How to Fit Larger Spare Tire and Axle Dump Exhaust

I wanted to fit a full size spare once I went up to 285s in the stock spare location as a temporary solution until I got my new high clearance rear bumper with a swingout.

I also wanted to axle dump the stock exhaust to improve rear clearance since I hit the tail pipe several times while offroad and to improve my clearance for the larger spare tire. I first attempted to use an axle dumped MBRP exhaust I bought used but it was way too loud for my tastes. The stock exhaust did not increase the cabin noise any that I can tell after I cut it compared to uncut.

After some forum research, I went at it to shorten the stock exhaust and relocate the hoist an inch or so to the rear to have more clearance for the spare tire.

Cutting exhaust

• Supplies
  • Sharpie
    
  • WD-40
    
  • Drill with 14 mm socket
    
  • Cutoff wheel
  • Files
  • Gloves
  • Safety glasses
• Instructions
  • Mark on the tail pipe where you want to cut with the sharpie, I cut it right over the rear axle after it turns facing down
  • Apply WD-40 to all exhaust fasteners, hangers, and rubber insulators
  • Remove the bolts from the rear flange of the y-pipe with the drill and 14mm socket
  • Remove the hangers from the rubber isolators and remove the stock muffler and tail pipe. It helps to have someone help wiggle it out of the rubber insulators and remove it over the rear axle
  • Use the cutoff wheel to cut off the tail pipe (my cut wasn't the cleanest but no one will see it!)
  • Use the file to clean up your edges
  • Reinstall (much easier now) by sliding the hangers back into the rubber isolators
  • Retorque the 14mm bolts

Relocating spare tire hoist

• Supplies
  • Large hammer
  • 12mm wrench
  • 18mm wrench (or other similar size)
  • Sharpie
  • Drill with 7/16" step bit
  • Tape
  • Spray paint
  • Gloves
  • Safety glasses or preferably a face shield of some kind
  • Long-sleeve shirt or something to protect your arms
• Instructions
  • Lower the spare tire using the factory jack handle and extensions
  • Hammer the two guides flat
  • Loosen the four 12mm bolts from the top that thread into the threaded inserts of the hoist. This is a pain in the ass due to extremely little clearance above the hoist. My trick was to interlink the 18mm wrench with a 12mm wrench to have additional leverage and so that I don't have to have my hands above the hoist. The bolts remove from the top.
  • Once I had the hoist removed, I held it up and shifted it back so that the front hoist holes were now in the spot of the rear frame holes and then used the rear hoist holes to make markings for new holes to be drilled in the frame
  • Put tape on your step bit behind the 7/16" line, this is how far you'll drill
  • Use the drill and step bit to drill the two new holes. The metal is pretty thick as you drill so take your time and be careful because the metal shavings will be hot as they fall
  • Use the spray paint to cover the holes you drilled and also the guides that you hammered flat
  • Use the wrenches again to reinstall the hoist bolts in the new location on the frame
  • Use the factory jack handle and extensions to raise your spare tire guiding the tire as it goes up

Photos

Cutting exhaust





Relocating spare tire hoist

 

Nice work. I cut my exhaust like that yesterday for the same reasons, and attempted to dress it up with a polished tip, but it didn't fit the pipe. So back to the drawing board on that. I was also thinking about fitting a bigger spare in there, so I'm glad you did that too.

 

Thanks! Hopefully this helps.

I added a link to the lift writeup back to the post now that I finished it.

I'm sure you could cut it with the exhaust on which is probably what any exhaust shop would do. They'd probably charge $50 or less and be done in a few minutes. I just wanted to have plenty of space to work with to ensure I didn't hit something else and so I didn't have to worry about the hangers/isolators. I actually had the exhaust off already because I had the MBRP axle dump exhaust on the truck for a week or two but it was way too loud for me. When I removed the MBRP exhaust, I reinstalled the cut stock exhaust. If I was doing it from the beginning, I'd likely remove it again.

Yeah, those bolts may be on there pretty good but you can generously apply some WD-40 and let it sit for a few minutes. It's possible they may come off!

Thanks!

It may not be necessary to move the hoist and you could potentially accomplish the same thing by the pulling the tire to the rear to guide it as you hoist it up but this gives plenty of space so that it isn't an issue.

Some people who want to fit a larger spare but don't want to cut the exhaust keep the passenger side guide and only hammer the drive side flat. That pushes the spare slightly towards the driver side to keep the spare tire away from the hot tail pipe.

 

That's good to know. I'll wait until I'm ready for new tires and step up in size to see what I need to do to make it fit, but it's good to know it can be done easily.

 

Nice write up man.

 

Not too bad! Most annoying part is getting the hoist off with the tight clearance above. Also take precautions when drilling the new holes since the metal shavings are hot

Thanks!

 

Very informative write-up. I am looking to do something similar. I am running 275/70/17 K02, so I was thinking all I would need to do is flatten the two guides.

 

In the past I chopped my exhaust in the same location as your picture below(on a different vehicle) and eventually wound up having to reroute it. During sustained highway driving where the truck was at mid to high rpms the exhaust would heat up the rear axle, spare tire etc. so hot that you couldn't touch it. The rear driveshaft u-joint started burning through its grease in a matter of days. I wound up having an exhaust shop route the tip just over the axle in between the spare and the axle but at a new angle to avoid the spare but still high enough that it wasnt hanging down below everything like the stock setup. I highly suggest you pay extremely close attention to this.

 

Good job OP, thanks for sharing!!!

 

Good info. I did the same using the stock exhaust:



I checked the axle initially, but have not checked it after long runs. I will do that.

I did get another take off stock exhaust incase I ran into problems.

Also, I did want a mandrel bent tip, but . . .

I do get a bit more rumble from the exhaust, but not much. Basically, just enough that I no longer think about a cat back.

 

Nice. I've been running a 35" under mine for a while. Didn't relocate my hoist, just kind of pull the tire backward with a small ratchet strap while I lift the tire into place and it seems to hold fine.

 

Nice, what size specifically? I need to fit a 315/70/17.

 

35 x 12.5 x 18, I do store it without air though, won't fit filled. Onboard compressor obviously.

 

Solid write up!

 

Sweet, Ive got OBA so Ill give it a shot.

 

Eventually, I do want to cut my exhaust tip. Thanks for taking the time to take pics & write it up.

 

I cut mine off while attached to the truck with a simple sawz-all. Took more time to take it off the hanger than to cut it.

 

If you're only throwing a 265/75R16 as your spare you should be able to get away with a few wacks on the guides and leaving everything else alone right?

Depending on tire and depth of tread ofcourse.

 

Yes, mine fits fine, no guide wacking needed either.

 

Thaanks! You may be okay without doing it but if you need to, that’s definitely the easier part.

Good call, thanks!

I only ran this setup for 4 months or so until I got my new rear high clearance swingout. Now I have the tire back there and I removed the hoist completely.

Hopefully the cut portion of the exhaust is high enough above the axle but I’ll keep an eye on it.

Thanks!

Yeah, I haven’t really noticed a sound difference before/after cutting it. Way better than the MBRP axle dump exhaust than I ran for a week or two.

That’s great! I’d love OBA but am still using my

$103 Viair 88P Portable Compressor Kit (12V, 120 Psi, Forup to 33" Tires)

Viair 88P compressor. Slow but does the job!

Thanks!

Happy to help!

I already had it off since I was removing my loud MBRP exhaust so it was easy to cut it while off but you can definitely do it while it’s on the truck! You do have a little more room while doing it with it off the truck.

I think you can likely fit that without any modifications since that’s only slightly larger than stock. Worst case, you could bend up the guides if needed.