oversized tires with spare tire rack and hard top?

When I put 31x10.5 tires on my stock 15x7 wheels, I cut off the rubber bumpers at the mold seam. That seemed to work just fine. I don't have a hard top, so I can't answer the wiper question.

I have a totally factory spec 2003 Sport with the 30 inch tire group on it, and if the back window is not closed totally tight, the wiper rubs or gets hung up. Pretty annoying.

stephjeff wrote:

Go here, JC Whitney, may find it somewhere else too

- Denham Springs, LA88YJ,"Money Hungry"

4" lift, 33" TSLs, Lock-Rights PosiLock, 4.10s

This is strange since I have a TJ and the stock tire carrier held my

31 inch spare. Also the rubicon has 31 inch tires and it uses the stock mount.

You can also use a spare tire relocator. Becareful since if you use it to mount a 33" tire you will crack the mount.

From Tomken Website:

go to

Go to TJ and accessories:

Spare Tire Relocater (out 2.5", up 1.5") for YJ, TJ TMH-0102-ST Now that you have those big tires you're going to need a big spare. Just one problem, it won't fit on your stock tire carrier. Now it will with Tomken's Spare Tire Re-locator.

Are those spare tire relocaters gonna screw up the tailgate? That would add more stress I would think. I'd worry about that.

Another thing that would fix all my worries, would be to get longer mounting bolts. But they are welded on. What do you guys think.

How does the Rubicon come with 10.5" wide tires. Is it a special carrier?

thank you for the help!

Jeff

Are you running with the stock wheels that come with the 30" tire and wheel package (or any other stock wheel for that matter)? I'm guessing not, which is why your 31x10.5 spare fits. Not sure about the Rubicon, but perhaps the wheels on the Rubicon have more backspacing, allowing the spare to fit better? Also, I think that the tires on the Rubicon are actually a P-size (metric) and might not be a true 10.5" wide (another guess).

Dave

Ah-ha! Knew it had to be one of the two. :) Thanks!

Dave

My 31 x 10.5 x 15 BFG AT's fit fine on my stock '02 TJ spare tire carrier. No modifications whatsoever. Wiper also does not hit the tire.

Tom

Oh, and I have the factory 15 x 8 wheels.

The Rubicon does not come with 10.5 tires. It comes with LT245/75R16 tires which are about 9.7" wide.

Tom

I think people have success mounting the spare 31" when they use the

15x7 jeep wheels. I have the 15x8 and it seems those people have the trouble mounting the spare. I'm not sure though.

The parts dept. at a local dealer said that the Rubi has the same tire carrier part # as the other Wranglers. So I guess it could be the backspacing of the wheel.

Anybody try to have longer bolts welded on?

I need to hear from some hard top people!

thanks again Jeff

Hey everybody, thanx for the help. I got it on tonight. took 1/4" off the top of the rubber stoppers and got a good amount of thread showing from the bolt. It sits nice and snug up against all five rubber stops now. I don't have the hardtop on now, but from what I read, it's the brake light that I actually have to watch out for. I guess the wiper can get stuck on it, if the bigger tire pushes it back.

Now I have to adjust those steering stops....then the speedo...then I'm done...for now.

Thanks Jeff

Great to hear, Jeff. As for the speedo thing, have you checked to see that you are actually overspeed? When I went from 30's to 31's, I actually ended up closer to true speed than what I was before. Measured using my GPS and those little 'Your Speed Is:' unmonitored radar setups our police department moves around our neighborhoods anyway. So I left mine alone.

Dave

Thanks for that tip David. I actually put in a 35 tooth gear when I got my jeep years ago, I had read that the stock gear made the speedometer read faster. It read much more accurately with the 35 against the highway markers. Now I can't find the original 34 tooth for these new tires!

Thanks for all the help and support- the 31's rock, perfect for me! Jeff