Spare Tire Advice..what are most doing when running bigger tires?

[Ready Go]

I recently realized I'm running a risk, I still have the OEM Spare setup even though I've upgraded my wheel/tire combo.

The OEM Spare is a 245/70-18 on a 18x8" (+19mm offset) wheel..31.5" height...


I'm currently running a 285/60R20 on a 20x9" (+1mm offset) wheel..33.5" height (I'm running lower tire pressures 36F/33R, so my actual height equates to 33" (verified by GPS & JBV1, and AlfaOBD programmed to 2570mm for accurate speedometer readings, which is same as 275/60R20 for AlfaOBD programming).


My 31.5" spare compared to 33.5"(33") tire setup is way off and needs to be corrected. Last time I needed to use a spare tire was ~25 years ago, but who wants to run the risk.

I'm curious what members are doing when they've changed tire sizes?

My two options are...
(1)..Just replace the 245/70-18 with a LT275/70R18..33.2" height (Only~$350 with M&B)
(2)..Buy a fifth combo of LT285/60R20 on 20x9"..~33-33.5" height (TireRack~$1020 shipped)
[Weight of either combo is almost identical]

I feel like getting the fifth combo is maybe best since it's the same as the other four, so no hurry to get flat repaired, but $1020 vs $350 makes me think is it really worth it for something I hope to never use. (My four combos are custom powder coat color matched and the fifth won't be, so I won't do a five tire rotation..and spare wouldn't stay on for long if needed).

Here's the specs...

Thanks for any thoughts or advice

 

[CHeYeNNe71]

Other option, I did when I ran 37's, just buy tire and keep in the bed when traveling, or at home when local and hope you can get to it. The best would be to run the sale wheel/tire combo, but as you mentioned the cost factor. I still haven't figured mine out yet. I will probably just grab appropriate 18" size for the spare wheel. cheapest option.

 

[Ready Go]

Other option, I did when I ran 37's, just buy tire and keep in the bed when traveling, or at home when local and hope you can get to it. The best would be to run the sale wheel/tire combo, but as you mentioned the cost factor. I still haven't figured mine out yet. I will probably just grab appropriate 18" size for the spare wheel. cheapest option.

Yep, I know we discussed this need for both of us once before.

It'll be a while (when my tires wear out), but I love the look of your 285/65s even better than my 285/60s..and maybe in the future I'll be willing to forego a little more gearing to go to 285/65s..and then my spare would be off again.

A 275/70-18 would certainly work as a short term use spare, and is cheap basically, but a fifth combo would be better if on a long distance trip.

 

[CHeYeNNe71]

Yep, I know we discussed this need for both of us once before.

It'll be a while (when my tires wear out), but I love the look of your 285/65s even better than my 285/60s..and maybe in the future I'll be willing to forego a little more gearing to go to 285/65s..and then my spare would be off again.

A 275/70-18 would certainly work as a short term use spare, and is cheap basically, but a fifth combo would be better if on a long distance trip.

Yeah, I'd love the 5th wheel option. Tires are just crazy expensive, plus both of us have custom powdercoat wheels making it more costly. UGH!!

 

[Ready Go]

Yeah, I'd love the 5th wheel option. Tires are just crazy expensive, plus both of us have custom powdercoat wheels making it more costly. UGH!!

Yep..

 

[LaxDfns15]

When I moved to 295/70R18's I bought the cheapest AT tire in the same size, had them mount it to spare wheel, then crammed it up under the bed. It'll fit if you jam it in and maybe kick it a bit. I didn't remove the heat shields, but if I go to 35x12.5 I'll probably have to and maybe grind the hitch receiver a bit. I'm not concerned about the spare wheel as I don't rotate all 5. It'll stay under the truck until it looks bad then I'll replace.

 

[Ready Go]

When I moved to 295/70R18's I bought the cheapest AT tire in the same size, had them mount it to spare wheel, then crammed it up under the bed. It'll fit if you jam it in and maybe kick it a bit. I didn't remove the heat shields, but if I go to 35x12.5 I'll probably have to and maybe grind the hitch receiver a bit. I'm not concerned about the spare wheel as I don't rotate all 5. It'll stay under the truck until it looks bad then I'll replace.

I feel like for me, the 275/70-18 on OEM Spare wheel is a cheap insurance policy for something I'll hopefully/probably never use.
A fifth combo is really just wasting money, in many ways.

 

[LaxDfns15]

I feel like for me, the 275/70-18 on OEM Spare wheel is a cheap insurance policy for something I'll hopefully/probably never use.
A fifth combo is really just wasting money, in many ways.

Agreed. Think I got a Nexan or something like that from Discount Tire when I bought my Discoverers.

 

[1BADRAMLIMITED]

other threads has shown other members running spare 35 with deflating the tire and removing the heat shield and a little trimming on the back side of the trailer hitch

 

[skyhawk42]

I have a 35x12.50 spare under mine. The heat shield is still there, but I did trim the back of the hitch, otherwise the tire was rubbing the track bar.

 

[Ready Go]

I do have the Vice Design LED Reverse Lights..which bolts to the backside of the hitch for support.
These do decrease the clearance between the spare tire and the hitch a bit..I measure that I should have ~34" with the heat shields in place, so either of my choices will fit..I'm leaning towards just swapping a 275/70-18" on the OEM Spare wheel..a $1000 spare really isn't necessary or better than a $350 spare that I hope to not need.
When my nearly new LT285/60R20s need replacement, I'll probably step up to LT285/65R20s (~34.6") at which point I'll remove the heat shields to fit a larger spare.