Where do you keep the spare? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

Where do you keep the spare?

Chris4x4Gill2

Well-Known Member
Joined
December 4, 2002
Messages
591
Reaction score
0
City, State
Decatur, AL
Year, Model & Trim Level
99 XL 4x4
I am planning on fitting 33's on my 99 4 door soon. I have read on here that a tire this size will not fit in the stock spare location, especially after a 3" body lift. So what does everybody with larger tires do about a spare? Any ideas/suggestions?
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Right now I have a 31" spare in the stock location. I'll be getting a custom bumper by this summer though with a tire carrier, so I'll mount a full size spare out back.
 






custom bumper with carrier,
on the roof,
in the cargo area

mine will go on the roof when i finish my roof rack. in the cargo area on the trail to get rid of up high weight
 






Would there be any problem using a 31" spare with the other 3 tires being 33's till I got to the house in case of a flat? Is 31" the biggest that will fit in the stock location?
 






31 is the largest that will fit in the stock location, and some can't even fit that. If you have the auto 4x4 and/or limited slips then different sized tires will not work. If I get a flat now I plan on putting the spare up front and moving a front 33 back if I have to due to my LS in the rear. I'd have to be very careful as my steering would be kinda iffy.
 






I made me a roof rack to hold my spare and to use for luggage and a light bar. I bought about 50 buck worth of metal and made me a nice roof rack with studs to bolt down my tire. I used to have a ratcheting strap holding
it on my roof but it made me nervous. $7 for welding wire $6 for paint, and $30 for angle Iron equal a roof rack/spare tire carrier/light bar (by the way its a 35x12.50), and fuel can carrier.Dead Link Removed Dead Link Removed Dead Link Removed Dead Link RemovedDead Link Removed
 






I know the different size's wouldn't work in the rear but I didn't think about the auto 4x4. I was thinking the same as what you said....use the odd size on the front in 2wd but I geuss with the auot 4wd that wont work?
 






Nope, don't think so. If you had to you could unplug the wiring to the tcase for true 2wd but you'd have to deal with flashing 4x4 lights until you reconnected it.

I don't think running with a smaller spare is a good idea. I just have it this way because I can't put it on the roof to fit in my parking spot and if I put it in the truck I'd have zero cargo room left. That's why I'm getting a new rear bumper soon.
 






So I geuss i'll be putting it in tyhe cargo area till I can get a roof rack or some thing else. Thanks for the input.
 






I just put mine in the way of everything. :D

That's a 31" btw.
 

Attachments

  • p6050026.jpg
    p6050026.jpg
    35.4 KB · Views: 405












You can get this made from Cory at CRLCustoms.com for a really good price.

Happy trails!!
 

Attachments

  • im000713.jpg
    im000713.jpg
    29.1 KB · Views: 1,103












My pics are posted check it out.

Posted pics above. The two studs you see on the wheel is what holds it on to the roof rack. I welded two sway bar link bolts onto some 1 inch square tubing which made the frame for the tire to sit on and ran down to sway bar bushings with nuts to hold the tire on. Beats the straps I was using to hold it down (always felt like an accident waiting to happen). I used a cheap flux core welder I bought a couple of years ago and it only too me about 5 hours to make it all. Bolted it down where existing roof rack had been.
 






Has anyone tried to modify the stock spare tire carrier to fit a 33x12.5? It looks like with some modification and realinment of the exaust pipe it should fit on my X. I want to keep as much weight as possible below the center of gravity.
 






On a sport there definately isn't enough room between the rearend and the bumper. Maybe on a 4 door, but there is no way in hell a 33 would fit under mine.
 






You are also going to have to modify the plate that is right in front of the rear diff if you want to fit a 33 back there. If you have a hitch then you can forget it. You'll also lose some exit clearance with a 33 hanging down there. I'd be afraid to land on the tire one and blow the bead off, then you're stuck if you have a blow out.

Happy trails!!
 






Msupertek:

Your setup looks good. Do you have any problems with it feeling top heavy or anything with the spare on the roof?

Did you just bolt that fuel can carrier through the bumper on the back? And is that a highlift underthere?
 






Originally posted by unclemeat
Has anyone tried to modify the stock spare tire carrier to fit a 33x12.5? It looks like with some modification and realinment of the exaust pipe it should fit on my X. I want to keep as much weight as possible below the center of gravity.


I tried that, but after looking it over, a 33 just wouldn't fit under there. My roof rack is coming today, so I'll finally get my spare out of the cargo area and up on the roof. I'll post some pics when I get it on.
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





31" spare with 33's

Look at a bunch of Rangers and Explorers...spare tires are smaller to begin with. I bet the circumferance of a fully aired 31" is marginally smaller than an aired down 33" tire. Less than 5% difference, which would be fine with a LS or Auto TC. It might be a bit rough with a spool though...

Just my 2 cents.
 






Back
Top