs, I end up carrying most of the tools and extra gear. With that being said, everyone will have their own opinion based on the types of trails, their rigs suspension setup, and their driving habits. With my current setup, I will not change my tire placement as I love the benefits it gives me. I don't have pictures with me now but will post some pictures when I can.

Hope this helps with your decision.

 

[zachandandy]

Not that I have to prove anything, and I never said the spare made for intolerable problems, but for steep, loose hill climbs(Thompson hill on the Dusy) it made for minimal traction up front. Added weight is added weight.