As many Jeep Wrangler JK owners know, once your tire size exceeds a 33”, damage to the tailgate can occur over time, usually at the latch mechanism or hinges. The answer to this is an aftermarket tire carrier, and with the Rubicon Hard Rock, X, and 10A bumper system, there are a few options to choose from, ranging from body mounted tire carriers to products that work with the MOPAR bumper sets.
Good – This is for the budget build or new owner looking to get into the world of Jeep upgrades. The tire carriers in this category will function when needed, but may not have the same quality as one of the higher-end carriers. These bumpers will not mount directly to the Hard Rock/X/10A bumper, instead either reinforcing or replacing the stock tailgate hinges and mounting to the body of the Jeep.
Runner up:
Rugged Ridge Spartacus Tire Carrier
This Rugged Ridge Tire Carrier uses the factory hinge mounting points and features a no-drill installation. Replacing the factory hinges, this carrier does not interface with the Hard Rock bumpers, but will fit up to a 37” tire, and is made from heavy duty cast aluminum. Coming in at $519.99, this tire carrier is a good budget option or stopgap for someone looking to prevent damage to the OEM tailgate.
Winner:
TeraFlex HD JK Hinged Tire Carrier
The TeraFlex tire carrier wins in this category, coming in at a few bucks cheaper than the Rugged Ridge product, but with a few more features. This product is $486.39, and features a no-drill installation. This carrier supports up to a 37” tire, and has threaded mounting holes for accessories, such as a Hi-Lift Jack or Rotopax. Made from lightweight aluminum, this product will eliminate your tailgate stress and rattles from carrying a larger-than-stock tire without adding too much weight to your ride!
Better – These tire carriers are for the owner looking to step it up a notch, and are a great product both in terms of cost and construction. Again, the tire carriers in this setup won't fit the Hard Rock bumpers, instead, mounting to the body of the Jeep Wrangler JK.
Runner up:
Crawler Conceptz Body Mounted Tire Carrier
Crawler Conceptz produced one of the first body-mounted tire carriers for the JK. Made in the USA, these tire carriers will support up to a 40” tire, and are made from 3/16” steel, giving you a durable product that will last! This tire carrier mounts at the factory tailgate hinge and OEM spare tire location, allowing the whole tailgate and tire carrier system to be opened in one easy motion! $599.00.
Winner:
Poison Spyder Body Mounted Tire Carrier
The Poison Spyder Body Mounted tire carrier, which is relatively new on the market, has several unique features, and also provides a unique look that can add to the departure angle of your Jeep! Made from 1-1/2” DOM tubing, this carrier can handle up to a 40” tire, and has mounts for additional accessories, such as Hi-Lift Jacks and Rotopax. Ringing in at $980.00, this Poison Spyder product is our winner in this category!
Best – This category is for the build where no expense is spared, and these tire carriers provide the most seamlessly integrated products for your build, with one model working directly with the Hard Rock bumpers.
Runner up:
Maximus-3 Modular Rear Tire Carrier
At $689.99, the Maximus-3 modular tire carrier is great for the Jeep JK or JK Unlimited owner looking to complete their Maximus-3 build. This tire carrier is made from study 2” OD tube, and the carrier hinge design is independent of the factory tailgate hinge, while still allowing you to open the tailgate with one hand. This tire carrier will hold up to a 40” tire, and is fully adjustable for both tire weight and height of the tire. Ships with a textured black powder coat finish.
Winner:
AEV Tire Carrier
Our winner here is the AEV tire carrier, which will work directly with your Hard Rock rear bumper, giving you the most from your OEM gear! This rear tire carrier is the ultimate product for your Jeep, able to carry a 40” tire while also accommodating the AEV fuel caddy, a shovel, and Hi-Lift mount. This gives your Jeep a solid factory look, while still allowing you to carry a larger-than-stock tire. The AEV tire carrier is perfect for both an AEV build, the Hard Rock/X/10A package, or the MOAB/Call of Duty edition Wranglers (note here that you will need a slightly different carrier to fit the MOAB/Call of Duty bumper systems).
