The Spare Tyre Fire Pit - Explained, Compared, and Done Right

A spare tyre fire pit turns the most wasted space on your rig - the spare wheel - into the mount for a full fire pit and BBQ. Instead of packing a fire pit inside your caravan or 4WD and losing precious storage, the pit rides on the spare, outside the vehicle, and lifts straight off at camp. It's a simple idea that's changed how Australians carry a campfire. This guide explains what a spare tyre fire pit is, how to choose a good one, and why the patented Tyre Fire® is the original.

What is a spare tyre fire pit?

A spare tyre fire pit is a portable fire pit engineered to mount over the spare wheel on the back of a 4WD, caravan, or camper trailer. Rather than riding inside the vehicle - eating storage space and coating your gear in soot - it travels on the spare tyre, outside, and lifts off ready to use the moment you stop.

The appeal is simple. Every touring setup already carries a spare tyre, and for most of its life that tyre is dead space. A spare tyre fire pit puts that space to work, letting you carry a proper fire pit and BBQ without giving up a single cubic foot inside the van or canopy. For anyone doing the big lap, weekend trips, or off-grid touring, it solves the oldest problem in camping: too much gear, not enough room.

Why mount a fire pit on your spare tyre?

Three reasons the spare-tyre-mounted design has taken off with Australian campers:

Zero internal storage lost. The pit lives on the spare, so your drawers, boot, and canopy stay free for the gear that matters.

Soot and grease stay outside. A fire pit stored inside the vehicle brings ash and grease with it. Mounted on the spare, the mess never enters your living space.

No reassembly at camp. A good spare tyre fire pit lifts off and lights - no slotting panels together in the dark while everyone waits on dinner.

Will a spare tyre fire pit fit my vehicle?

There are two measurements to check, and your spare needs to pass both:

1. Section width - 320mm or less. That's the first number stamped on your sidewall. On a 265/70R17, it's the 265.

2. Overall diameter - 850mm or less. In the language most people use, that's roughly a 33-inch tyre. A 33 fits comfortably. A 35 is too big.

Most touring setups pass both without any drama. The size that catches people out is a wide tyre on a large rim - it can sneak under the width limit but sit over the diameter limit.

Not sure? Work it out from your sidewall code: diameter = (rim inches × 25.4) + (2 × width × aspect ratio). Or just send us your tyre size and we'll confirm it before you buy.

Common spare tyre size	Width	Diameter	Fits?
235/85R16	235mm	806mm	Yes
265/65R17	265mm	776mm	Yes
265/70R17	265mm	803mm	Yes
265/75R16	265mm	804mm	Yes
285/70R17	285mm	831mm	Yes
285/75R16	285mm	834mm	Yes
305/70R17	305mm	859mm	No - over the 850mm diameter limit
35″ tyres (e.g. 35×12.5R17)	317mm	889mm	No - too tall
Space-saver / skinny spare	-	-	No - not suitable

That covers the Toyota LandCruiser and Prado, Ford Ranger, Nissan Patrol, Mitsubishi Pajero, Isuzu D-Max, Toyota Hilux, and the vast majority of Australian caravans and camper trailers on standard and common upsized tyres. Both steel and alloy rims work - the strap routing is identical. For the full step-by-step mounting method, strap specification, and the engineering reason behind the cross-strap pattern, see our complete guide to mounting a fire pit on a spare tyre.

How to choose a spare tyre fire pit

Not all spare tyre fire pits are equal. Here's what to check before you buy:

Fit. Confirm the pit suits both your tyre's width and its overall diameter. Many pits quote only a width limit, which tells you nothing about whether it will clear a taller tyre. The Tyre Fire® fits spares up to 320mm wide and 850mm in diameter - roughly a 33-inch tyre.

Construction - bolted beats welded. Most stainless pits are welded, and welds crack when steel expands under repeated heat. A bolted chassis flexes with thermal expansion and stays square for years. For the full engineering breakdown, see why fire pits warp, crack and fail and our Tyre Fire® vs generic pits comparison.

Material. Food-grade 430 stainless steel handles high heat, resists rust, and is safe to cook on - the right choice for a pit that lives outdoors.

Where the cooking gear travels. This is the one most buyers miss. On most spare tyre fire pits, the grill and hotplate are separate accessories you still pack loose inside the vehicle - so you've solved where the pit goes but not the greasy plates. The best designs store the cooking gear on the pit itself.

