How we researched this guide
We compared six trail accessories chosen for the JL Wrangler Rubicon and JT Gladiator Rubicon only — a front bumper, rock sliders, hoop steps, a hitch skid, a tailgate tire carrier and an on-board air compressor — against maker documents from OEDRO, Barricade, Hooke Road, Rugged Ridge, Motobilt and ARB, plus the Stellantis factory specifications for the Rubicon trim. Every pick states its JL or JT fitment exactly as its maker or listing states it, because Rubicon accessories split by body, by door count and by which end of the Jeep they bolt to.
For ownership, we reviewed Jeep owner reports — the JL Wrangler Forums and the Wrangler TJ Forum among them — paraphrased and linked in each review; where owner coverage was thin we say so rather than filling the gap. We do not test accessories and print no prices. Five picks are sold on Amazon in a verified fitment; the one that is not carries a labelled alternative button under it. The wider bumper picture sits in our off-road bumpers guide and the range in the off-road vehicle parts archive.
The 30-second answer
A Rubicon already leaves the factory with lockers, a sway-bar disconnect, Dana 44 axles and rock rails, so buy what it lacks. Start with the OEDRO Full-Width Front Bumper for front armor and a winch plate, and the ARB CKMA12 so aired-down tires can go back up at the trailhead. JL Unlimited crawlers add the Barricade Rock Sliders; anyone whose hitch drags adds the Rugged Ridge Hitch Skid Plate; JL owners moving past 33s need the Motobilt Spare Tire Carrier; lifted daily drivers get the Hooke Road Hoop Steps. Winch choice itself is covered in our Wrangler winch guide and Gladiator winch guide.
Top Pick: Best Front Armor for JL and JT Rubicon
OEDRO Full-Width Front Bumper
Best if the front of your Rubicon needs a winch plate and steel coverage in one bolt-on: a full-width carbon-steel bumper with a pre-drilled winch plate and two D-ring shackles in the box, fitting JL Wranglers and the JT Gladiator on the same verified listing.
Best Rock Sliders for JL 4-Door Rubicon
Barricade Rock Sliders
Best if your JL Unlimited crawls: body-mount sliders that bolt onto the factory body bolts, and the install guide even covers fitting them WITH the factory Rubi Rails kept in place, using the supplied spacers. Sold through ExtremeTerrain, not Amazon.
Barricade sells these sliders through ExtremeTerrain rather than on a verifiable Amazon listing, so the button below is the closest Amazon-sold JL 4-door side option in this guide.
Best Step Assist for a Lifted JL Rubicon
Hooke Road Side Hoop Steps
Best if your Rubicon is lifted and lived with daily: four hoop steps that make the climb in easy for everyone. Be clear-eyed about the trade — the factory rock rails come OFF to fit them, so this is a step pick, not an armor pick.
Best Departure-Angle Fix for JL and JT Rubicon
Rugged Ridge Hitch Skid Plate
Best if your receiver hitch is the first thing that hits: a steel skid that mounts at the 2-inch receiver so the hitch slides over ledges instead of digging in and hanging the Jeep up — a small part aimed at the Rubicon’s weakest rear angle.
Best Big-Tire Carrier for JL Rubicon
Motobilt Spare Tire Carrier
Best if your JL is moving to 35s and beyond: a 3/16-inch steel tailgate carrier on 12 mounting points that takes spare weight off the factory tailgate and adjusts for tires up to 40 inches. JL only — the Gladiator carries its spare under the bed.
Best On-Board Air for Rubicon Tire Duty
ARB On-Board Air Compressor CKMA12
Best if you air down for every trail: a permanently mounted 12V compressor that puts the tires back to road pressure at the trailhead. On a Rubicon its job is tires only — your factory lockers are electric and need no air.
Quick compare: the six Rubicon picks at a glance
| Product | Trail job | JL / JT fitment | Headline spec | Warranty | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OEDRO Full-Width Front Bumper | Front armor + winch plate | JL Wrangler + JT Gladiator | Carbon steel, 69.8 lb, pre-drilled winch plate | Limited lifetime | Check Price |
| Barricade Rock Sliders | Rocker armor | JL 4-door only | Body-mount fit; works with Rubi Rails on spacers | Not published | Check Price |
| Hooke Road Side Hoop Steps | Step assist | JL 4-door only | Carbon steel tube and plate, about 27 lb kit | 2-year | Check Price |
| Rugged Ridge Hitch Skid Plate | Departure / hitch protection | JL + JT with 2 in receiver | Steel, 10.94 lb, rear position | Not published | Check Price |
| Motobilt Spare Tire Carrier | Big-spare support | JL only (tailgate) | 3/16 in steel, up to 40 in tire, 12 mounts | Not published | Check Price |
| ARB On-Board Air Compressor CKMA12 | Tire air-down / air-up | Universal mount, JL + JT | 3.08 CFM free flow, 100 psi pressure switch | 3-year (see Sources) | Check Price |
Fitment per verified listing: the OEDRO bumper’s listing covers Wrangler JL and Gladiator JT (and JK). The Barricade sliders and Hooke Road steps are JL Unlimited 4-door parts only — neither fits a 2-door JL or a Gladiator. The Motobilt carrier is a JL tailgate part; the JT spare rides under the bed. The Rugged Ridge skid needs a 2-inch receiver hitch fitted. The Barricade row’s button is the labelled Hooke Road alternative, explained in its review.
