I discovered that 6 out of the 10 holes for the latch /cover were drilled but not tapped. 
Fortunately I have a tap set in the right size.
Fortunately I have a tap set in the right size.
'95 Sahara, 1st YJ
- Thread starter TRevs
- Start date
I got the spare mounted on the refinished wheel and installed on the tailgate. I think it looks good, maybe better than with the vinyl tire cover.
Unfortunately, discount tire mounted the wrong Yokohama, so the spare is back there to get the new Geolandar A/T4 installed. But while the spare was on I tried to see how thick the snubbers need to be and if the standard 1.62” would work. Oddly enough, the tire doesn’t fit perpendicular to the tailgate. There’s over and inch and a half at the top right, and a bit less then 1” of clearance at the bottom left. I thought the crookedness would be fixed by the new tailgate, so I’m perplexed.
The body mounting surface of the spare carrier sits flat to the ground, and I don’t see any deformities that would cause the tire side to tilt.
I’ll post some photos when I get it mounted again.
Unfortunately, discount tire mounted the wrong Yokohama, so the spare is back there to get the new Geolandar A/T4 installed. But while the spare was on I tried to see how thick the snubbers need to be and if the standard 1.62” would work. Oddly enough, the tire doesn’t fit perpendicular to the tailgate. There’s over and inch and a half at the top right, and a bit less then 1” of clearance at the bottom left. I thought the crookedness would be fixed by the new tailgate, so I’m perplexed.
The body mounting surface of the spare carrier sits flat to the ground, and I don’t see any deformities that would cause the tire side to tilt.
I’ll post some photos when I get it mounted again.
That’s odd. I haven’t mounted mine without bumpers, so I suppose mine could do the same and I just don’t realize it, but mine is sitting pretty nicely across the 4 proper thickness snubbers (1.22” snubbers on 15x6 wheel and 225/75 spare). I would imagine it would sit straight up and down if I removed the snubbers and took a look.
Got the desired tire mounted on the rim. It’s definitely a more aggressive tread than the G015 it’s replacing.
I have a TJ Sahara spare cover, but I like the way this looks for now.
I have a TJ Sahara spare cover, but I like the way this looks for now.
The snubbers are going to be trouble. I have a TJ snubber that measures just over 1.5” and it won’t fit in any of the four snubber spaces.
I have a homemade snubber i made out of a rubber mallet that is about 1” and it fits in one spot, but is too thin in two spots and too thick in the fourth one.
The bottom right corner of the carrier had a little crack which I guess is the reason. I suppose I could try to BFH it back to square, or just make custom DIY snubbers from Harbor Freight mallets. Even if I got the carrier swuare, it doesn’t look like the standard 1.62” snubbers would work with this tire/rim combo.
I have a homemade snubber i made out of a rubber mallet that is about 1” and it fits in one spot, but is too thin in two spots and too thick in the fourth one.
The bottom right corner of the carrier had a little crack which I guess is the reason. I suppose I could try to BFH it back to square, or just make custom DIY snubbers from Harbor Freight mallets. Even if I got the carrier swuare, it doesn’t look like the standard 1.62” snubbers would work with this tire/rim combo.
Very strange. The parts manuals only offer 1.22 and 1.62 in the early years, I would assume surely 1.62 is the only one even remotely close to fitting…
Maybe need a set of 1.22’s? eBay will have them.
Maybe need a set of 1.22’s? eBay will have them.
Maybe the backspacing is less on the 15x7? The 15x8 Canyons are 5.5”, but my build sheet says it came with 15x7 steel wheels.
Can you measure the backspacing on your ‘new’ wheels from Original Wheels? If it’s 5” that would explain a lot.
Backspacing is less on 15x7, it is 5.25”. However, I am not using a 15x7 spare at the moment, I’m using a 15x6 which is also 5.25”, but the tire bulge from the narrow rim is why the 1.22” bumpers are used.
30x9.5 on the 15x7 wheel is not snug enough on the 1.22” bumpers, and it is way too tight on the 1.62” bumpers. But, 30x9.5 never came on the 15x7 wheel, so that makes sense. 30x9.5 only came on the 15x8 wheel, which is yes, 5.5” of backspacing, however, I assumed the nearly vertical sidewalls of the tire on a such a wide 8” wheel would make the 1.62” bumpers the ideal choice.
For the 15x7 wheel, it’s pretty clear that only the 1.62” bumpers can be used, because the 1.22” are not solid enough with 30x9.5. 235, 225, and 215 are all narrower than that, and 225/215 were the only factory tire options for stock 7” wheels, so definitely, the correct bumper for a 7” wheel is 1.62”.
