Network
A core safety requirement of heading out on an off-road adventure is having a properly sized spare tire available. Jeeps have had a spare tire mounted to the back of them for decades; there is no space in the cargo area for it, nor is there any space to tuck it under the body.
The rear tailgate and hinges are made from stamped steel, and were designed to support the load of a factory-ish sized tire. However, with the extra pounds of upgraded wheels and tires, they no longer has the strength, nor longevity.
Upgrading tire carriers is an overlooked modification when up-sizing wheels and tires. – Frank Bisciotti, Extreme Terrain
We took some time to talk with Frank Bisciotti, the Marketing Coordinator for Extreme Terrain. “Upgrading tire carriers is an overlooked modification when up-sizing wheels and tires.” He explained. “The added weight and mass from a larger tire hanging off the back of a stock carrier will add a lot of stress and increased wear and tear. This added stress can fatigue the welds on the tailgate, which would then create added vibration and noise.”
“The last thing you want to hear when you’re out wheeling is a bunch of clanking metal sounds coming from behind,” Bisciotti continued. “The other feature we like about the Rugged Ridge Spartacus HD tire carrier kit is that it allows one-handed, single-motion operation. This allows it to look and function almost like a stock-style carrier to the untrained eye.”
The Heavy Duty Spare Tire Mount replaces the factory unit. It is a much stronger piece and has built-in adjustments.
Combined with the Heavy Duty Wheel mount (included in the kit), the Spartacus system covers all of the weight-bearing portions of the tailgate. The unit is designed to support the load of up to a 37-inch tire and has plenty of adjustment to work with nearly all factory or aftermarket wheels.
To make sure the Spartacus system is capable of surviving the rigors of off-road use, it was put through military standardized testing. “MIL-STD-810 testing is commonly prepared for military applications,” Bisciotti said, “However, some commercial products, like the Spartacus HD tire carrier kit, are also tested using this standard. This assures that, even when subjected to extreme elements, vibrations, and other conditions, the carrier will be able to withstand the test of time – and the elements.”
INSTALL
Installing the Spartacus kit is quite simple. We recommend you have a good basic toolset (including Torx bits) and a friend to lend a hand. Rugged Ridge provides detailed step-by-step instructions with images with the kit, so be sure to read over them before starting the install process.
The factory spare tire carrier serves the purpose for a factory vehicle. It is not built to survive the off-road lifestyle with a larger tire on it.
During disassembly, follow the instructions closely, as there are certain parts that get reused with the new system. For example, the Spartacus kit is designed to reuse the factory third brake light. Federal regulations require a vehicle that was originally equipped with one retain it.
The factory third brake light is held together by several Torx head screws. Remove the screws and unplug the wiring.
Unbolt the factory tire carrier and set it aside.
The stock tire carrier unit is not heavy, but it can be awkward. Take a moment to clean the tailgate while the tire carrier is off; dirt and debris can build up.
The HD wheel mount can be used as a stand-alone piece, without the HD hinge. Rugged Ridge provides the necessary hardware to install it both with and without the HD hinge.
Before starting the hinge installation, make sure the tailgate is fully closed and locked. Do not open the tailgate while the hinges are unbolted or loose. Use wooden shims or blocks under the tailgate to keep it sturdy while the work is completed. Adding tape across the tailgate to the body helps to show if the tailgate has shifted at all during the process.
Before removing the hinges make sure that you use some masking tape to hold the rear door in place.
The factory hardware is painted along with the body, which can make removal difficult. As a solution, we used a blade to expose the hardware’s edges.
Extreme Terrain’s listing for the Rugged Ridge Spartacus HD Tire Carrier Kit includes a link to a Customer Submitted Installation Guide. Someone commented there, “You can take this opportunity to paint under the hinges as I did. I caught the early signs of rust formation, so I used wire brushes and 80-grit sanding block to remove the rust prior to painting.”
The heavy duty hinge casting is bolted to the body tub using the six factory Torx head bolts.
Adjustment was built into the lug plate to allow for many different wheel backspaces.
When installing the lug plate to the tire carrier mount, you have to get the hardware just right. The bolts had to be tight enough to prevent the lug plate from moving freely, but loose enough to manually adjust the position and orientation. This helps accommodate for a wheel’s backspacing.
Manually adjust the spare tire and wheel. They should be as close as possible to the vehicle without touching it. If mounted too far away, it can cause unnecessary damage to the components or vehicle. Tightening the set screws will help hold the tire plate in position so the tire can be removed and the hardware tightened completely.
Reinstall the factory third brake light to the new mount, which has lots of adjustment to allow for multiple tires sizes. Check all hardware, making sure everything has been installed correctly. Finally, tighten it all down.
In some cases (35s or bigger usually), the wires of the factory third brake light will need to be extended. Our install with 33s that did not require the wires to be extended.
Overall, the new tire carrier is much more stout and does not flex with the weight of the larger tire. We would see no issue even stepping up a tire size with this carrier. For more products for your Jeep, be sure to check out Extreme Terrain’s website!