Rubicon accessory finder
Tell us which Rubicon you run and what the trail is asking for next. Every result points at one of the six accessories in this guide, and every button shows the listing we verified — check the fitment line in the result against your Jeep before ordering, because JL, JT, 2-door and 4-door parts are not interchangeable.
How to choose accessories for your Jeep Rubicon
Start from what the Rubicon already has
The Rubicon trim is the accessory list other Jeeps are buying toward: Tru-Lok electric lockers at both ends, an electronic front sway-bar disconnect, a Rock-Trac transfer case with a 4.0:1 low range, Dana 44 axles, factory rock rails and factory skid plates. Anything sold as adding those functions is re-buying your own Jeep. The six picks here fill the gaps the factory left: front armor with a winch plate, rocker protection, departure help, big-spare support and air.
JL is not JT, even when the front half looks shared
Wrangler and Gladiator share a face and a front suspension, then diverge: the JT wheelbase runs about 19 inches longer than a 4-door JL, its spare lives under the bed instead of on a tailgate, and its long rear overhang drags where a Wrangler clears. Front-end parts like the bumper here can be verified for both; anything behind the front axle needs its own JL or JT fitment line.
Door count decides body-length parts
Sliders and steps run the length of the body, so they are cut for one wheelbase: the Barricade sliders and Hooke Road steps in this guide are JL Unlimited 4-door parts, full stop. They do not fit a 2-door JL, whose wheelbase is more than 21 inches shorter, and they do not fit a Gladiator. Two-door and JT owners should treat any slider listing that does not name their body as a listing for somebody else’s Jeep.
Tire size drives the carrier and the compressor
The factory Rubicon spare is a 33-inch tire the tailgate was built around. Move to 35s and the tailgate works harder; at 37s and beyond a reinforced carrier stops being optional — the Motobilt here is built for tires up to 40 inches. Tire size also sets air duty: a single-cylinder compressor refills 33s and 35s inside its 50% duty cycle, while 37s and up mean longer, hotter sessions.
Armor weight is real weight
Steel adds up quietly: the bumper here is listed at 69.8 lb, the tire carrier at about 40 lb before the bigger spare it exists to carry. None of that is a problem on its own, but the total comes off the same payload and front-axle capacity as your passengers, water and camping gear. Add the published weights of everything you bolt on, and check the result against the door-jamb sticker rather than a forum guess.
Recovery points must be rated, not decorative
A bumper with shackle tabs is not automatically a recovery system. The OEDRO listing includes D-ring shackles, and owner feedback in our sources questions recovery use of budget bumper hardware — so the honest rule is: recover from rated points, with rated gear, and treat any unrated tab as a tie-down until its maker rates it. Our recovery kit guide and shackle guide cover the rated side of the kit.
What your Rubicon already has: factory kit by model
| Rubicon model | Wheelbase | Factory trail kit (maker-stated) | What it means for accessories | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wrangler JL Rubicon 2-door | 96.8 in | Dana 44 front/rear, Tru-Lok electric lockers, Rock-Trac 4.0:1, sway-bar disconnect, rock rails, skid plates, 33 in tires | Body-length parts are 2-door specific; neither side pick in this guide fits — front bumper, hitch skid and air do | Stellantis figures via JL fitment summary; TeraFlex JL Rubicon equipment summary |
| Wrangler JL Rubicon 4-door | 118.4 in | Same Rubicon kit as the 2-door, on the Unlimited body | The full six-pick range applies; sliders and steps here are cut for this body | Stellantis launch copy (JL Wrangler Forums spec thread); TeraFlex |
| Gladiator JT Rubicon | 137.3 in | Dana 44, 4.10 ratios, Rock-Trac NV241OR 4.0:1, lockers front/rear, sway-bar disconnect, Fox shocks, 285/70R17 (33 in) tires | Departure angle is 26 degrees and the spare rides under the bed: hitch skid yes, tailgate carrier no | 4×4 Australia JT Rubicon spec table and review |
The pattern: drivetrain hardware is shared in spirit across all three, which is why universal gear like the compressor serves every Rubicon — while anything shaped by the body splits hard by model. The same discipline runs through our JL winch guide, Wrangler winch sizing guide and cheap Jeep winch guide.
Best Rubicon accessories by budget and build stage
| Build stage | What you get | Example pick from this guide |
|---|---|---|
| First trail weekend | Departure protection and tire air — the two gaps a stock Rubicon feels first | Rugged Ridge Hitch Skid Plate / ARB CKMA12 |
| Front-end build | Steel front armor with a winch plate ready for the winch itself | OEDRO Full-Width Front Bumper |
| Rock protection step-up | Sliders that work with the factory Rubi Rails instead of replacing them | Barricade Rock Sliders |
| Daily-driver compromise | Step assist for a lifted Jeep, accepting the factory rails come off | Hooke Road Side Hoop Steps |
| Big-tire build (35 in and up) | A carrier that takes spare weight off the JL tailgate for good | Motobilt Spare Tire Carrier |
Sequence matters more than spend. Air and departure protection pay off on the first trail; the carrier earns its place only when the spare outgrows the tailgate; sliders step up from rails you already own, so they belong after the gaps are filled.
