Upgrading to different wheels/tires that have less wheel offset than stock gives you this problem:
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Those bumpers are important. They are supposed to apply pressure to the spare tire to absorb/dampen vibrations, reducing stress on the tire carrier and tailgate. One option is the Daystar Tailgate Bumpstops, but I've heard unpleasant things about them (lightweight rubber foam, sometimes damaged while trying to install).
I decided to go DIY with...
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Radiator hose! I found some radiator hose that fit tightly over the stock bumper (the stock bumper pulls right out so you can take it into the auto parts store), and has some usable straight sections. I found this particular hose at Pep Boys for under $12.
At the furthest point, the gap between the tailgate and the new tire is about 4 inches (in the vicinity of the stock bumper). I cut two 4 inch straight sections out of the radiator hose. I wrapped/taped a strip of paper around the hose to serve as a guide to keep my cut somewhat straight, and used a utility knife to make the cut.
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The cuts were not perfectly straight, but close enough. Then I simply pressed the custom bumpers over the stock bumpers:
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click for full size
click for full size
End result:
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click for full size
The part of the tire that is closer to the tailgate firmly compresses the radiator hose, creating a similar effect as the stock bumpers. I think it actually looks better than the more expensive Daystar bumpers too.
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