Best way to remove spare tire guide tabs?

Ive finally came to this point where i needed to remove my tabs to fit 35 under and read up on what the internet had to offer. When I poked my head up in the wheel well I thought to myself, why are you guys making this so difficult?

1) reciprocating saw
2) 3 lb hammer

sliced the rivet off from the top flush with the bracket. used hammer on the bracket and popped it right off. took less than 30 mins from looking, grabbing my tools and battery and putting in the work.

 

I’m not a fan of using angle grinders at odd angles, limited space…I’d go dremel, reciprocating saw, or just drill out the rivets. Chance of shrapnel from a broken cutoff wheel at the high speed/power of an angle grinder while lying under the truck is a risk I prefer to avoid.

 

Hmm I recently bought a used TRD OR wheel with a 295/70/R18 tire to match the tires currently on the truck. I'm planning to start rotating the spare in when I get new tires in ~15k miles. My current 295 spare is old and and I'm getting ready to replace soon, so I didn't really get too invested in the fit. The tire seemed to fit up in the space fine without cutting off this bracket. I guess I need to take a second look before I put a brand new one up there. I take it these brackets are probably rubbing my tire in a bad way.

 

Went through the work of drilling out the rivets, getting a couple blisters from the hot metal falling down, only to find out my 35 won’t fit with my dual exhaust…

 

That sucks. I'm just gonna leave the space open for a train horn or air compressor

 

You must be running 35’s with dual exhaust? Not sure what I’m going to do yet. Take off my borla exhaust sell it and get something different, or just leave my spare at home and throw it in the back of another vehicle if I ever get a flat and need it.

 

Yeah but moving up to 37s on the next set. I carry my spare in the bed and use it as weight for traction

 

What exhaust do you have that the 35” spare wouldn’t fit after removing the tire guides?

Just saw further down…it’s the borla exhaust? Is that routed different than the TRD dual exhaust?

 

Yes, it’s a borla exhaust. Mine is routed out the back where (correct me if I’m wrong) the trd exits out the sides?

 

i wasnt aware of any dual exhaust would work? its quite tight and an inch away or so from oem single exhaust. i can push it away only so much before raising it up into place.

 

What about axle dumps? Would the tire fit then?

 

yeah the TRD exits on the sides behind the rear tires…didn’t realize the borla exits at the rear. I’ll post back fitment in about a week when my spare comes in…putting up a 295/60R20…says it’s 34.8” on the website for actual height

 

Not sure, will have to check next tune get a chance.

Borla offers both rear and side exits. I’ll be curious to see how yours comes out.

 

After waiting a year for a matching wheel to come back in stock to have a matching spare (black rhino dugger in 20x9 +10 still showing the perpetual 6-8 weeks out everywhere), I gave up and ordered a different wheel. My newly ordered black rhino stadium in 20x8.5 +10 arrived today, and the tire should be in tomorrow. Good news is that the wheel and tire I purchased will come in for the cost of just the wheel after recent price hikes. Figure it’s close enough, and likely won’t see much, if any, use anyways. Hoping it all fits with the tab removal and TRD dual exhaust.

 

I have 35's on my truck and the spare fits. I have the TRD Pro. I have it on there without the brackets removed. it hangs a bit lower but fits. I'm still planning on removing the brackets so it goes all the way up. But no issues so far.

 

35x11.5R20 Yokohama Geolandar M/T installed after removing tabs. Used a carbide thick metal 6” sawzall blade to cut the rivets from the top, then had to still drill them out from the bottom. Fits with my TRD dual exhaust.

 

did it not cut flush? if you cut it flush a few good wacks on the bracket pops out the remaining rivet wedged in the frame.

 

pretty flush…it was difficult with the angle to get the blade flat without it wanting to gouge the top of the cross brace. I’d say 1 of 2 was completely flush on each side, the other had maybe a 1/16” high spot at one end. You can see where I beat the bracket that’s still attached with a sledgehammer, but it wasn’t breaking loose, just bending. It did make for less material to have to drill through from the bottom of the rivets…with hot metal shavings raining down on me

 

yeah the drilling part did not sound fun to me at all...well i hope others have better luck sawing it flush then.

 

yeah, me too…seemed like the best approach. I felt more comfortable using the sawzall and carbide blade than trying to use an angle grinder. It came out clean, just more work than I initially anticipated … I did spray some flat black paint in the holes afterwards, even though it’s only a small circle of exposed metal.

 

I’ll be doing this soon. Getting 35x12.50 Yokohamas installed today and would like a matching spare.

 

Congrats on the new tires…post back with pictures when you get them on. Yeah, I felt more comfortable going to the full size matching spare; it’s worth a little bit of time and effort to get it done, but will appreciate the peace of mind should the need to use it arises when out beyond the city.

 

Agreed. I always try and run a full-size spare because we travel with our two kids. Peace of mind is worth the extra money.

Tires getting installed as we speak.

 

Yokohamas installed! Looks amazing. Slight rub on the corner of the body mount when fully locked in reverse but that was expected. Getting an alignment now to get max caster. Buddy is going to do my BMC regardless.

 

Looks good! If the alignment takes care of slight rub at full lock, I wouldn’t even mess with cutting up your truck.

 

But 37s in the future… haha

 

I'm thinking of removing the guide tabs tomorrow in preparation to try and fit a larger tire. However, I took some measurements and only getting 32 inches between the coachbuilder shackles and 32 inches from the hitch to the DirtyDeeds resonator.

Anybody have any ideas what a lower PSI 285/75/18 tire would be height wise? I was looking at the Yokohama Geolander A/T which is a 34.7" tire.

 

I used a cutting wheel to remove the bulk of the rivets then air chiseled them out.

worked out great!

 

I drilled the bolts out of mine. A good step bit will buzz them out a lot quicker, much cleaner to remove the whole thing.

 

Did you get into this? Looking at doing the same, but with OE shackles and TRD PRO (dual) exhaust.