Rubicon accessory types compared
| Type | What it does | Pros | Cons | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front armor | Steel bumper with winch plate and light/shackle provisions | Protects the front, carries the winch, improves approach coverage | Adds front weight; budget fog/plate provisions vary | Every Rubicon build (OEDRO bumper) |
| Rocker armor / steps | Sliders protect the sill; hoop steps help you climb in | Sliders guard the body’s longest vulnerable panel; steps ease daily use | Body-length fitment splits by door count; steps are not armor | JL 4-door owners (Barricade / Hooke Road) |
| Departure protection | Skid at the receiver so the hitch slides instead of digging | Small, light, protects the Rubicon’s worst rear angle | Needs a 2-inch receiver fitted; protects one point only | JT owners especially (Rugged Ridge skid) |
| Tire support | Reinforced carrier moves spare load off the tailgate | Makes 35–40 in spares sustainable on a JL | JL only; bare-steel parts need finishing first | Big-tire JL builds (Motobilt carrier) |
| On-board air | Permanent compressor for airing down and up | Trail-pressure freedom without a gas station detour | Duty cycle limits back-to-back big-tire sessions; hose kit separate | Every Rubicon (ARB CKMA12) |
Detailed reviews of the best Jeep Rubicon accessories
Each review follows the same order — why it earns its award, maker specs, fit and best use, pros and watch-outs, paraphrased owner reports, who should skip it, and what to pair it with. Each button names the fitment we verified, and the one alternative button in this guide is labelled as one wherever it appears.
Top Pick: OEDRO Full-Width Front Bumper
Top Pick: Best Front Armor for JL and JT Rubicon
Why the OEDRO Full-Width Front Bumper is our pick
The Rubicon’s factory front bumper is the first thing serious trails outgrow: no winch plate on the plastic version, and limited coverage either way. The OEDRO full-width replaces it with carbon steel across the whole front, a pre-drilled winch plate, and D-ring shackles in the box — and its verified listing names both the JL Wrangler and the JT Gladiator, which is why it leads this guide.
OEDRO Full-Width Front Bumper key specs
- Type: full-width front bumper, bolt-on
- Material: carbon steel (listing details)
- Finish: textured powder coat
- Winch: pre-drilled winch plate mounting; numeric winch capacity for this part: Not published
- Included: 2 D-ring shackles, mounting hardware, instructions
- Install: no drilling per the listing comparison table
- Fog lights / licence plate: no provision published for this model (see owners)
- Weight: 69.8 lb (listing details)
- Verified part: PICLSGG
- Warranty: limited lifetime (listing details)
OEDRO Full-Width Front Bumper: fits and best for
The verified listing fits Wrangler JL and Gladiator JT (and JK) — so JL Rubicon 2-door, JL Rubicon 4-door and JT Rubicon are all covered by the same part. It suits Rubicon owners adding a winch and front steel in one step; size that winch with our winch sizing guide before the plate tempts you either way.
OEDRO Full-Width Front Bumper pros and watch-outs
Pros
- One verified part covers both Rubicons in this guide
- Winch plate is pre-drilled — no separate mount to source
- Shackles, hardware and instructions in the box
- No-drill install keeps it a driveway job
- Limited lifetime warranty on the listing
Watch-outs
- No fog-light or licence-plate provision on this model
- Winch capacity for this bumper is not published — do not guess it
- Included shackles are unrated in the listing; recover on rated gear
- At 69.8 lb it is real front-axle weight to budget
OEDRO Full-Width Front Bumper: what owners report
A 2018 JL Unlimited owner who fitted an OEDRO front bumper found no mounting point for the stock fog lights and considered a light bar instead — consistent with the listing publishing no fog provision for this part (JL Wrangler Forums OEDRO bumper thread).
In a wider OEDRO thread, prospective buyers were cautious about the very low price and five-star-only maker-site reviews, with respondents advising heavier-gauge steel for hard rock or recovery use — the honest budget-bumper caution (JL Wrangler Forums OEDRO bumpers thread).
OEDRO Full-Width Front Bumper: who should not buy
Skip it if factory fog lights and a front plate must carry over unchanged, or if your recoveries are hard enough to demand a bumper with a published winch rating — step up to the bumpers in our off-road bumpers guide instead.
OEDRO Full-Width Front Bumper: pair it with
Pair it with the WARN Epic snatch block from Safety essentials — the winch this bumper carries deserves rated recovery gear beside it. Mounting order is covered in our bumper winch mounting guide.
We may earn a commission at no cost to you. Verified fitment: PICLSGG, Wrangler JL and Gladiator JT (listing also covers JK). Select your model on the listing.
Tip: test-fit the bumper and mark the fog-light and plate solution before final torque — owners meet both gaps at the end of the install, not the start.
Best Rock Sliders: Barricade Rock Sliders
Best Rock Sliders for JL 4-Door Rubicon
Why the Barricade Rock Sliders is our pick
Most slider upgrades ask a Rubicon owner to throw away the factory rock rails. The Barricade guide does something smarter: the sliders mount on the factory body-mount bolts, and the instructions cover spacing them to work WITH the Rubi Rails still fitted — rail and slider together guarding the sill, with a step surface outboard of both. For a JL Unlimited that crawls, that layered answer beats either part alone.
Barricade Rock Sliders key specs
- Type: rock sliders / rocker steps, body-mount
- Fitment: 2018+ Jeep Wrangler JL 4-door (Unlimited) only
- Contents: driver-side and passenger-side rocker steps, 12x 3 mm spacers
- Mounting: pinch-weld locations plus body mounts; factory 18 mm body bolts (3 per side) are reused
- Rubicon fit: spacers allow fitting with the factory Rubi Rails retained (install guide)
- Tools: 10 mm, 13 mm and 18 mm sockets, ratchet
- Material: Not published in the install guide reviewed
- Weight: Not published
- Verified part: J125925-JL (ExtremeTerrain)
- Warranty: Not published in the guide reviewed
Barricade Rock Sliders: fits and best for
This is a JL Unlimited 4-door part — it does not fit the 2-door JL or the Gladiator, whose sills are different lengths. It suits JL Rubicon owners who want a step surface and a second layer of sill protection without surrendering the factory rails, and who are comfortable working with body-mount bolts.
