Gladiator Spare Wheels

[shays4me]

I've been interested in running Galdiator spare wheels on my JKU ever since I got a glimpse of them. I've been watching the classifieds and have picked up three rims so far. I mounted a rim up tonight with a factory new Falken 285/70r17 tire, and I learned a couple things. I thought I'd share my findings with the community to educate others who might want to do the same thing, because they're just sweet looking rims of course! First of all, I found out the rims aren't the same. The standard rim that comes as a spare on most Gladiators is part number 04755290aa. It's a 17" rim, has a width of 8 9/16" and a backspacing of 6 1/16". I know that the sport and sport s have this rim with a Bridgestone dueler A/T 245/75/R17, even if the other rims on the Jeep are 18". Like I stated, I thought the spare rims were all the same but I was wrong. The other odd rim that's floating around is a 04755304aa It has a width of 8 3/4" on the outside of the rim and 5 7/8" backspacing. So it's slightly wider and has a little less backspace. This rim comes with the Mojave package, and is easy to pick out now that I've bought one and compared them. It has one less hole in the rim center. I suspect Jeep did this to diferentiate between rims on the assembly line. If you look closely at the pic you can see the missing hole. I have not been able to find much info on this rim on line and not even the mopar parts dealers list it. This rim is fitted with the Falken tire from the factory. As far as the Rubicon package goes, I'm unsure what they come with. I really wanted this rim to work on my JKU as is, and at first i thought it would fit as a lot of people run a 285/70r17 on stock JK rims that have even more backspacing but no luck for me. When you stuff the front tire and then turn the wheel to lock the tire sidewall gets into the upper spring perch. This could be solved with a set of wheel spacers. 1/2" might work if the studs since the studs are long enough and the steel wheel is much thinner than an aluminum at the mounting point or I could choose a set of 1.5" spacers that have their own studs. I don't like the wider ones because I'd like to keep my tires under the fender. I'm in a holding pattern right now. I love the rims, but I dislike spacers. I've thought of possibly finding someone who could modify the wheels and move the centers, but that makes them expensive rims instead of reasonable ones. Either way I love the look of them!

Mojave rim and tire 04755304aa. Note the missing hole, 19 instead of 20.

Sport rim and tire 04755290aa. 20 holes, slightly narrower and more backspacing.

 

[Dan Grec]

Do you prefer them over the Mopar winter wheel?

(The Mopar winter protect the valve stem, I found them superior for that reason).

I now have the Gladiator steelies on my Gladiator, had the Mopar Winter on my JK.



-Dan

 

[shays4me]

Do you prefer them over the Mopar winter wheel?

(The Mopar winter protect the valve stem, I found them superior for that reason).
-Dan

Dan, I do prefer them if for looks only. I would have bought the winter wheel eons ago if the backspace wasn't so much. It looks like I won't be able to run either wheel on my JK without a spacer or sending them to a wheel shop unless I either run stock sized tires or don't ever flex my Jeep and turn. I thought I might get away with a 285/70 as it's not much bigger than stock but the width kills the whole idea. I've seen all of your videos and been to your website many times looking at your setup for ideas. It's been a good resource for those of us who aren't building monster trucks and calling it an overland vehicle, which seems to be the norm these days. I absolutely love the look of the Mopar steelies on your Gladiator, and that's one of the reasons I tried to put them on my JKU. The lack of bling appeals to me. I have some AEV rims now, and they look nice but they were pricey and make my Jeep look like I'm a city boy, which I'm not! I want a wheel for the Jeep that keeps the mud off the side and that I don't have to worry about scratching. My Jeep gets used, not washed and pampered so some steel wheels fit the bill.

 

[Dan Grec]

Dan, I do prefer them if for looks only. I would have bought the winter wheel eons ago if the backspace wasn't so much. It looks like I won't be able to run either wheel on my JK without a spacer or sending them to a wheel shop unless I either run stock sized tires or don't ever flex my Jeep and turn. I thought I might get away with a 285/70 as it's not much bigger than stock but the width kills the whole idea. I've seen all of your videos and been to your website many times looking at your setup for ideas. It's been a good resource for those of us who aren't building monster trucks and calling it an overland vehicle, which seems to be the norm these days. I absolutely love the look of the Mopar steelies on your Gladiator, and that's one of the reasons I tried to put them on my JKU. The lack of bling appeals to me. I have some AEV rims now, and they look nice but they were pricey and make my Jeep look like I'm a city boy, which I'm not! I want a wheel for the Jeep that keeps the mud off the side and that I don't have to worry about scratching. My Jeep gets used, not washed and pampered so some steel wheels fit the bill.

Gotcha, thanks for the kind words!

The Mopar Winter Wheels were fine with 285/70s with a 2.5 lift on my JK. I never had them with no lift, so I can't say if they'll rub.

Good luck!

-Dan

 

[shays4me]

Gotcha, thanks for the kind words!

The Mopar Winter Wheels were fine with 285/70s with a 2.5 lift on my JK. I never had them with no lift, so I can't say if they'll rub.

Good luck!

-Dan

I have a similar amount of lift as you do (OME) and with that much backspacing and a 285/70r17 I have some serious contact between the inner sidewall and the upper spring perch when I turn the wheel to lock and the axle is fully articulated. I don't know how often if ever I would get into a situation like that, but I fully cycled the suspension out back of the house on my dirt pile to check for rubbing. The spring perch has a sharp edge on the outside of it and I believe it would destroy a sidewall in nothing flat in an off camber situation. There is a ton of variables though and I'm sure there are some differences between Jeeps, especially with other brands of tires and lifts. I should have snapped a pic of it when I tested it and maybe I will recreate that situation.

 

[billiebob]

I must admit this blows me away. I grew up when Jeeps had a few choices but the specs were identical even between models never mind trim levels. From 1987 thru 2006 Wrangler wheels were the same as Cherokee wheels. These, my favourite, the 5 spoke dimpled or plain rim were on everything for 20 years. See one in an auto wrecker, it'll be the same. I have 20 of these in the shed.



We are losing track of what is important.