Comparing the Thule Spare Me 963, 963XT, 963XTR, and 963PRO Spare Tire Bike Carriers

Updated 04/30/2015 | Published 04/29/2015

Question:

Whats the deference between the Thule spare me models TSPRO963 THPRO963 963XTR

asked by: Ray

Helpful Expert Reply:

I haven't seen a TSPRO963 but I can tell you that # TH963PRO is the newest version of the Spare Me bike carrier. The 963XTR was the previous generation.

The Thule Spare Me Bike Rack, # TH963PRO, went through 4 generations. The 963 was first. This original design excluded some vehicles because of the size of the spare tire or how it was mounted to the car. The issue was resolved with the new mounting plate, # 753-3532, in the 963XT. So from that point on, all the racks would get the new mounting plate. The TH963XTR was the next generation and it has several upgrades including a cable lock but retains the same mounting plate. Now we have the TH963PRO which includes different length bases to fit more tire sizes as well as upgraded cradles.

Thule states that the Spare Me 963XT and 963XTR and TH963PRO fit all OEM Tire and Wheel rear-mounted spare tire combinations currently available on the market. The only exception being those vehicles that have a spare tire mounted back up camera or oversized spare.

expert reply by: Michael H