Anything wrong with leaving the spare in factory location?

I've read all the reasons for moving the spare tire but I don't like any of the alternate locations. I'm not gonna go bigger tire than will probably fit in the stock location, but I do hear of folks complaining or fearing hanging up the spare on a rock on exit. Wondering if a bash plate mounted there somehow would be practical...?

Nemo

 

Strap it to the front and use it as a make-shift grille guard. I've always wanted to do this, so I could hit pedestrians and not cause any damage to my truck.

 

IMO, it's fine where it is for most applications. If you were going to hang up on the spare, you were probably also going to hang up on the back bumper unless you're way lifted.

 

If you're running 285/70/17 mud tires just do what i did and get a 255/75/17 mud tire for the factory location pump to 40 psi and if you get a flat on the trail your regular tires prolly would have been aired down so it is a a perfect match. Get you out of the trail easily.

 

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

 

Gentlemen (and I use that term loosely), on this site we do not leave things alone! We modify, change, alter, re-modify and customize every-single-thing-that-we-can on our 4Runners. That's what this site is all about: Enabling!

 

I agree with everything others have already said but want to add one thing. If you live in the rust belt you should lower your spare and use something like fluid film on the chain, bracket and any mechanism associated with you spare. If and when you ever need your spare you'll be glad you did this. It's also a good idea to lower and raise/relube once a year.

 

Bash plate isn't necessary. Completely deflating the spare will make it cut-resistant. Carry a compressor full-time, not a big deal for a trail rig that you air up and down often.

Of course, if you don't need the space, carrying the spare in the cargo area gives you several inches of additional ground clearance.

 

Well.....maybe screw with it,or anything else that catches your eye while you are under thw machine.

 

It hasn't been an issue for me. I've yet to hit. I hit the rear bumper a lot though lol

 

I don't like putting the spare on the roof. But I would like a flat spare in the factory location even less. Function over fashion.
The spare only goes on the roof when I go off-roading.

 

Thats very true ^, and it drives me nuts, yet I can’t stay away?

Why?????

 

I really liked the set up on some of the Prado versions that put them on the tailgate and have a side opening gate. I always thought if they started the design that way, they could have put in a slightly bigger gas tank with the space that it opened up and still gain ground clearance. I don't roll down the rear window too much anyway so I personally wouldn't care, YMMV.

 

From a practical standpoint, a rear-mount swing-out is pretty nice. An E-load tire on the roof is a massive pain, and even something lighter is quite unwieldy. The only other alternate place I'd consider is in the luggage compartment.

 

For a street driven daily, one downside to the factory location is the undercarriage gets pelted with rocks and debris. Over time, here in the rust belt, it'll accelerate the metal spare rim rusting out.

Not a big deal though, a little fluid film prevents that.

 

Listen to @Rob41
Drop your spare
(And if you have KDSS, take the "skid" off of the frame rail and hit it with FF asap)
Like a noob, I didn't do either of these things from 2016-2023 in the Pacific Northwest rust belt near ocean

Just look at this nightmare below, my goodness
"Bed floor had a large hole"

 

[QUOTE="Borracho Loco, Gentlemen (and I use that term loosely), on this site we do not leave things alone! We modify, change, alter, re-modify and customize every-single-thing-that-we-can on our 4Runners. That's what this site is all about: Enabling!
[/QUOTE]

Thank you gentlemen!!!! I'll leave it alone for now and save all my pennies for future mods that everyone tells me I have to have to be a true 4Runnerer.

 

Any automaker that puts a fuel tank behind the rear axle in the US gets sued to death nowadays. If Toyota moved the spare to the tailgate, there will be empty space under the floor, which is exactly what happened with the FJ Cruiser.

 

I did that on my '83 Chevy C20. When a deer ran out in front of me I aimed the tire at it.

 

I like keeping the weight as low as possible. Factory location works great up to a 33.5" tire.


If you're running a 285/70/17 you can get a 255/80/17 spare. This will be roughly the same diameter (depending on the manufacturer) and will not decrease your departure angle.

For example I run 285/70/17 Nitto RG's and a 255/80/17 Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx as a spare. They both have a diameter of 32.8".
I bought the Cooper from United Tire used for $80. Still in great condition.

I briefly ran a 285/70/17 size spare but I had two problems:
1. It hung very low and decreased my departure angle.
2. It was too wide for the factory spare wheel (not enough offset) and the tire would contact my UCA.

After realizing this I switched to the 255/80/17.

 

285/70/17 fits under the truck no problem and with room to spare. It does not decrease your departure angle, the hitch is still the limiting factor. If you're worried about rubbing it you can deflate it for more give. The spare steel wheel has the same dimensions as the trail wheel.

 

Interesting. I would drag my 285 spare everywhere. It was annoying.
Also I had the Pro "sema" wheels and SPC UCA's at the time. Maybe that's why the 285 was a problem on the spare wheel and not my main wheels?

Certainly didn't expect either of those problems personally.

 

@joshdub
You can see how low it hung here.

I have a hitch slider in this picture and the spare hung even lower than the slider...

 

It is more exposed but because of how low the hitch sits and how far out it sticks, the hitch still determines the departing angle. If you remove the hitch then I think the tire does become the limiting factor

 

Nothing wrong with empty space, more storage inside is always useful for dead bod...I mean stuff.

 

@joshdub
I understand what you’re saying but you’re focusing a lot on the definition of departure angle instead of real world clearance.

in theory isn’t the exhaust (on new models) lower than both your hitch and spare? So the real departure angle would be determined by the exhaust pipe.

In reality, if my exhaust tip gets crushed or my hitch drags a rock it doesn’t slow the vehicle… you can still clear the obstacle.

When the spare tire gets hung on a rock or gets buried in mud, now it’s a limiting factor.

This is the difference between theory and reality. We do not live in a theoretical world, we live in the real world. And in the real world clearance here does matter.

Hear me out or not, this is just my opinion. But I’ve personally seen clearance here make a difference. So my recommendation is to keep the weight down in the spare location, but go with a skinny tire to maximize clearance.

 

I still have the stock tire under there and have done plenty of off roading without issue. No need to upgrade to match the others for me, going to swap it ASAP anyway. Besides its far superior to any doughnut i have ever had in my cars.