Barricade Rock Sliders pros and watch-outs
Pros
- Designed to coexist with the factory Rubi Rails on spacers
- Mounts on the factory body bolts — no drilling in the guide
- Full-length sill coverage for the 4-door body
- Step surface the factory rails never offered
- Sold by a Jeep-specialist retailer with a model-specific install guide
Watch-outs
- JL 4-door only — the easiest fitment in this guide to get wrong
- Material and weight are not published in the guide reviewed
- Body-mount bolts can be stubborn; seized bolts slow the job
- No verifiable Amazon listing — dealer route only
Barricade Rock Sliders: what owners report
Owner coverage for this JL-specific part was thin in the sources reviewed this pass — the verified record is Barricade’s own model-specific install guide, linked here — so we say so plainly rather than dressing up listing copy as owner experience (Barricade J125925-JL installation guide).
Barricade Rock Sliders: who should not buy
Skip it if your Rubicon is a 2-door or a Gladiator — the part cannot fit, whatever a marketplace title implies. Skip it too if a step is all you want and the Jeep never crawls: the Hooke Road steps below are the honest daily-driver answer.
Barricade Rock Sliders: pair it with
Pair it with the GearAmerica tree saver from Safety essentials to round out the recovery side of the build, and keep the factory rails’ hardware bagged and labelled if you ever space them off.
Barricade sells these sliders through ExtremeTerrain rather than on a verifiable Amazon listing, so the button below is the closest Amazon-sold JL 4-door side option in this guide — a step, not a slider. The review above is for the named product itself.
Check Price: Hooke Road Hoop Steps (Amazon alternative)
We may earn a commission at no cost to you. Fitment note: part J125925-JL, Wrangler JL 4-door 2018+. The button below is the labelled Amazon alternative, not this product’s listing.
Tip: loosen all three body bolts per side before removing any — the guide’s sequence exists because a fully removed first bolt leaves the slider hanging on the other two.
Best Step Assist: Hooke Road Side Hoop Steps
Best Step Assist for a Lifted JL Rubicon
Why the Hooke Road Side Hoop Steps is our pick
Lift a Rubicon and the factory rock rails stop being a step at all — they sit tight to the sill, slick and narrow. Hooke Road’s hoop steps answer the daily problem directly: four dropped hoop steps, two per side, on bolt-on brackets. We place them here with the trade stated openly — the manual requires the factory rock rails to come off first, so this pick trades trail armor for access, knowingly.
Hooke Road Side Hoop Steps key specs
- Type: side hoop steps (4 steps, 2 per side)
- Fitment: 2018–2025 Jeep Wrangler JL Unlimited 4-door only
- Construction: 1.50 in diameter x 0.06 in steel tubing, 14-gauge steel plate, carbon steel
- Finish: textured black powder coat over premium E-coating
- Step size: 18.62 in length, 6.27 in step width, non-slip pads
- Contents: 4 hoop steps, 4 mounting brackets, hardware kit
- Install: direct bolt-on, no drilling or cutting; factory rock rails or running boards must be removed first
- Weight: about 27 lb for the kit
- Verified part: BXG.3059-S
- Warranty: 2-year manufacturer warranty
Hooke Road Side Hoop Steps: fits and best for
The verified manual fits JL Unlimited 4-door models from 2018 to 2025 — again, not the 2-door and not the Gladiator. It suits lifted JL Rubicons that carry passengers daily: kids, partners and dogs all climb better on a hoop than on a rail. It does not suit a Rubicon whose sills meet rock regularly.
Hooke Road Side Hoop Steps pros and watch-outs
Pros
- A real step down from a lifted sill, at all four doors
- Bolt-on with no drilling or cutting
- Light kit at about 27 lb — an easy two-person fit
- E-coat under the powder coat for corrosion resistance
- Two-year manufacturer warranty
Watch-outs
- Fitting them means REMOVING the factory Rubicon rock rails
- Hoop steps are not sliders: no sill protection on rock
- Hoops can catch on obstacles a flush rail would slide over
- JL 4-door only, like the Barricade part above
Hooke Road Side Hoop Steps: what owners report
Owner coverage for this part was thin in the sources reviewed this pass — the verified record is the maker’s own manual for the Amazon listing — so we say so plainly rather than dressing up listing copy as owner experience (Hooke Road BXG.3059-S manual for the Amazon listing).
Hooke Road Side Hoop Steps: who should not buy
Skip it if your Rubicon crawls — you would be trading armor for a step. Keep the factory rails, or take the Barricade sliders above, which are built to work alongside them.
Hooke Road Side Hoop Steps: pair it with
Pair it with the small-gear picks in our Jeep accessories under a hundred guide — the daily-driver build is finished with grab handles and mats, not more steel.
We may earn a commission at no cost to you. Verified fitment: BXG.3059-S, Wrangler JL Unlimited 4-door 2018–2025.
Tip: keep the removed factory rails and their hardware together in a labelled bag — if the Jeep’s use changes back toward trails, the rails are an hour’s refit, not a new purchase.
