Collyn

Are you telling me that a 3 inch smaller tire could not be used on the rear for a very short time? I'd say BS. I had a 93 Ford lightning with a 275/60-17 regular size tire and a much smaller spare under the bed. The owners manual simply stated that if the flat was on the front it had to be mounted on the rear and the good rear wheel tire moved to the front. And it was temporary use only even though the tire was identical to the base model f-150 tires.

I think you could have easily driven the Jeep with the 32" stock tire on the back and simply bought a valve stem at an auto parts store for a dollar. You could have possibly replaced it as well. Lay the tire flat on the ground. Step on the sidewall to break the bead, install the Valve stem and re inflate. Not a $300 problem.

JE8154

When you come off a 4 to 5 foot straight down drop it's kind of impossible to not hit something. My wheeling style is conservative compared to the guys I wheel with.

JE8154

Basically the only people here who have had an issue were running stock rims and took off a valve stem or got a nail in a tire. If anyone of the 12 people that said they needed their spare has a different situation I'd be interested to hear it.

Considering running spyderlocks so the valve stem getting taken off by a rock isn't exactly a major concern.

DCT1964

I have a spare to match my new wheels and tires but I take my trailer every time I go wheeling and keep it and my 4 wheeler in it so the kids can have some fun too!

amok

I run the stock Rubi wheels with metal valve stems. Rubbed one on a rock and mashed the end over. Glad I had a spare.

JeepingNet

A short period is 3 hours? I said the part stores were all closed until the next day.. Yes It would have been nice if I had a spare valve stem (I do actually now) but I also don't want to be that guy who spend an hour replacing a valve stem.

Buy a used spare or get 5 tires and do a 5 tire rotation. It is worth it.

Rob 12B1P

Ive used mine twice. First time some asshole left a piece of 3/4"dia x 6" rebar on the trail and it destroyed the tire.

Second time I slid into a hole and got a chunk of wood about 3 fingers wide stuck between the wheel and the bead of the tire. Fortunately it still held air and I was able to finish the trail but I changed it out for the drive home as I didnt feel comfortable with the hunk of wood stuck in it.

SiliconTi

I've used my spare a few times - cut sidewall, puncture, failed/torn stem, etc...

If I went and did it all again, I *might* run without a spare, but it would require a bit of prep first:

True beadlock wheels (ie Hutchinsons) that allow the tire to be removed in the field

On board air compressor

True tire repair kit with patches, sewing steel, plugs, etc

Time to practice with above to be sure a field repair is doable.

Yes, a spare is faster/easier, but this could work. I was going to say it would also save weight, but it will not in the end, Hutchinson's are heavy.

mr.brav90

Not me personally but I was with a friend who had a stick go through a side wall with the factory tires.

nthinuf

Used the spare four times. Two tpms valve stems in aftermarket mb72 rims. 2" branch through a sidewall. Then a sliced sidewall plus a non-tpms metal stem. Can't justify the cost of beadlocks, but rock rings would be nice.