For you individuals that have not had your religion challenged I would suggest a flat tire on a hot day. If you don't lose it then, you never will. First, the jack and accesory items are under the passenger rear seat in an 04 SCrew like mine. That was easy. Getting to use the jack is a trial though. For you that live up north, be forwarned, you will die of frostbite before you get this joke apart. The tools are strapped to the jack using two belts with double buckles. Best of luck getting that apart in the cold. Now that you have unthreaded the buckles and have that off, now comes the jack. There is a large thumb screw in the middle of the jack and it would appear that all you have to do is unscrew it and viola, it's in your hands but wait! This is another better idea by Ford, it can't be that easy and that is correct- it isn't that easy. The jack must be compressed by turning the screw that raises and lowers the jack. Again, you folks up north in the winter will get to test your health insurance on this one. Now, my owners manual says "Simply remove the jack". Yeah, right! Now you get to change the tire. Be prepared to lay on the asphalt or dirt or snow because thats what it takes to get the spare out and to place the jack. The handle that you will use is a 4 piece of floppy metal parts. Don't hurt yourself.
Now really this all would be very laughable but unfortunately, it gets worse. I drove into the town of San Antonio, Texas to get a new set of tires as I can't afford to be broke down on the side of the road and the factory tires have 40,000 miles anyway. Drove into my tire shop, Discount Tires. Big operation in a city of about 2 million people. And I boldly step up to the counter and say " put 4 new tires on that Supercrew, please". To shorten this up, they didn't have any tires in 255x65x17 which is the stock tire size. So the guy being the top quality individual that you usually find at Discount Tires, looked on the computer at the other stores in town to find my tires. None. Nothing. Natha, Neyt. So he calls the regional warehouse of one of the largest tire manufacturers in the world to get me tires and the guy asked "What kind of an oddball truck do those tires fit on?" Yep, he right, it is an oddball truck. I have ordered a set of tires for replacements. It will be a week before they come in. Gee Ford, thanks for the experience. Just another reason for you to join the ranks of GM in becoming yet another dinosaur.

 

im sure gm equips all there trucks with snap-on floor jacks....yeah right. thats why i just keep a bottle jack in the truck, and a breaker bar. its like that on almost all cars now.

 

Thanks for the info, it always helps to have a clue what you are getting into before hand.


For those that think it's this truck, or a new thing, I hate to break it to you but it has been that way forever. Really. Try to jack up a 55 Crown Imperial in the rain. And watch it drive its tiny jack into the ground instead of lifting.
Or have your Dodge Polara slide over onto its bare hub because the bumper jack collapses. Those old bumper jacks killed a lot of people.
Or enjoyed trying to turn the stock screw jack on a 67 Chevy Pickup with the silly bent tire iron they include. Or try to break the lugs loose with the same bent toy.
How about snapping off your lug studs? commonest thing in the world with the left hand threads Mopar used for many years. Two out of three Mopars in the 60's were missing at least one stud, most of the time.

Or almost having a heart attack trying to change the rear tire on an 81 Vette with the stock equipment on a 120+ day.

They all suck in the jack/spare tire department.

I pack a small tarp under my tonneau, and a small square of wood to place jacks on. Makes all the difference

Of course carrying towing and a cell phone are a much better idea.
They will come out and change your tire while you sip bottled water, nowadays. For as little as towing costs on your insurance, I will never drive without it.

Good luck on getting your tires, I do know how that is. I used to have to order tires for our fleet Metros. There would be three in the parking lot when you went down to buy tires, and the guys would treat you like you had the only one on this earth..

Chris

 

Yowsers. That's an eye opener. Haven't changed a tire in decades but high on my list is a quality (quick) jack lift and lug star bar. Hopefully the lug nuts are standardized to the average star breaker bar you get at Pep Boys.

 

Who out there remembers the old days when the jack was under the hood well, if it hadnt rusted out and fallen off on somehighway somewhere then you need a pair of plyers to get it out. I haven't had to chance a tire in the new truck yet but its gotta be easier to do than it was on my old bronco.

jeff

 

i had to laugh at that on my 95....needed a wrench to get the jack and breaker bar out. simply rediculous

 

ha i have an 04 screw. and when i saw the jack i threw it away. yes threw it away. didnt even ever use it. i carry a small floor jack now.

 

It's why I keep a bottle of Jack in the truck, and my AAA card--


PC

 

I always carried a block of wood,scissor jack,four way lug wrench and 1/2 inch rachet with socket in my previous pickups.I guess I should continue that practice.I am not sure being cell phone dependant is a good idea, even though they sure are handy.Good Luck!

 

I second that one Brother.

 

Not dependant, just the first line of defense

My oldest sister refuses to carry a cell phone, because "sometimes they don't work, then what do you do?"
Um, the same thing you would do if you didn't carry one, of course. But why not try it first? If no luck, then get out the tarp and block of wood etc.

Last three times (in 10 years) that I needed the cell for car stuff, danged if it didn't work all three times... I don't even carry a spare on my Class A. And I didn't carry a spare in my last Grand Cherokee (you have to give up a third the rear storage for the spare on a 98 GC). So far so good.
Chris

 

Was it atleast tall enough?

My ranger's stock jack was so short it would hit the jack points and lift possibly a inch, never enough to get it off the ground though!

That was with stock 215/70-14s, now it has 235/70-16s and I know for sure its not close. I keep a bit hunk of 6x6 in the bed to give me some extra lift now.

 

Yep, them thar japinese trucks change their OWN flats, damn Americans

 

Chris Adams, I think you should talk your sister into carrying a cell phone.Tell her they are much better than they used to be.I know I felt the same way about them a few years ago.However, nowadays they are much more dependable.I think she would be safer carrying one, and I do not mean for just calling to get a flat tire changed.Give it a shot.Good Luck!

 

Yeah, the safety thing is important, but she's more stubborn than I am...
I even gave her one last year, with a year of prepaid service. She gave it to her son.
Oh well, she can and has changed her own tires, etc. since she was a young woman. And she still has her CCW. I still worry though.
Have a good one
Chris