Best Departure-Angle Fix: Rugged Ridge Hitch Skid Plate
Best Departure-Angle Fix for JL and JT Rubicon
Why the Rugged Ridge Hitch Skid Plate is our pick
Every Rubicon’s rear overhang ends at the same low point: the receiver hitch. Jeep publishes a 26-degree departure angle for the JT Rubicon, and the hitch is what spends it — dropping off a ledge, the receiver digs in first and can hang the whole Jeep on its own tow point. This small steel skid mounts at the 2-inch receiver and turns that dig into a slide — the smallest fix in this guide, and the one Gladiator owners feel most.
Rugged Ridge Hitch Skid Plate key specs
- Type: hitch skid plate, rear position
- Fitment: Wrangler JL (and JK) and Gladiator JT with a 2 in receiver hitch
- Material: steel (listing title and details)
- Finish: black, painted exterior
- Requirement: 2 in receiver hitch fitted — the skid works at the receiver
- Weight: 10.94 lb (listing details)
- Package size: 14.25 x 11.1 x 6.18 in (listing details)
- Verified part: 18013.01
- Plate thickness: Not published in the listing data reviewed
- Warranty: Not published in the listing data reviewed
Rugged Ridge Hitch Skid Plate: fits and best for
The verified listing covers JL Wrangler and JT Gladiator (and JK) trucks running a 2-inch receiver. It suits any Rubicon that drops off ledges — and Gladiator Rubicon owners most of all, whose long rear overhang makes the receiver the regular point of contact. No receiver, no fit: check before ordering.
Rugged Ridge Hitch Skid Plate pros and watch-outs
Pros
- Targets the exact point that hangs a Rubicon up
- Steel construction at a light 10.94 lb
- One part serves both the JL and the JT
- Small enough to live on the Jeep permanently
- Receiver stays usable for towing and recovery mounts
Watch-outs
- Useless without the 2-inch receiver fitted
- Protects one contact point, not the bumper corners
- Thickness and warranty are not published in the listing
- Painted finish will mark where it slides — that is its job
Rugged Ridge Hitch Skid Plate: what owners report
Owner coverage for this part was thin in the sources reviewed this pass — the verified record is Rugged Ridge’s own Amazon listing data — so we say so plainly; the wider skid-plate picture, including the differential skids Rubicon owners pair with it, is covered in the RealTruck guide in our Sources (RealTruck Jeep skid plate guide).
Rugged Ridge Hitch Skid Plate: who should not buy
Skip it if your Rubicon has no receiver hitch, or if your rear protection plan is a full steel rear bumper — that bumper’s own departure design replaces this part’s job.
Rugged Ridge Hitch Skid Plate: pair it with
Pair it with a receiver-mount recovery point from our receiver hitch winch mount guide — the same 2-inch receiver then works for protection, towing and recovery in turn.
We may earn a commission at no cost to you. Verified fitment: part 18013.01, Wrangler JL and Gladiator JT with a 2-inch receiver hitch.
Tip: after the first ledge drop, check the skid’s mounting for movement — the first slide is when any slack shows itself.
Best Big-Tire Carrier: Motobilt Spare Tire Carrier
Best Big-Tire Carrier for JL Rubicon
Why the Motobilt Spare Tire Carrier is our pick
The JL tailgate was designed around the Rubicon’s factory 33-inch spare. Hang a 37 on it and every corrugated road works the hinges and the gate itself — the factory’s own answer on big-tire packages is swing-gate reinforcement, which tells you where the load problem lives. Motobilt’s carrier answers it properly: 3/16-inch steel on 12 mounting points, taking stress off the tailgate and adjusting for tires up to 40 inches.
Motobilt Spare Tire Carrier key specs
- Type: tailgate spare tire carrier, hinged
- Fitment: Jeep JL 2018+ only — NOT the Gladiator (under-bed spare)
- Material: 3/16 in laser-cut and CNC-formed steel
- Finish: ships bare metal — painting or powder coating required
- Maximum tire size: up to 40 in (maker copy)
- Mounting points: 12 (factory carrier uses 4)
- Adjustability: vertical and front-to-back
- Hinges: greasable mounting bolts, high-density bushings with steel inner liners
- Operation: works with the factory tailgate handle; suits factory or aftermarket bumpers
- Weight: about 40 lb
- Verified part: MB1089
- Warranty: Not published in the manual (refers to the maker’s website)
Motobilt Spare Tire Carrier: fits and best for
This is a JL-only part: Wrangler Rubicon 2-door and 4-door, 2018 and newer. Gladiator owners cannot use it — the JT spare rides under the bed — and the calculator above routes JT readers elsewhere for exactly that reason. It suits JL owners stepping to 35-inch tires and beyond who plan to keep the spare on the gate.
Motobilt Spare Tire Carrier pros and watch-outs
Pros
- Takes spare weight off the factory tailgate by design
- 12 mounting points against the factory 4
- Adjusts for tire size and wheel backspacing, up to 40 in
- Greasable hinges with proper bushings, not dry pivots
- Keeps the factory handle and one-motion tailgate opening
Watch-outs
- Ships bare metal — finishing is on you before fitting
- JL only; the Gladiator fitment mistake is easy to make
- Licence plate relocation (MB2115) and jack mount (MB1085) are sold separately
- A 40 lb carrier plus a big spare is real tailgate-area weight
Motobilt Spare Tire Carrier: what owners report
Owner coverage for this carrier was thin in the sources reviewed this pass — the verified record is Motobilt’s own manual for the Amazon listing, linked here — so we say so plainly rather than dressing up listing copy as owner experience (Motobilt MB1089 manual for the Amazon listing).
Motobilt Spare Tire Carrier: who should not buy
Skip it if your Rubicon stays on its factory 33s — the stock carrier was built for them and this is weight without a job. Skip it entirely if you drive a Gladiator.
