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Is having a spare tire on the back rear door simply a styling trend?

2001 escape

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Stoopid question, apologies in advance. Is having a tire on the back rear door simply a styling trend?
Having just loaded groceries in pouring rain in my old Ford Escape with the vertical opening read hatch/door.....it is useful as an “umbrella.”

I understand off-road accessibility of a spare tire is useful.

The tire on the back seems a bit of a PITA....yes it gives a little more interior space, or better ground clearance if stored underneath.

Given the pro’s and con’s.....is it more of a styling cue than anything else these days?

Thanks... (from a would-be mall crawler :-/ )
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Nickp

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Stoopid question, apologies in advance. Is having a tire on the back rear door simply a styling trend?
Having just loaded groceries in pouring rain in my old Ford Escape with the vertical opening read hatch/door.....it is useful as an “umbrella.”

I understand off-road accessibility of a spare tire is useful.

The tire on the back seems a bit of a PITA....yes it gives a little more interior space, or better ground clearance if stored underneath.

Given the pro’s and con’s.....is it more of a styling cue than anything else these days?

Thanks... (from a would-be mall crawler :-/ )
Nah man totally a fair question! It’s mainly down to a few things:

1. Off road vehicles have larger tires, meaning they take up more space. (Both in width and depth)

2. A tire underneath a vehicle is either going to protrude low, and scrape on stuff/hurt the vehicles ground clearance. Or if it doesn’t protrude, it is going to take up bed/trunk/fuel space.

3. it does indeed look cool.
 

JimmyDean

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Nah man totally a fair question! It’s mainly down to a few things:

1. Off road vehicles have larger tires, meaning they take up more space. (Both in width and depth)

2. A tire underneath a vehicle is either going to protrude low, and scrape on stuff/hurt the vehicles ground clearance. Or if it doesn’t protrude, it is going to take up bed/trunk/fuel space.

3. it does indeed look cool.
concur with all of the above. same reason that many pickup drivers will relocate tires to the bed as well, easy access, improved departure angles. Also, a tire under the truck will get caked with mud which can make things a PITA when you have to use it.

the size component is also because under the truck carry has a designated, and limited space. if that space is made for a 33x9" tire, no way it is fitting a 37x13.5" mudder (which would also reduce departure angles massively, like cutting it in half) and if you get a flat off road, who's to say you even have any room to remove a tire from underneath? could be rocks, etc down there not allowing any room.

Oh, and it looks cool.

The only other practical place (and you see this many times too) is on the roof, which can be a detriment to clearance heights on trails, or difficult to get it up there and down off of there with larger tires, or at least more so than a back mount.
 
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And the rear opening to will two pieces. Look into the Jeep Wrangler. It has a swing out tailgate that the spare is bolted to. The tops glass will more than likely still swing up a like a normal hatch back. That will save you from getting wet too. A soft top would be... more problematic.
 

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Wolperdinger

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Beyond tire size, there's also the real life possibility of getting a flat on a trail in a spot where it's a royal PITA to get the tire out from under the truck. Been there...
 

MaverickMan

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A spare on the back also follows the K.I.S.S. rule. Pretty easy design and solves alot of problems. I do wish it swung seperately of the gate though. And the gate swung on multiple hinges.
 
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All great replies....thanks. When a vehicle is designed for off-road it won’t be as convenient for the “mall”. :)
 

BAUS67

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IMO it should be on it's own swing gate and the back of the Bronco should have a tailgate but I don't see that happening. DAMN those bean counters. :LOL:
 

JimmyDean

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IMO it should be on it's own swing gate and the back of the Bronco should have a tailgate but I don't see that happening. DAMN those bean counters. :LOL:
I fully agree. I actually think this would be my first mod, before lift, performance, anything. swing tire, lift or retractable window, and tailgate.
 

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dangerzone79

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I personally really DISLIKE the aesthetic of the rear tire mount, and as soon as a rear tire delete kit is available on the new Bronco I'll be doing it. When I plan an off-road trip the tire will go in the back cargo area.
 

dmtndan

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I would say it’s difficult...... I really want a tailgate.
planning on having a top rack for kayaks and such, but a rooftop tire would cause issues there.... regardless first mod will be an enlarged fuel tank, especially if we get the tiny 18gal one from the ranger.
 

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I personally really DISLIKE the aesthetic of the rear tire mount, and as soon as a rear tire delete kit is available on the new Bronco I'll be doing it. When I plan an off-road trip the tire will go in the back cargo area.
I can go either way. Some vehicles definitely look dumb with the rear spare (XJ Cherokee) but I like broncos with the spare. Will have to see how it looks with vs without.

I would say it’s difficult...... I really want a tailgate.
planning on having a top rack for kayaks and such, but a rooftop tire would cause issues there.... regardless first mod will be an enlarged fuel tank, especially if we get the tiny 18gal one from the ranger.
I would do a bigger gas tank but sounds like a lot of work and money lol. Will definitely have a rotopax gas can though.
 

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I personally really DISLIKE the aesthetic of the rear tire mount, and as soon as a rear tire delete kit is available on the new Bronco I'll be doing it. When I plan an off-road trip the tire will go in the back cargo area.
I don’t mind the aesthetic but I’d happily pay an option charge for a drop gate and hidden spare. Without a tailgate it forces larger items onto your roof. I’d rather just drop the gate and have the extra foot of length behind the seats.
Im certain Ford has considered this and we will *hopefully* get fold flat rear seats
 

dmtndan

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I don’t mind the aesthetic but I’d happily pay an option charge for a drop gate and hidden spare. Without a tailgate it forces larger items onto your roof. I’d rather just drop the gate and have the extra foot of length behind the seats.
Im certain Ford has considered this and we will *hopefully* get fold flat rear seats
I never thought that wouldn’t be an option.... but now that I think of it if the back seating in both the 2door and 4Door don’t fold flat then that’s just another thing they decided not to one up Jeep on.
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