JK Overlanding/Spare Carrier Hood?

[Dan Grec]

I agree visibility is the big issue. It might not be such an issue on the road.

Really? I'd actually been thinking on-road would be the deal breaker for me.

On my expeditions, on-road is the dangerous part and I need all the viability I can get.

-Dan

 

[proper4wd]

You have expended so many resources trying to turn your Jeep into a Land Rover that you might as well have bought two or three LR's by now!

 

[Comanche Scott]

You have expended so many resources trying to turn your Jeep into a Land Rover that you might as well have bought two or three LR's by now!

His wife drives this one, so it needs to be reliable.

Like the idea for stock or skinny tires. Wouldn't want to try and lift a big tire/wheel on the hood.

A well equipped tire plug kit with safety wire and an awl will go a long way to not needing more than one spare.
http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/1210or-kopycinskis-brain-trail-tire-repair/
I've done a similar repair before. Surprised with how well it worked, and keep this gear in the Jeep now.

 

[Mass_Mopar]

I like the idea. I love the look on the LR's, not sure how good it would look on a JK.

 

[BigDaveZJ]

The topic of two spares is a tricky one.

Many people swear by it, others think it's too much weight to justify bringing an entire second spare wheel and tire.

In my experience, every single little dirt shack town has a place that can repair tires, all across the Americas, and now what I've seen of Africa.

So one spare will get you to that town, where they can fix your flat. Having a compressor and a plug kit helps that even more.

Personally, my expedition JK is already too heavy (6000lbs), I can't justify the weight.

Also, I think if you put a tire on the hood of a JK, you'll be severely limiting visibility, especially if the tire is wider than the stock 255.

-Dan

On more than one occasion I have gotten two flat tires at the same time on a trail. Only once though was it a situation where I need needed a second spare, and that could have been avoided as well as a plug kit could've gotten us going again but it was easier to just borrow a spare from a buddy of mine with the same bolt pattern and tire size.

I think a good plug kit, some spare valve stems, and a compressor would be a much better addition from a weight, and cost, standpoint than a backup to your backup. Or bring a tube.

Or if you're dead set on it, find a similar diameter with a narrower width. Several guys I know who run 33x12.50's carry a 33x9.50 spare since the spare is carried inside the vehicle on a ZJ unless you have an aftermarket tire carrier.

 

[akpostal]

I was worried about that when I first started carrying an extra spare on the top of my LJ, the first time I did Easter Jeep Safari with a spare on top I planned an easy trail the first day with the idea that if I didn't like the off-road handling I'd leave the spare in the hotel room for the rest of the week. I ended up doing the whole week with the spare on top and really never felt it up there. Of course I was extra careful in off camber situations but at least on my LJ the weight up top isn't a problem.

I understand it works for you. I didnt like the way my ZJ handled with the spare on the roof. I like a low COG, I think a high COG on a JK would be even worse the the ZJ.

If you can make a hood mount spare tire work on a JK that would be another product you designed I would line up for.

 

[SamM]

I don't think a 32" tire will fit on a JK hood without blocking visibility out of the windshield. There isn't the room in the engine compartment to drop the tire down enough. A 32" tire is about the minimum size people run. Forget 35" or 37" tires that many run.

SamM

 

[Ark13]

I would be concerned about the tire becoming a missile hazard in the event on an accident. How well would a fiberglass hood hold the weight of a spare under those circumstances?

 

[jscherb]

I would be concerned about the tire becoming a missile hazard in the event on an accident. How well would a fiberglass hood hold the weight of a spare under those circumstances?

The design I'm working on has a metal frame embedded in the fiberglass. In addition to reinforcing the fiberglass, the frame is tied to the Jeep - the hood hinges bolt through the frame. So even if the fiberglass failed, the spare is retained by the frame tied to the hood hinges.

 

[jscherb]

I took this photo yesterday from the driver's seat of a Series Land Rover at Overland Expo. A typical Jeep tire would be a little wider, but even imagining that I thought the visibility was fine.

 

[puravida73]

would love to see a 35x12.5 on the hood.

 

[SilicaRich]

In the end, I think it'll just come down to the person's opinion of whether or not the tire is a visibility issue, the difference in Wrangler models has a pretty big impact too. Also comes down to people and their height and how far they can already see from the hood and directly in front of the Jeep. For people that don't have any intentions of running large tires (myself included), this is a fairly desirable mod that won't have much effect on what we consider a hazard to visibility. If you make it, you have me already as a potential buyer.

 

[jscherb]

would love to see a 35x12.5 on the hood.

I haven't tried a spare on a JK hood to check the view yet, I'll do that soon. I don't have a 12.50 here though so it'll be something a little smaller.

In the end, I think it'll just come down to the person's opinion of whether or not the tire is a visibility issue, the difference in Wrangler models has a pretty big impact too. Also comes down to people and their height and how far they can already see from the hood and directly in front of the Jeep. For people that don't have any intentions of running large tires (myself included), this is a fairly desirable mod that won't have much effect on what we consider a hazard to visibility. If you make it, you have me already as a potential buyer.

The height of the person definitely would make a difference - if you're 5'6" the tire will block the view more than if you're 6'6" like I am.

 

[ReconH3]

The hood may not be able to handle a large spare. The Land Rovers that came with spares on the hood were generally a 205 tire, which is small. A 7.50 was the biggest I ever saw on there, and it was on the Camel Trophy trucks, which had been reinforced. Whenever regular LR owners went to bigger, like 33" or 35", they ended up damaging the hood. The JK hood is way more flimsy than any of those older Land Rovers. You would most likely have to beef things up like they did in the old CT trucks.

 

[jscherb]

The hood may not be able to handle a large spare. The Land Rovers that came with spares on the hood were generally a 205 tire, which is small. A 7.50 was the biggest I ever saw on there, and it was on the Camel Trophy trucks, which had been reinforced. Whenever regular LR owners went to bigger, like 33" or 35", they ended up damaging the hood. The JK hood is way more flimsy than any of those older Land Rovers. You would most likely have to beef things up like they did in the old CT trucks.

In post 24 I wrote...

The design I'm working on has a metal frame embedded in the fiberglass. In addition to reinforcing the fiberglass, the frame is tied to the Jeep - the hood hinges bolt through the frame. So even if the fiberglass failed, the spare is retained by the frame tied to the hood hinges.

The frame is designed to be strong enough to handle the pounding a tire would inflict on the hood in a rough off-road situation.