Spare tires/wheels when off trail

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

RaptorMach3p5

Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2023
Posts
20
Reaction score
5
Location
Dana Point, CA
Assuming you have a recovery rack with 2 spares, both spares should have wheels right? In which case you’d need to have 6 sets of wheels total? Or is it common to carry 1 spare with a wheel and the other spare just the tire alone. Not exactly sure how useful that would be if you blow a tire and damage a wheel too. What I’m ultimately getting at is I wasn’t planning on replacing my OEM wheels anytime soon, but if I want to have 2 spares then I’d need to switch wheels and buy a set of 6 because I know I wouldn’t able to find someone willing to sell me only 1 of their OEM wheels. Is it even realistic to replace just the tire if you blow one off trail?
 

Whoops

Active Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2023
Posts
89
Reaction score
254
Location
Santa Cruz
Assuming you have a recovery rack with 2 spares, both spares should have wheels right? In which case you’d need to have 6 sets of wheels total? Or is it common to carry 1 spare with a wheel and the other spare just the tire alone. Not exactly sure how useful that would be if you blow a tire and damage a wheel too. What I’m ultimately getting at is I wasn’t planning on replacing my OEM wheels anytime soon, but if I want to have 2 spares then I’d need to switch wheels and buy a set of 6 because I know I wouldn’t able to find someone willing to sell me only 1 of their OEM wheels. Is it even realistic to replace just the tire if you blow one off trail?
Often times you'll be transiting with a group from point A to point B. If you have to remove a tire from a beadlock rim (it can prove more difficult to remove than you might imagine) and reinstall on another wheel, the whole group is sitting waiting for you. This can be really bad in the hot sun and could keep the group from making it to point B at a reasonable time. Much more expedient to simply install a spare. Spares don't have to match the other wheels except in outer circumference and maybe offset. Day trips, I think 1 spare is sufficient. But, if you're on a 5 day trip and you destroy a tire the first day.....
A lot depends on how far you are from services and how prepped you/the group are.
 

2slo4u

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2017
Posts
712
Reaction score
1,457
Location
Utah
Find someone who is selling all 5 of their OEM wheels at a reasonable price. Buy all 5. Turn around and sell the remaining 4 at the same price. That’s what I did. Found someone selling 5 37PP wheels, turned around and sold the 4 for the same price with the OEM lug nuts for a bit more. I switched to Gorilla lug nuts so I had the OEM lug nuts around.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
RaptorMach3p5

RaptorMach3p5

Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2023
Posts
20
Reaction score
5
Location
Dana Point, CA
Wheel and tire for both. I don't know how well a tire only in the vertical position would stay in place. I crank mine down when off-roading or the straps can start to slide off to the side.View attachment 451141
Thanks for the info. Question, do you leave that Powertank on that Molle panel when you go on runs? I’ve heard they’re hard to keep in place.
 

smurfslayer

Be vewwy, vewwy quiet. We’re hunting sasquatch77
Joined
Dec 16, 2016
Posts
17,708
Reaction score
27,333
You could get away with an additional spare in the bed and leaving the stock spare where it’s at. It’s not ideal to get to that spare off road a lot of times though. It’s also not as likely to shred 2 tires at once, so if you did have to use the tire in the bed, you could get to a safe spot, load the bum tire underneath and swap the good spare to the bed. You don’t always need the 2 tire bed rack.
 

HORN HIGH ACES

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2015
Posts
688
Reaction score
448
Location
Colorado
Thanks for the info. Question, do you leave that Powertank on that Molle panel when you go on runs? I’ve heard they’re hard to keep in place.
Yep. I've never had a problem, but most of the weight is on the bed floor and not on the panel. I've heard people have issues when they try to float the tank off of the bed floor where all the weight is on the panel.
 

Hard R

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2024
Posts
162
Reaction score
350
Location
California
Wheel and tire for both. I don't know how well a tire only in the vertical position would stay in place. I crank mine down when off-roading or the straps can start to slide off to the side.View attachment 451141
@HORN HIGH ACES I have the same issue with my tires sliding around in my RPG rack. Have you tried letting some air out of the spares? Maybe the tie down straps will "bite" better. Btw I like how you tied down the gas cans with bungee cords. Wish I thought of that before purchasing a pair of Alpines.

@RaptorMach3p5 which oem wheels are you using?
 
Top