Motobilt Spare Tire Carrier: pair it with
Pair it with the maker’s licence plate relocation kit MB2115 (named without a button; no listing for it was verified for this guide) — a raised spare covers the plate on many JL builds.
We may earn a commission at no cost to you. Verified fitment: MB1089, Jeep JL 2018+. It does not fit the Gladiator JT.
Tip: finish the bare steel before fitting, not after — the manual is blunt that the carrier ships unpainted, and hinge areas are miserable to coat once assembled.
Best On-Board Air: ARB On-Board Air Compressor CKMA12
Best On-Board Air for Rubicon Tire Duty
Why the ARB On-Board Air Compressor CKMA12 is our pick
Airing down is the Rubicon’s party trick — lockers, disconnect and low range all work better on soft tires — and airing back up is the chore that stops people doing it. The CKMA12 ends the chore: a permanently mounted single-cylinder compressor that refills trail tires at the trailhead. On a Rubicon it earns its place on tires alone; the Air Locker contacts in its loom are for Jeeps whose lockers need air, and yours are electric.
ARB On-Board Air Compressor CKMA12 key specs
- Type: on-board air compressor, single cylinder, oil-free, permanent mount
- Voltage: 12V DC
- Air flow: 3.08 CFM (87.2 L/min) at 0 psi; 2.34 CFM (65.9 L/min) at 29 psi (ARB figures)
- Pressure switch: opens at 100 psi, closes at 70 psi
- Duty cycle: 50% — 30 minutes on, 30 minutes off (ARB)
- Current draw: 14.2 A no-load, 25.2 A under load, 32 A max (ARB)
- Sealing: sealed against moisture and dust (IP55 per ARB spec summaries)
- Build: hard-anodised cylinder bore, Teflon-impregnated carbon-fibre piston seal
- Included: full wiring loom with Air Locker solenoid contacts, pressure switch, washable relocatable air filter, universal mounting hardware, over-pressure safety valve
- Size and weight: 7.5 x 3.9 x 5.7 in; 7.7 lb net (ARB)
- Verified part: CKMA12
- Warranty: 3-year per ARB’s current product page (see the note in Sources)
ARB On-Board Air Compressor CKMA12: fits and best for
The CKMA12 is a universal permanent mount — engine bay or in-cabin — so it serves JL and JT Rubicons alike; vehicle-specific mounting brackets are separate parts and the universal hardware in the kit is the starting point. It suits Rubicon owners who air down regularly on 33- to 35-inch tires and want the refill handled before the drive home.
ARB On-Board Air Compressor CKMA12 pros and watch-outs
Pros
- The reference single for on-board tire duty, with published flow figures
- Compact enough for a JL or JT engine bay
- Sealed build with a washable, relocatable filter
- Thermal protection and an over-pressure safety valve built in
- Full loom in the box — a proper permanent install, not a cigarette-lighter unit
Watch-outs
- Pump-up hose kit (ARB 171302) is sold separately — budget for it
- 50% duty cycle: four 37s back-to-back will test its patience and its heat
- Runs hot in under-hood installs, per owner reports below
- Its Air Locker role is wasted on a Rubicon’s electric lockers
ARB On-Board Air Compressor CKMA12: what owners report
Wrangler owners running the CKMA12 report roughly two minutes per tire airing 33×12.5 tires from about 12 to 26 psi — and that the unit gets properly hot mounted under the hood, which is why placement and cool-down breaks matter (Wrangler TJ Forum CKMA12 airing-up thread).
Long-term owners in the same forums report the CKMA12 running air lockers and tires for years, with the same consensus: it is the permanent-mount answer, while portable units win only on price and portability (Wrangler TJ Forum tire inflation systems thread).
ARB On-Board Air Compressor CKMA12: who should not buy
Skip it if you air down twice a year — a portable unit you already own does that job. Skip it too if you run 37-inch or larger tires and air up in a hurry every weekend: that duty belongs to a twin-cylinder compressor, not this single.
ARB On-Board Air Compressor CKMA12: pair it with
Pair it with the ARB pump-up kit 171302 (named without a button; no listing for it was verified for this guide) — the compressor alone cannot reach a valve stem. Electrical headroom for the install is covered in our winch battery guide.
We may earn a commission at no cost to you. Verified fitment: CKMA12, universal 12V permanent mount for JL and JT Rubicon; vehicle brackets are separate.
Tip: mount it where air can move — owners trace most heat complaints to a compressor tucked against the exhaust side of the bay with the filter breathing hot air.