I also assumed the 15x8’s used the same 1.62” bumpers, because the people on eBay refer to the 1.22” bumpers as the “rare” ones. If they were used on 30x9.5 / 15x8, I would think they wouldn’t be anywhere close to rare, because tons and tons of TJs came with that combo. So I assumed the thin bumpers were only for 15x6 base steel wheels, which definitely works with the thin bumpers and they were definitely the most rare spare tire option.
Backspacing/offset:
15x6: +44mm, 5.25” BS
15x7: +31.75mm, 5.25” BS
15x8: +25.4mm, 5.5” BS
30x9.5 on the 15x7 wheel is not snug enough on the 1.22” bumpers, and it is way too tight on the 1.62” bumpers. But, 30x9.5 never came on the 15x7 wheel, so that makes sense. 30x9.5 only came on the 15x8 wheel, which is yes, 5.5” of backspacing, however, I assumed the nearly vertical sidewalls of the tire on a such a wide 8” wheel would make the 1.62” bumpers the ideal choice.
For the 15x7 wheel, it’s pretty clear that only the 1.62” bumpers can be used, because the 1.22” are not solid enough with 30x9.5. 235, 225, and 215 are all narrower than that, and 225/215 were the only factory tire options for stock 7” wheels, so definitely, the correct bumper for a 7” wheel is 1.62”.
I also assumed the 15x8’s used the same 1.62” bumpers, because the people on eBay refer to the 1.22” bumpers as the “rare” ones. If they were used on 30x9.5 / 15x8, I would think they wouldn’t be anywhere close to rare, because tons and tons of TJs came with that combo. So I assumed the thin bumpers were only for 15x6 base steel wheels, which definitely works with the thin bumpers and they were definitely the most rare spare tire option.
Backspacing/offset:
15x6: +44mm, 5.25” BS
15x7: +31.75mm, 5.25” BS
15x8: +25.4mm, 5.5” BS
Thanks for the info. Maybe I’ll try to cut/weld the carrier back to square, then maybe 1.22” will fit. I can always shim with rubber fender washers.
Yeah, I just wonder why it’s not right. Obviously it had to come from the factory set up in some way or another. Not for the wheel you run but the tire carrier is the same dimension in all years best I can tell, so it seems like it should be pretty easy to get right since that was a TJ tire and wheel combo. Very strange.
I decided to cut and bend and reweld the problem corner of the tire carrier to try and get it closer to square.
I also noticed that the lower part of the wheel contacts the lower arms of the tire carrier before the mounting surface sits flush. It doesn’t seem like it should be like that. Maybe that’s due to the extra 0.25” of backspacing with a TJ wheel.
So I’m going to try some fender washers on the mounting studs to create a little space back there.
I also noticed that the lower part of the wheel contacts the lower arms of the tire carrier before the mounting surface sits flush. It doesn’t seem like it should be like that. Maybe that’s due to the extra 0.25” of backspacing with a TJ wheel.
So I’m going to try some fender washers on the mounting studs to create a little space back there.
I also had a no-start/no-power this weekend and found the positive battery terminal clamp was loose. The nut is corroded and chewed up, plus it looks like the clamp itself has a crack. New ‘Big 7’ from jeepcables was ordered today.
Something really weird is going on with that tire carrier. I don’t think it’s specific to the wheel, because the YJ also had the 15x8 Renegade wheel which is the same as the TJ gambler wheel. Same 5.5” BS and 8” width. The YJ did only come with a 29x9.5R15 instead of 30x9.5R15, but still….the wheel should fit the carrier.
I know YJ and TJ carriers are the same depth, and being they shared some wheels, then it should all work.
I guess it’s just from getting bent up in the past. I’ve hammered and vise-gripped it into a nearly square shape, put a single fender washer on each of the upper studs and two on the lower stud, and the 1.22” snubbers fit fairly well now.
I’m adding 3/16” rubber sheet to three of the snubbers and I think things will finally be acceptably square and tight so my new tailgate and hinges will (hopefully) last a few years.
I’m adding 3/16” rubber sheet to three of the snubbers and I think things will finally be acceptably square and tight so my new tailgate and hinges will (hopefully) last a few years.
I got the Big 7 from jeepcables installed this weekend. Not to difficult especially with some help from @Plastic Fury
Before:
Before:
Nice work. I wound up ordering some rubber covers for the posts, just as a precaution. I felt that kit was prepared well and everything fit where and how it should.
