Matching Spare Tire - Necessary? Good Idea?

[Throwback]

Matching Spare Tire (KO2) - Necessary? Good Idea?

I bought a 5th stock size KO2 to match my 4 stock size KO2s. I planned to swap it for the OEM tire on my steel spare wheel but haven't done so yet.

Doing this seems like a pretty logical safety measure, so that I'm not left many miles back in the wilderness with a flat trying to get out on the OEM street tire spare.

However, just looking around on here this doesn't seem like a common practice unless it's guys running significantly larger tires, who then run a matching larger spare on a bumper carrier.

I have a Viair compressor, patch kit, OEM jack and lug wrench, and was going to have the 5th matching KO2 in the factory location. Is this uncommon and overkill? I'd like to hear from the seasoned explorers.

 

[bearcat90]

If you're just using it as a spare, it just needs to hold air. If you have five of the same tire, you can put it into rotation and increase the life of your entire set.

 

[85RedRunner]

Id say within an inch should be good to get you home. I would run the spare in the front in 2wd. Otherwise, same size spare for me.

 

[jpachard]

I purchased 5 tires(cooper ST Maxx) and have them mounted, including the spare. As bearcat said, it allows you to put another tire in rotation plus the factory spare is like a slick donut on anything but dry tarmac.


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[4rcybr]

How far from a road are you likely to be stuck, and what terrain are you going to have to traverse to get to a road? That's the real question you need to worry about. A decent dirt road you can do 100 miles on a donut. Rocks and cactus and the like and I'd worry a lot more.

The other thing as has been mentioned is five tire rotation. Adding an extra real tire and using it means it's not a waste, it just extends all your tires lives.

 

[Elan_]

I bought a full size KO2 spare because Rausch Creek requires a full size spare and I didn't have any spare. I have nowhere to put it though so it's sitting in my garage at the moment. The new rubber has a terrible toxic smell so I can't keep it in the trunk. I figure the smell is probably gone off the tires in use so when I rotate the spare into use I might be able to put the new spare in the trunk without the smell.

 

[Airmapper]

I do the same thing, I have a full size matching spare, and wheel, on my primary 4x4. (Not the 4runner, yet...) I also carry tire repair gear and a compressor. I wouldn't call it overkill, I call it being prepared.

The tools are not just useful for you, you can assist another vehicle with those as well if needed. Your spare tire comes in if you damage your own tire beyond what a simple plug will fix.

I don't rotate it in though because of the stupid TPMS, it doesn't have a sensor and on that vehicle it requires a lot of programming if you mix up the wheels. I both like and hate TPMS.

I think the full size spare is key, even if it's not all exact other than size. But the exact matching wheel and tire is nice. If anything it just makes me feel better, if I ever need it, once it's mounted in place I'm still "whole" and won't look like or feel like I'm limping home, or have any reason not to drive as I normally would.

If I'm on an extended trip, I can possibly repair or replace the tire I lost so at minimum I'm back to having a spare tire, mount it back under the tail, and continue on like nothing happened.

 

[fourwd1]

There's a lot of unknown variables here.
I wouldn't think twice about running a spare 1 or 2 sizes off (like maybe 31 vs 33"). But that depends on circumstances. I'd rather not do it in the front, it will affect steering . And never with a spool or locker in the rear.

 

[PWD4R]

There's a lot of unknown variables here.
I wouldn't think twice about running a spare 1 or 2 sizes off (like maybe 31 vs 33"). But that depends on circumstances. I'd rather not do it in the front, it will affect steering . And never with a spool or locker in the rear.

Even in the rear the diff will spin at different speeds and will accelerate wear. Most vehicles can handle up to 30 mph at different speeds like that but idr where I read it lol

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