Spec comparison: all six Rubicon accessories side by side
| Spec | OEDRO Full-Width Front Bumper | Barricade Rock Sliders | Hooke Road Side Hoop Steps | Rugged Ridge Hitch Skid Plate | Motobilt Spare Tire Carrier | ARB CKMA12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trail job | Front armor + winch plate | Rocker armor | Step assist | Departure / hitch protection | Big-spare support | Tire air-down / air-up |
| JL / JT fitment | JL + JT (listing also JK) | JL 4-door only | JL 4-door only | JL + JT with 2 in receiver | JL only | Universal mount, JL + JT |
| Material / construction | Carbon steel | Not published in guide reviewed | Carbon steel tube + 14-ga plate | Steel | 3/16 in laser-cut CNC steel | Single-cylinder, hard-anodised bore |
| Headline spec | Pre-drilled winch plate; capacity Not published | Fits with Rubi Rails on supplied spacers | 4 hoop steps, non-slip pads | Mounts at the 2 in receiver | Up to 40 in tire, 12 mounting points | 3.08 CFM at 0 psi; 100 psi switch; 50% duty |
| Mount / install | Bolt-on, no drilling | Factory body bolts reused (3 per side) | Bolt-on; factory rails removed first | At the receiver hitch | Tailgate hinges/mounts; greasable pivots | Permanent mount; full loom included |
| Weight | 69.8 lb | Not published | About 27 lb (kit) | 10.94 lb | About 40 lb | 7.7 lb net |
| Finish | Textured powder coat | Not published | Powder coat over E-coat | Black painted | Bare metal — finish required | Sealed unit, IP55 |
| Warranty | Limited lifetime | Not published | 2-year | Not published | Not published | 3-year (see Sources) |
| Verified part | PICLSGG | J125925-JL | BXG.3059-S | 18013.01 | MB1089 | CKMA12 |
| Check Price | Check Price | Check Price | Check Price | Check Price | Check Price | Check Price |
The alternative button in this table matches the reviews: the Barricade row points at the Hooke Road listing because the sliders have no verifiable Amazon listing; it is a step, not a slider, and the reviews say so wherever the button appears.
Fitment & installation on JL and JT Rubicons
Work through this guide in the order the Jeep comes apart. At the front, the OEDRO bumper is a bolt-on swap that also sets up the winch: read our winch installation guide and winch mounting guide before the bumper goes on, because fitting the winch to the plate first is the easier order on most JL builds. Along the body, the Barricade sliders reuse the factory body-mount bolts — support the slider, start every bolt by hand, and use the supplied spacers if the Rubi Rails stay on; the Hooke Road steps use their own brackets after the factory rails come off.
At the rear the split is absolute: the hitch skid works on any Rubicon with a 2-inch receiver, JL or JT, while the Motobilt carrier is a JL tailgate part a Gladiator cannot use. The compressor ignores the JL/JT line entirely — mount it where it can breathe, wire it on the fused loom in the box, and route the filter intake to clean air. Re-check every fastener after the first trail weekend; body bolts and carrier hinges settle, and our winch hook-up guide covers the recovery-end checks.
Safety essentials
Six rules for running Rubicon accessories on the trail
- Recover only from rated points with rated gear: an unrated bumper tab or an unrated shackle is a tie-down, not a recovery point.
- Never use a snatch block to make an undersized winch adequate — it doubles pull and doubles the load on every anchor in the system; size the winch correctly instead.
- Air down and up with the engine running and the compressor within its duty cycle; a hot compressor and a tired battery end days early.
- Re-torque body-mount, bumper and carrier fasteners after the first trail weekend and at every service — armor that moves is armor that fails.
- Finish bare-steel parts before fitting them; rust starting under a carrier hinge is structural, not cosmetic.
- Keep hands clear of tailgate hinges and carrier pivots with a big spare mounted — a 37-inch spare is heavy enough to injure on its own.
Three recovery accessories that belong in every Rubicon, each from this site’s verified pool:
WARN Epic snatch block — forged steel with a corrosion-resistant E-coat; WARN rates the Epic line for winches up to 12,000 lb, doubling pull or changing direction while reducing heat and amp draw when used properly.
Check Price: WARN Epic Snatch Block
GearAmerica tree saver strap — the anchor protector that keeps a winch line legal and a tree alive; the first strap a Rubicon should own.
Check Price: GearAmerica Tree Saver
AMBULL shackles — rated screw-pin shackles for the bumper and receiver points the first two items work from.
Build the full kit with our essential winching accessories, snatch block guide and tree saver guide, and keep it covered with the picks in our winch cover guide.
Troubleshooting common Rubicon accessory problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Tailgate hard to open or rattling with a big spare | Spare load on worn hinges, loose carrier bolts, or the carrier out of adjustment | Grease the hinge fittings, re-torque all carrier bolts, and re-adjust the tire mount vertically and front-to-back (Motobilt manual) |
| Compressor cuts out mid air-up | Thermal protection tripped — duty cycle exceeded, worst on 37-inch tires | Let it cool for its off-cycle, air in pairs of tires, and check the filter intake is not breathing engine-bay heat |
| Slider or step rattles on rough roads | Body or bracket bolts settled after the first miles | Re-torque in sequence; check the spacer stack on slider fits that kept the Rubi Rails |
| Hitch skid bent or loose after a ledge drop | It did its job — the skid took the slide the receiver would have | Inspect the receiver and skid mounting; a marked skid is expected, a moved receiver is not |
| Front fog lights gone after a bumper swap | The bumper model has no fog provision (the OEDRO in this guide publishes none) | Plan a light bar or pod solution before the swap, as owners in our sources did |
| New steps feel slick when muddy | Mud packed into the non-slip pads | Brush the pads clear at the trailhead; treat hoop steps as access, never as a recovery or jacking point |
Who should NOT buy these Rubicon accessories
Gladiator owners shopping the JL tailgate carrier. Your spare rides under the bed; the Motobilt cannot fit and no adapter changes that. JT money belongs on departure protection first — the hitch skid in this guide exists because of your overhang.
Two-door JL owners shopping the 4-door sliders or steps. Body-length parts are cut for one wheelbase. A 4-door slider on a 2-door is not a close fit, it is a return shipment. The bumper, skid and compressor in this guide are your verified picks.
Rubicon owners who will not finish bare steel. The Motobilt carrier ships unpainted by design. If powder coat or paint is not in the plan and the budget, the carrier will rust from the hinge outward — choose a finished part instead.
