so i have just got a set of 35's (only bought four) and have been looking at new tires carriers, i dont really want to drop the cash for a new rear bumper and dont want to put a 35 on my stock tail gate.
can i just use my 32 as a spare, if i have an issue on the trail and need to limp home? or would this lead to some sort of damage ?

 

Provided that you were in 2wd and have no locker in the front you could probably limp home. But really, just go get a worn out 35' from a tire shop and toss it in the back when wheelin. Bobtail the rig!

Edit:the smaller tire would need to be one the front of your rig to not smash things up...

 

Better to have 5 and do a 5 tire rotation. I had Cooper 35's for 30,000m, never a flat. 2 weeks after getting my Toyo 37's, got a big arse nail in the tire, uggh.

 

I would go ahead and get the fifth tire. One month after buying my tires I got a large chunk of metal through my tire. Thinking nothing would get through them (35" BFG Km2's) on the freeway I removed my spare. Big mistake. I put the 35" spare on the stock tire mount and it seemed to work ok until I could afford the tire carrier. Not a good idea to run different sized tires since the smaller tire will spin at a different speed causing gear damage.

 

Get the matching spare, it will earn its keep in a 5 tire rotation and it just may save your ass when you rip a sidewall on the trail.

Anything else is an accident waiting to happen.

 

You know, there is a reason millions and millions of automobiles have space saver spare tires. They work.

What is the purpose of a spare tire? I don't think it was meant for a five tire rotation, but if that is your thing, then do it. I personally use a spare tire for getting me back to civilization if I get a flat tire. And nine times out of ten, if I get a puncture out on the trail I am going to use my tire plugging kit and on board air to get going again, and wont even dismount the spare tire anyway.

No stock Jeep is going to suffer gear damage from using a space saver spare tire. The open differential Jeeps are not going to have a problem, and you cant use your lockers on a Rubicon while in two wheel drive, or high range. So on the highway you're fine, just turn the ESP off.

I have 35" tires on my Jeep, and a 33" spare tire. I went this route because I don't like all the extra weight of a bigger spare tire and swing away tire carrier on the back of my Jeep. There is a very obvious worsening in the Jeeps handling characteristics with that extra weight way up high and as far away from the center of gravity as you can get it. There is also a worsening of the Jeeps ability to climb near vertical obsticals when four wheeling.

You will be perfectly fine using your 32" stock spare tire.

 

I completely agree. I ran 35s on my xj with a 31 spare. Just as long as you don't engage lockers you'll be fine to drive to a safe spot and call AAA or go to a gas station to have it plugged. I think if you live out west where its a 20 minute drive to civilization, then slap on a 35X10.50 used tire on your stock wheel and bobtail your jeep. When I go to 35s, I plan to put a narrow 35 on my stock 5th rim and throw it in the back.

 

Having to change a flat tire sucks. What sucks worse is having to change two tires to fix one flat.

You know when it's going to happen as well. You're going to need to get somewhere, it's going to be raining, you're going to be out on the trail, in the hood or far from civilization. When bad things happen fate always wants to teach you a lesson about doing things right the first time.

Then there's the advantages of 5 tire rotations. That equates to 25% more tire life, plus the added flexibility of getting a somehow wonky front tire on a rear corner for prolonged periods of time while you scrub away any defect created by a steering or braking issue.

Yep, no way I run anything but a full size spare and simply asking the question is tempting fate.

 

Yes, but while those space saving spares are really NARROW, they're the same overall diameter as the stock tires I believe.

If you put the 32" tire on one side, and have a 35" on the other, I'd think that it would make the ESP go nuts because the two sides are going to be spinning are different speeds...

 

Agreed!

And to elaborate on Grant09's point, imagine how poorly the Jeep will behave if you were to need your spare on the front of your Jeep. I couldn't imagine how much it would want to pull to one side if your rolling a 35 and a 32 up front

You've already probably spent a grand (or more) on four tires. What is an extra $250 or so for a proper spare. And, as been pointed out, if you rotate your spare you will recoupe the cost of the extra tire over the life of the tires.