Running Two Spares? Yes/No

My humble opinion is I highly disagree with two spares in 99% of what common wheelers do. I understand carrying one spare, but two is unnecessary weight and space. If you are that worried about popping TWO tires on a trip, you should start back at the wheeling basics. Learn to not pop a tire and learn how to fix a flat. If you are planning on carrying two spares, I take it you already carry a farm jack? With a farm jack and a couple of some small items that equate to less space, weight, and $$$ than a spare tire you can fix a tire. A seriously damaged one at that.

If you even want to make it easier on your self, get bead locks. If you don't want to get bead locks for the whole rig, just make your spare one. This helps you remove the bead and fix the flat appropriately. You can also grow some hair, be an adult about this, and pop the damn bead off the wheel. You don't have to go to a tire shop to do this.

Also by fixing a flat you run less risk of blowing up a third. If you are not rotating your tires correctly you will run a spare that is larger than your other tire. Unequal sizes will increase the risk of blowing up your third. I also take it you do not carry a spare third member...

In short if you are not going to be running your rig in the Baja 1000 or out on a REAL wheeling trip in Australia two spares is a waste of weight and space.

I have been wheeling for 20 years. I got my first rig stuck at 15 and continued to learn the hard way. I have fixed more tires than I can count and never have had to run two spares. Won't lie though, there have been a couple that could not be fixed.

 

I don't know of anyone who carries two spares and it's certainly not the norm in the tacoma scene, so I'm not sure what prompted this thread. I'm sure 99.99% of people on this forum will agree that two spares are overkill.

 

the OEMs think 1 spare is too many these days...

 

What if you have a second spare with a trailer?

 

For real. Tried to help a dude stranded with a flat in middle-of-nowhere, Utah, and he was like "I'd let you help, but theres nothing to do but call AAA". Got me curious and sure enough, no spare.

 

Don't even get me started on trailers... The biggest limiting factor you can add to your rig is a 1000lb brick with two wheels and no power. You can change my mind if you have PTO and run it to your trailer.

That's a topic for another thread on another day...

 

Someone told me that they run two spares...

 

Where I hunt, fish, camp, explore, etc. up in remote northern Maine, the forest/logging roads are often covered/built with shale. That'll cut a tire faster than you can hide a fart in church. I always carry a 2nd full size spare when I'm up there. In fact, a 2nd spare is highly recommended when travelling in that area (3.5 million acres of commercial forestland). It's got nothing to do with my "wheeling abilities".

 

was it @TomHGZ ?

 

For me it is an OEM spare absolute waste of space. I threw 33's on my truck the same day I bought it. Strait from the dealer to Discount for some sweek KO2's. So since day one, it was garbage. I made a drop down gas can carrier. Far more useful in my opinion.

 

2 spares, 10 snatch blocks, and 200ft of winch line isn't the norm?

 

so under the bed, instead of the OEM spare, you have gas cans....do you have a spare?

 

knew somebody would pick up on that quick haha

 

Along this line of thinking, what's the max size spare that can be carried in the OEM position on a first-gen?1

 

So you decided to create an entire thread to express your frustrations.


Lol

 

Oh.. I get the shale game. What tires are you running? All my BFG tires over the years have done well over the mining shale in the Eagle Tip, and Calapooia Mountains. I still think that two spares is overkill. Spend the money on a solid tire and a good repair kit. I get your point though. You could be the 0.1% that need it. I never have wheeled norther Maine.

 

weight wise 1 full-size spare is already a lot. Adding another 1-200lbs (depending on tire setup) is not something I need unless I'm on a deep long trip that may warrant fast tire changes or due to severe tire damage on rocks. Who should tell all the Raptor owners they may not need 2 spares in the bed at all times.

 

HAHA! Maybe 37.45% yes... The other is I want to know if I am wrong and correct my opinion. What better way than to create a thread and either get bashed for being an idiot, or get backed up? I know my small world, but I know there is more world out there.

 

Yeah. I call it "Gas Clam". I have not run a spare in 2 years... I have been on patch kits. I have had 2 flats in that time. One was just the bead getting filled with mountain sand, the other was a puncture. Fixed both and got home. Replaced the punctured tire when I got home.