My New Spare Won't Fit

The original NDT spare fits fine on the side spare mount as expected. However, my new 215/85's won't fit. I'm guessing the bolts need to be an inch or so longer, but they are welded on that plate. What have you guys done to address wider spares?

 

What the size difference between the NDT and 215/85. 15" or 16" ?
-Donny

 

Yes I'm thinking the bracket needs to move out an extra inch. I can't get the wheel rim to get up to the plate. When I lay the tire on the garage floor and measure from floor to top edge of rim, I need 5 1/2" but with the ndt's it 4 1/2 which is what the bracket is. In studying it, it the amount of rubber overhang past the metal rim. The ndt's have very little overhang.

 

Factory 16" rims.

 

I'm thinking I'll mock it up to make sure it clears, then have a metal guy make me one 1" deeper but to look just type the original one. Your suggestion to look back under for possible extra bracing.

 

What would happen if you turned the wheel around?

 

Unless the spare holder changed, you must have significant tire bulge.

 

I'd be going backwards all the time? Is this a trick question?

I agree with Glenn, it would look ugly, plus the back side is what gets scratched when on your hubs so it would look bad AND now the good side would be against the plate, scratching it. I don't see that as an option.

 

The holder is still the factory, but when you put modern 215's radials on these old rims, you get tires that stick out more than old NDT's plus some bulge being on these older narrower rims.

But surely I'm not the first guy to go this route with 215's and factory rims.

 

Seems like it'd be easier to put longer bolts in it.

 

Maybe put a block behind the carrier.

 

Simple, buy a 2" 5x5.5 wheel spacer off amazon. Bolt it on, bolt tire to spacer. Done.

Amazon.com: 5x5.5 Wheel Spacers,ECCPP 2X 2" 5x5.5 to 5x5.5 Wheel Spacer Adapters Replacement fit for Dodge Ram 1500 Ford F-100 F-150 E-150 Econoline Bronco Suzuki Vitara Jeep CJ &More with 1/2" studs (5x139.7): Automotive

 

It won't sit up against the plate then. There would be a 1 inch gap.

 

Also make sure the mounted spare clears the right rear tire when the jeep is flexing over trails.

I'm presuming if your spare is wider, so are the other tires.

 

If you space it out to prevent the tire rubbing the body, you are increasing the leverage the spare has by increasing the distance from the body to the spare, More leverage=more stress cracks in the body. I'd recommend a larger reinforcing plate inside the body, to spread the added stresses over a larger area. Good luck!

 

Like GeoffreyL says, just use a wheel spacer. That's exactly what I did on my M38A1 on the spare carrier. I'm running 33 10.5 15 on 15x8 inch rims. So I used a 1 1/2" aluminum wheel spacer to move it out far enough. The 15" rim made it necessary to space it out a little further than if I had stayed with 16" rims.