Many Jeepers will throw a larger spare on their JL and ignore what that extra weight will do the the tailgate and its hinges over time. The added weight and perhaps more significant, increased leverage will cause stress and possible damage.
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Some, will remove the spare from the tailgate and add an aftermarket bumper/tire carrier combination. This effectively removes all the stress from the tailgate but creates a cumbersome process to get into the back of the Jeep by needing to open the carrier then the tailgate.
A more elegant and efficient solution is to increase the strength of the factory tailgate mount by reinforcing the area. This allows installation of a larger and heavier tire without that is properly supported by the mount.
Jeep has stepped up its Mopar performance accessories for the JL and has a near perfect product. The Mopar JL Tailgate Reinforcement Kit will support up to a 37″ tire and with the addition of the carrier spacer kit most wheel offsets will fit without interference with the tailgate or the bumper.
Installation
As always, follow the supplied directions. We may omit certain less important steps. Remove the camera cap, the spare tire and begin removing the eight bolts that hold the tire carrier to the tailgate. Suspend the tire carrier since the wiring will still be connected.
