Hi,

i purchased my 02 f150 about a year ago and didnt realize it had a spare tire lock until recently unforunately for me it didnt come with a key, the stealership i bought the truck from is long gone, and local dealers are of no help. could someone explain to me in the most simpliest of simple terms how to go about removing the lock?

 

Take out the guide tube and you should be able to take off the "lock" part of the mechanism and then you can use the crank handle to bring down the tire. You can also try McGard, that's the company that makes the locks. If the previous owner mailed in the registration card they have the key on file and you can buy a new one. The local dealers are of no help? Sounds like some lazy guys.....they should have a set of all the locks and then they could of sold you one.

 

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the guide tube would be the black plastic tube that sticks out near the bumper? how hard is it to pull out?

 

What Triton said. Although, you may still be able to get one of your local dealers to help. I had the same prob. I took mine to a local dealer here, (Lakewood Fordland), and the SERVICE dept whipped out a master set and tried them until they found the right one. Then I ordered it for a whopping $17.50. Sometimes they have to be told that it can be done...unless they just don't have the master set.

 

could i buy a long drill bit like maybe a 1/2" wide and drill out the lock?

 

I had this problem with my '03 earlier this year.

Forget about trying to drill it out. The lock is located on the winch assembly and is spring snapped into place. Once in, it is designed not to come out, even when drilled. I know first hand as I tried and examined the unit after I got it off. I also needed a drill bit 16" long just to even get to it. My idea was to drill a hole and then drill an extractor bit into it to turn it to the left.....it didn't work.

I contacted McGard through their website and they put me in touch with a Lincoln-Mercury dealer that had a master set of the 12 keys. They did not work for me, as the Dodge dealer I bought the truck from had tried the drill method before I bought the truck. Which is why I went through my own drilling methods above. Also, don't break the plastic guide tube off. It helps keep the key on the lock by guiding right onto it. Without it, it makes putting the key on the lock and keeping it there difficult. That was advise from the dealer when I went there. Unfortunatly again, I had removed the tube to be able to shine more light on the situation.

I ended up just cutting the cable and buying a new unit for $89 from Ford.

Paul Swietek
Apache Junction, AZ
03 F150 Supercrew 5.4l
98 Ranger ext cab 3.0l