Delivery. Check shipping is actually free to where you are - some brands charge beyond metro areas.

Why the Tyre Fire® is the original patented spare tyre fire pit

Spare tyre fire pits have grown popular, and others have since copied the concept. Here's what sets the original apart - and what only the Tyre Fire® can offer:

Patented on-pit grill & hotplate storage. The Tyre Fire® is the only spare tyre fire pit engineered so your grill and hotplate store on the pit itself, travelling mounted on your spare tyre as one clean unit - never as loose, greasy gear inside your vehicle. This design is protected by an Australian patent, which is why no competitor offers it.

Registered trademark. TYRE FIRE® is a registered Australian trade mark (No. 2572877). If it doesn't carry the mark, it isn't the original.

Fits tyres up to 320mm wide and 850mm in diameter. Broader fitment than many spare tyre fire pits, covering the vast majority of caravans, camper trailers, and 4WDs on Australian roads.

M8 bolted chassis. Built to flex with heat and stay square season after season, not warp like welded pits.

Free delivery Australia-wide. Wherever you're headed.

Spare tyre fire pit vs other portable fire pits

How a spare-tyre-mounted pit compares to the alternatives most campers consider:

Feature	Spare Tyre Fire Pit (Tyre Fire®)	Slot-Together Steel Pit	Bowl / Basket Pit
Where it travels	On the spare tyre - outside	Inside the vehicle	Inside the vehicle
Internal storage used	None	Significant	Significant
Setup at camp	Lift off & light	Reassemble every time	Varies
Cooking gear storage	Stores on the pit (patented)	Loose & separate	Loose & separate
Construction	M8 bolted - flexes with heat	Slotted tabs	Welded - cracks
Material	430 food-grade stainless	Thin plate steel	Mild or coated steel

For a detailed head-to-head against generic spare tyre pits, see our full comparison. Touring with a van? The same design is covered from a caravanner's perspective on our caravan fire pit page.

What you can add to your spare tyre fire pit

The Tyre Fire® is a fire pit and a full camp kitchen. Every cooking plate is 430 food-grade stainless and every one of them stores on the pit for travel:

2-in-1 Hot Plate & Grill - flat plate one side for eggs and bacon, open grill the other for steaks and snags.

Stainless BBQ Hot Plate - a full flat cooking surface for frying and camp-oven work.

Campfire Grill Plate - open grill for high-heat cooking straight over the flames.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly is a spare tyre fire pit?
It's a fire pit designed to mount over the spare wheel on a 4WD, caravan, or camper trailer, so it travels outside the vehicle instead of taking up storage inside. You lift it off at camp, light it, and remount it when you pack up.

Will a spare tyre fire pit fit my spare?
Your spare needs to be 320mm or less in section width and 850mm or less in overall diameter - roughly a 33-inch tyre. Check the first number on your sidewall for width (the 265 in 265/70R17), and work the diameter from the full code. Most 4WDs, caravans and camper trailers pass both on standard and commonly upsized tyres. 35s are too tall, and space-saver spares aren't suitable.

Will it fit a 33-inch tyre?
Yes. A 33 sits comfortably inside both limits - a 285/70R17, for example, is 285mm wide and 831mm in diameter. It's the 35s and the wider 305-plus sizes that go over.

Do spare tyre fire pits damage your tyre?
No. The Tyre Fire® sits over the spare and is secured with tie-downs against the tread. It doesn't pierce, bolt into, or mark the tyre, and it comes off cleanly.

Can you cook on a spare tyre fire pit?
Yes - with the Tyre Fire® you can add a hot plate or grill and cook over firewood, charcoal, or heat beads. It's a fire pit and portable BBQ in one, and the cooking plates store on the pit for travel.

Are spare tyre fire pits legal in national parks and caravan parks?
Many parks permit contained solid-fuel fires, but rules vary by location and season and total fire bans always apply. A contained off-ground pit like the Tyre Fire® is a tidy, low-impact option - always check local restrictions before lighting up.

What's the difference between the Tyre Fire® and other spare tyre fire pits?
The Tyre Fire® is the original patented design and the only one where the grill and hotplate store on the pit itself. It uses a bolted chassis that won't warp, carries a registered trade mark, and quotes both a width and a diameter limit so you know it will actually clear your spare.

Is delivery free?
Yes - the Tyre Fire® ships free Australia-wide.