TECHLINE

SPARE TIRE OPTIONS

Q I really enjoy your tech column. I have a donut spare tire for my ’99 Jeep TJ Wrangler, as sometimes you want just the bare-bones Jeep and shed all the weight. I know people sneer at donut spares, but they are tough little buggers and can get you down the road if you get a flat. It’s better than nothing. My newer ’11 Rubicon has a wider bolt pattern, so the TJ donut will not fit. I can’t seem to find a donut with that pattern. So what can I do? Please keep in mind that it would be pretty rare that the little tire ever gets used. Could I buy a bolt pattern adapter to change to a TJ lug pattern? Is there a donut from a minivan that could be used? I would sure like to leave that big, heavy spare tire at home.

CHARLES DURYEA VIA EMAIL

It’s always been recommended that 4x4s used off-road should carry a fullsize spare tire. Some off-road events require a fullsize spare tire for every participant. But, you are right, spare tires can be heavy and hinder both on- and off-road performance. Many hard-core off-road enthusiasts avoid carrying a spare tire because of the added weight, but they usually have a backup plan. Not carrying a spare tire) and Quadratec () offer wheel adapters that allow TJ wheels to fit the JK wheel bolt pattern. You could simply carry one adapter and the dinky TJ spare tire. You could also just purchase a dinky, used stock-sized JK spare tire from the local want ads or from a wrecking yard.