Carrying a Second Spare
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J!m
Active member
Pull up a chair for my long winded answer...
Rovers tend to have provision for two to three spare tires securely mounted (hood, back door, inside the bed (against front bulkhead).
Later Defenders added the silly bulge on the hood, so you can't mount a spare there now. 2003-up I think. And the interior one was deleted with the Defender I believe, only a series thing. AND if you have a soft top (tailgate) you need a carrier on the back, because the gate itself is too small. So the weight of the carrier as well as the mounted tire...
When I took my series to Africa, I had SO MUCH crap packed in the back (it was a little 88 after all), that I was getting creative with storing as much as possible off the rear axle. So I had a barn door on the back but mounted the (slightly lighter) 5-gallon water can used for the shower, rather than a mounted spare tire. I had a mounted spare on the hood, and an UN-mounted raw tire in front of the radiator. Air flow was not impaired since there was a big hole in the middle. It was lighter than a mounted one, and I ended up never needing it fortunately. This assumes steel wheels as well, since they can be brought back into shape with the BMFH as needed.
My Defender has one on the hood and one on the back door. Longer wheelbase and concentric rear coils allow carrying a ton (literally) of stuff, but I can distribute it a bit better in the longer truck.
In all cases I carry a set of "Tyre Pliers", plug kit, core tool and spare cores, spare complete stems, tubes, patch kit and the compressor is supplemented by a manual air pump (which I pray to God I never have to use to inflate a tire!!!). Ratchet straps help immensely seating beads. Note I run steel "tube-type" steel rims so they don't have the dreaded "safety bead" feature that makes breaking a bead near impossible without a tire machine. Drive over these tires (with valve core removed) and the bead breaks just fine.
Rovers tend to have provision for two to three spare tires securely mounted (hood, back door, inside the bed (against front bulkhead).
Later Defenders added the silly bulge on the hood, so you can't mount a spare there now. 2003-up I think. And the interior one was deleted with the Defender I believe, only a series thing. AND if you have a soft top (tailgate) you need a carrier on the back, because the gate itself is too small. So the weight of the carrier as well as the mounted tire...
When I took my series to Africa, I had SO MUCH crap packed in the back (it was a little 88 after all), that I was getting creative with storing as much as possible off the rear axle. So I had a barn door on the back but mounted the (slightly lighter) 5-gallon water can used for the shower, rather than a mounted spare tire. I had a mounted spare on the hood, and an UN-mounted raw tire in front of the radiator. Air flow was not impaired since there was a big hole in the middle. It was lighter than a mounted one, and I ended up never needing it fortunately. This assumes steel wheels as well, since they can be brought back into shape with the BMFH as needed.
My Defender has one on the hood and one on the back door. Longer wheelbase and concentric rear coils allow carrying a ton (literally) of stuff, but I can distribute it a bit better in the longer truck.
In all cases I carry a set of "Tyre Pliers", plug kit, core tool and spare cores, spare complete stems, tubes, patch kit and the compressor is supplemented by a manual air pump (which I pray to God I never have to use to inflate a tire!!!). Ratchet straps help immensely seating beads. Note I run steel "tube-type" steel rims so they don't have the dreaded "safety bead" feature that makes breaking a bead near impossible without a tire machine. Drive over these tires (with valve core removed) and the bead breaks just fine.
Happy Joe
Apprentice Geezer
Safety beads on steel (or aluminum) rims are all that I will run (had too many tire failures at higher speeds; the safety beads help keep the tire remains from tangling about the axle, IMO). I also suspect that they help retain the tire when aired down, for additional traction, off road.
For people that do not want to carry (or do not have when they need it ) a Tyre Pliers bead breaker;
Field bead breaking is normally fairly easy simply: remove the valve core. get out the jack and position it between the tire(on its side) and the frame/bumper with the base of the jack touching the rim; then jack the bead off the rim.
Hi-lift jacks are good at this hydraulic jacks less so.
Once started step on the tire near the area where it has initially pushed past the safety bead, you can normally push it off by "walking" around the tire....
If anticipating field tire changing I carry a pair of tire irons ('way easier to use than jack handles, large screw drivers, separated spring leaves or pry bars) along with a drilling (smaller/more packable) or blacksmith's hammer (larger).
Normally, two 12 volt compressors are available to me; the portable for airing up tires and the backup (middle rated) ARB compressor that runs the air lockers (it is enough slower than the portable that it makes carrying the portable worth while.
Ratchet straps are a big help for initial bead sealing when re-inflating tires (along with any thing relatively viscous (dishwashing detergent, concentrated orange juice, etc.) to temporarily seal the bead, for re-inflation.
I haven't had to mount/dismount tires in the field since I gave up semi extreme wheeling with the "hey y'all watch this.." folks... the spare on the last Jeep went , I think, 12 to 15 years without touching the ground. (It was narrower & undersized to save weight (a "compact" 33x9.50 M/T spare).
Enjoy!
Last edited:
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
I have also lowered the hub down on the sidewall to break the bead. That way you can use only one jack to lift the truck, and change the tire. I put a block of wood between the hub and tire to protect it a little.
Happy Joe
Apprentice Geezer
Depending on the expected terrain and accessories; I would opt for a front bumper carry assuming that terrain approach angles are not a concern.
The last in bed camper that I was associated with needed the tailgate area for access (although I suppose that some kind of dropdown and use for a step,, or a swing away gate type tire carrier could be installed, to carry an extra spare in back).
Enjoy!
Trikebubble
Adventurer
I carried 2 spares on out trip up to Tuk last July. I kept one under the bed in the stock position, and put a second on the Hitchgate on the back, along with extra fuel and stuff. If I did that trip over again I wouldn't take 2 full spare wheels. My tires were pretty much new on the way up and we had no tire issues whatsoever.
Regcabguy
Oil eater.
Excellent point. The experienced Baja guys bring a good unmounted tire in addition to the stocker on smaller rigs.
The guys with Callens down there use the roof rack.
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