I just realized that don't have a spare tire, and I need to buy one. Are all of the spare tires for the 95+ explorers the same? My stock tires are 16" three spokes (EB stock). Can I just go to a junkyard and buy the spare tire from a 95 xlt or is the bolt pattern different? Is the bolt pattern the same for 97 explorers? Please help, I need to get a spare before I need it, if you know what mean.

they are all the same bolt pattern, 4.5 on 5(4.5" apart on 5 bolts.). You can get a spare tire from any junk yard for a ranger, broncoII or Explorer, they are all the same too.

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Originally posted by Michigander
I just realized that don't have a spare tire, and I need to buy one. Are all of the spare tires for the 95+ explorers the same? My stock tires are 16" three spokes (EB stock). Can I just go to a junkyard and buy the spare tire from a 95 xlt or is the bolt pattern different? Is the bolt pattern the same for 97 explorers? Please help, I need to get a spare before I need it, if you know what mean.

Whatever you end up with, check to make sure it fits before you pay for it. Prior to '98, some, if not all of the Explorer's came with 15" spares. My '97 did as did several other's I have seen post. The stock 255 70R16 tire wouldn't fit under mine, especially now that I have a round tube Hidden Hitch.

Funny you should mention, Robert. I got my 97 EB in February, I also have 255/70R16 tires, and noticed during my first oil change that my spare is also a 15". My question is what happens when I try to use it? By that I mean my EB is a 4x4 auto. I guess since Ford issued a smaller spare, then it shouldn't damage anything. And I was *this* close to chewing out the dealer that sold it to me.

Mine also has the Control Trac 4x4 as well as a limited slip in the rear. I have searched through the owner's manual but it doesn't list any precautions. I would still put mine on the front so as to not cause any excessive wear on my LSD. I suppose that the since the spare is 7% smaller than the stock size tires it is too small for the control trac to detect. I don't know what percentage of speed difference between the front and back it is looking for before it reacts but I suspect that it is greater than 7%.

I didn't realize the 7% difference. Good to know, Robert. Thanks.

The only thing that is certain about the 7% was that my factory spare is 7% smaller than my factory instaled tires. I don't know what kind of difference the Control Trac is looking for. I only assume that it is greater than 7% since my tires differed by 7% and there isn't any mention in the owner's manual about using the smaller size spare other than to not drive it over 50 miles and not to exceed 50 MPH. Who knows with Ford though. For all I know, maybe that is the main reason they changed the back of the '98 and up Explorers, to get a full size spare under it due to the temperary spare causing damage. Again, just a guess though of which I doubt and hope isn't the case. I've never had to use my spare, but maybe someday if I have some time to kill I might just install it to see what kind of affect it has since my tires are even larger than the stock size.