I just purchased and installed the Rugged Ridge Tire Carrier Spacer. Im impressed with weight of this thing. None the less all threads on this site indicate that when moving to 35in tires the spare on the back needs to be raised up and pushed out. After installing according to the directions, I noticed that the tire more than clears the bumper. So much so, where I can reverse the Spacer so that its down and out.

Philosophical Question:
If I were to reposition the spacer so the tire sits down and out, would I in effect reduce the stress on the stock tire carrier? My thought is that the majority of the spares weight would be below the center point of the tire carrier. Installed correctly, the tire is above the center point of the tire carrier. WOuld positioning this spacer down and out reduce any stress?

Note:
Im eventually going to replace all the bumpers so im using the spacer as a short term solution.

 

With a 35 on there, you would be on the bumper if you reversed the bracket. And it would have no effect on damage to the stock carrier. Weight is weight, and that is the issue

 

I already made the switch. Down and out it misses the bumper by a quarter of an inch. My question is for the engineers here. Would it be better to have the weight below the center point of the carrier or above?

 

I wore out my rear hinges with a 33" tire so watch out for that. A 35" tires is a lot heavier that a stock wheel.

 

Theoretically it is still attached to the same stress points. Even though the stress is applied in different directions it is still the same amount of force being applied. With that being said, if your tailgate is going to give, it will give at one of the points not matter what direction. (that is based on assuming the stress points are all equal, I didn't design the tailgate so I don't know if top points are stronger than bottom ect.) just my .02. Hope this helps.

 

35" MTR on stock carrier with no spacer and no issues, just barely fits.



It appears to rest on the bumper but does not...there is the ever so slightest gap between the two.

 

It doesn't take an engineer to figure out that weight is weight. The direction of the spacer will have no effect on the end result. Fyi I have had my 35 my stock rear carrier for 2 years on a spacer with no issues or rattles. I would bolt it on normally and run with it until you get a better carrier. This is my plan at least. You may even get lucky and never have an issue with what you have now