Are you sure? Do you have a link to Mopar's specfications? My stock spare is 84 lbs, add in the stock spare tire mount and they sent it from the factory over the weight limit.
It’s in the owners manual. https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/tailgate-hinge-weight-limit-on-sahara.44040/
No such wording in my 2021 Rubicon owners manual. This must be the limit for a Sahara. My Rubicon came with the Wildpeak M/T tires and when weighed the tire and rim were 84lbs.
I am quite certain that 85 pounds is correct for the JL platform. If I locate it in my owner’s manual I will post it here.
I'm still waiting to see the Mopar specification document or link for the hinges. I have also been told that the hinges on the JL's were beefed up but no one can show what that beefed up limit would be. Mopar sells a tailgate reinforcement kit that does nothing for hinges. So is Mopar implying that their hinges are no longer a weak link to worry about. I'm only adding 12lbs more than the stock tire that Mopar sold with the Rubicon, but Mopar must have a limit specification available somewhere.
85 total, Rubicon or not. With the Mopar tailgate reinforcement (not actually a hinge reinforcement) the max recommended is 103 lbs. So the initial weakness isn’t the hinges.So I guess I'm wrong...found this in the manual.
I would think the sheet metal on the tailgate would start bucking when one starts exceeding the 85 pound threshold on the stock setup.
I think they have a margin of safety there but if you’re doing Baja and landing hard, that might be out the window. lol