Good – This is for the budget build or new owner looking to get into the world of Jeep upgrades. The tire carriers in this category will function when needed, but may not have the same quality as one of the higher-end carriers. These bumpers will not mount directly to the Hard Rock/X/10A bumper, instead either reinforcing or replacing the stock tailgate hinges and mounting to the body of the Jeep.
Runner up:
Rugged Ridge Spartacus Tire Carrier
This Rugged Ridge Tire Carrier uses the factory hinge mounting points and features a no-drill installation. Replacing the factory hinges, this carrier does not interface with the Hard Rock bumpers, but will fit up to a 37” tire, and is made from heavy duty cast aluminum. Coming in at $519.99, this tire carrier is a good budget option or stopgap for someone looking to prevent damage to the OEM tailgate.
Winner:
TeraFlex HD JK Hinged Tire Carrier
The TeraFlex tire carrier wins in this category, coming in at a few bucks cheaper than the Rugged Ridge product, but with a few more features. This product is $486.39, and features a no-drill installation. This carrier supports up to a 37” tire, and has threaded mounting holes for accessories, such as a Hi-Lift Jack or Rotopax. Made from lightweight aluminum, this product will eliminate your tailgate stress and rattles from carrying a larger-than-stock tire without adding too much weight to your ride!
Better – These tire carriers are for the owner looking to step it up a notch, and are a great product both in terms of cost and construction. Again, the tire carriers in this setup won't fit the Hard Rock bumpers, instead, mounting to the body of the Jeep Wrangler JK.
Runner up:
Crawler Conceptz Body Mounted Tire Carrier
Crawler Conceptz produced one of the first body-mounted tire carriers for the JK. Made in the USA, these tire carriers will support up to a 40” tire, and are made from 3/16” steel, giving you a durable product that will last! This tire carrier mounts at the factory tailgate hinge and OEM spare tire location, allowing the whole tailgate and tire carrier system to be opened in one easy motion! $599.00.
Winner:
Poison Spyder Body Mounted Tire Carrier
The Poison Spyder Body Mounted tire carrier, which is relatively new on the market, has several unique features, and also provides a unique look that can add to the departure angle of your Jeep! Made from 1-1/2” DOM tubing, this carrier can handle up to a 40” tire, and has mounts for additional accessories, such as Hi-Lift Jacks and Rotopax. Ringing in at $980.00, this Poison Spyder product is our winner in this category!
Best – This category is for the build where no expense is spared, and these tire carriers provide the most seamlessly integrated products for your build, with one model working directly with the Hard Rock bumpers.
Runner up:
Maximus-3 Modular Rear Tire Carrier
At $689.99, the Maximus-3 modular tire carrier is great for the Jeep JK or JK Unlimited owner looking to complete their Maximus-3 build. This tire carrier is made from study 2” OD tube, and the carrier hinge design is independent of the factory tailgate hinge, while still allowing you to open the tailgate with one hand. This tire carrier will hold up to a 40” tire, and is fully adjustable for both tire weight and height of the tire. Ships with a textured black powder coat finish.
Winner:
AEV Tire Carrier
Our winner here is the AEV tire carrier, which will work directly with your Hard Rock rear bumper, giving you the most from your OEM gear! This rear tire carrier is the ultimate product for your Jeep, able to carry a 40” tire while also accommodating the AEV fuel caddy, a shovel, and Hi-Lift mount. This gives your Jeep a solid factory look, while still allowing you to carry a larger-than-stock tire. The AEV tire carrier is perfect for both an AEV build, the Hard Rock/X/10A package, or the MOAB/Call of Duty edition Wranglers (note here that you will need a slightly different carrier to fit the MOAB/Call of Duty bumper systems).