Anyone buying a compressor to run their Rubicon’s lockers. Factory Rubicon lockers are electric. The CKMA12’s locker contacts serve aftermarket air lockers only; on your Jeep the compressor is tire equipment, and should be bought as such.
Stock-tire owners buying the carrier early. On factory 33s the tailgate is within its design load and the carrier is 40 lb of answer to a question you have not asked yet. Spend first where the gaps are — air, departure, front armor — as our off-road winch guide readers do with winch sizing.
Final verdict
Top Pick → OEDRO Full-Width Front Bumper → Check its price
Best Rock Sliders → Barricade Rock Sliders → sold through ExtremeTerrain in the JL 4-door fitment; the closest Amazon alternative is the Hooke Road Hoop Steps — check its price
Best Step Assist → Hooke Road Side Hoop Steps → Check its price
Best Departure-Angle Fix → Rugged Ridge Hitch Skid Plate → Check its price
Best Big-Tire Carrier → Motobilt Spare Tire Carrier → Check its price
Best On-Board Air → ARB On-Board Air Compressor CKMA12 → Check its price
FAQ
What accessories does a Jeep Rubicon actually need?
Fewer than the catalogues suggest. The Rubicon already carries lockers, a sway-bar disconnect, a 4.0:1 transfer case, Dana 44 axles, rock rails and skid plates. The genuine gaps are front armor with a winch plate, on-board air, departure protection at the receiver, and — once tires grow — a reinforced spare carrier: exactly the six picks in this guide.
Do these accessories fit both the JL Wrangler and JT Gladiator Rubicon?
Some do, some absolutely do not. The OEDRO bumper, Rugged Ridge hitch skid and ARB compressor serve both. The Barricade sliders and Hooke Road steps are JL 4-door parts only, and the Motobilt carrier is JL only because the Gladiator carries its spare under the bed. Every review in this guide states its fitment in its first spec lines.
Can I keep my factory Rubi Rails with aftermarket sliders?
With the Barricade sliders in this guide, yes — that is their distinguishing feature. The install guide covers fitting the sliders on the factory body bolts with the supplied 3 mm spacers so the Rubi Rails stay in place. The Hooke Road steps are the opposite case: their manual requires the factory rails to come off first.
When does a JL Rubicon need a reinforced tire carrier?
When the spare outgrows what the tailgate was designed around — the factory 33-inch tire. At 35 inches the hinges work noticeably harder; at 37 and beyond a reinforced carrier like the Motobilt, with 12 mounting points taking load off the gate, is the sustainable answer. Jeep’s own big-tire packages add swing-gate reinforcement for the same reason.
Does a Rubicon need an air compressor for its lockers?
No. Factory Rubicon lockers (Tru-Lok) are electric, so no air supply is needed or used. A compressor on a Rubicon is tire equipment: it lets you air down for traction and air back up for the road. The CKMA12’s locker connections only matter if aftermarket air lockers are fitted later.
Will 35-inch tires fit a stock Rubicon?
The Rubicon is the trim built closest to that step: it already runs 33-inch tires on high-clearance fenders with 4.10 gearing, and 35s are the common first upgrade. What changes with 35s is the support list in this guide — spare weight on the tailgate, and longer air-up sessions — not the lockers or gearing the trim already has.
Are the shackles included with budget bumpers rated for recovery?
Treat them as unrated unless the maker publishes a rating for them. The OEDRO listing includes D-ring shackles without a published recovery rating, and owner discussion in our sources urges the same caution. Recover on rated shackles and rated points, such as the pool-verified gear in Safety essentials.
How much weight do these accessories add to a Rubicon?
Using published figures only: the bumper is listed at 69.8 lb, the carrier at about 40 lb before its bigger spare, the steps at about 27 lb, the hitch skid at 10.94 lb and the compressor at 7.7 lb. Add your own combination and check it against the payload on your door-jamb sticker — that sticker, not a forum figure, is your limit.
What should a Gladiator Rubicon owner buy first?
Departure protection and air. The JT’s long rear overhang makes the receiver its first contact point, which the Rugged Ridge skid addresses directly, and its 33-inch tires air down and up like any Rubicon’s. Front armor follows, from the same OEDRO listing that covers the JL. The tailgate carrier never applies — the JT spare is under the bed.
Sources
Manufacturer and listing sources: Motobilt MB1089 carrier manual for the Amazon listing, Hooke Road BXG.3059-S manual for the Amazon listing, Barricade J125925-JL rock slider installation guide, ARB CKMA12 official product page, ARB compressor specification document, JL Rubicon factory equipment summary, Stellantis JL Rubicon specification release, JT Rubicon specifications and review, RealTruck Jeep skid plate guide, WARN Epic snatch block dealer specifications. Warranty note: ARB’s current product page states a 3-year term for the CKMA12 while older ARB documents state 2 years; we print the current maker-page term and record the difference in our research notes. OEDRO bumper facts are from the pool research behind our off-road bumpers guide, re-verified there against the Amazon listing data.
Owner sources (paraphrased in the reviews): JL Wrangler Forums OEDRO bumper thread, JL Wrangler Forums OEDRO bumpers discussion, Wrangler TJ Forum CKMA12 airing-up thread, Wrangler TJ Forum tire inflation systems thread, Gear Patrol overland gear guide (ARB listing corroboration). Fitment and ratings are as the makers and listings state them; our affiliate disclosure explains how links in this guide work.
By Leo, Founder, WinchInsider
Leo researches truck and recovery gear from maker documents and owner reports, and writes the guides he would want before spending his own money. Read more about WinchInsider.
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