So, I finally got around to throwing the spare tire on. It has been sitting behind the shop for about 2 years. I didn't want to burden the tailgate with weight it isn't really designed to hold (Yes, I said it), so I wanted a swing out carrier. The issue is most wrangler specific units re designed to be used with a bumper from the same company.
Also, my rear 'bumper' is some kind of 4" square tubing welded straight to the rear cross member, so not something I could just swap out easily.
Add to that, those carriers can get pricey.
So, I stumbled across Hummer H2 aftermarket tire carriers. $200 shipped next day from fleabay. The dimensions were right for the YJ width and tire height placement.
Now, they are made for 8 lug wheels, but that was an easy enough fix with a grinder, a drill, and some new welds on the top 2 supplied studs. They are 1/2" studs, so I beveled the ends of the threads so the spare will self align and go on without fuss. You could also cut the existing mount off and weld on the YJ tailgate piece after cutting it down. The mount on the tire carrier is much thicker, so I opted to modify it.
The carrier has a drop down feature that puts a 30" tire close to the ground. The carrier was designed for 35-37" meats, so that size might actually touch the ground when lowered.
I welded the brackets to the bumper since there is no easy way to bolt it given the brackets are nearly 5 1/2" tall and that nixes one of the slots available for bolting.
I'm happy with it. It's slightly offset to the left side (passenger) now. The original tailgate mount put it offset to the right (driver side on this oddball). It's only noticable if you look for it. Maybe the tire will help partially block the plate from those pesky flock cameras.
