Stupid spare tire
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 177
Likes: 0
Stupid spare tire
Well it all started when the running lights on my flatbed all went out. I start pulling wires and see that this would be a lot easier to get to I'd I drop the spare. Grab the handle and the stupid key thing. I try to put it in. It doesn't find the hole no matter what I do. Try like 10 different time. Time 10 the key thingy pops of and is laying somewhere above the spare tire. Now what?????
It's a Van Gogh
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 7,812
Likes: 1,335
From: Elk Grove, CA
Get yourself a stripped bolt extractor kit down at the hardware store. The one I have is Irwin brand, see pic. I think I used the 9/16 size, on the end of a 2 foot, 3/8 inch extension. Slide that down in the hole and smack it on the key with a hefty sledge. It will grip the key and you can unwind the cable like normal. First attempt I used 3 of 4 shorter extensions but the slop involved did not allow for effective smacking. One solid extension did the trick.
Once down you can knock off that stupid key, you don't need it. The end of the jack rod will fit into the hole there.
Once down you can knock off that stupid key, you don't need it. The end of the jack rod will fit into the hole there.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,089
Likes: 16
I thought you could get to the key thing laying under the truck. Its been several years but I did not have the key when i bought mine. I knocked the lock thing off like you suggested but I thought i was able to do it from under the truck.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 17
From: Jacksonville, FL
Someone posted a thread here a couple of weeks back about doing this very thing, I seem to recall they used a couple of blocks of wood between the spare and the bed to give them the space needed to pop the "key" off?
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 6,096
Likes: 26
From: Mesa AZ
It's simple....
Take a good 9/16" socket and extension and hammer it onto the key. Then turn the winch so it lowers the tire. Once the tire is down, you can reach up in there and pop out the key with a big screw driver or pry bar.
Take a good 9/16" socket and extension and hammer it onto the key. Then turn the winch so it lowers the tire. Once the tire is down, you can reach up in there and pop out the key with a big screw driver or pry bar.
New User
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Thank you for posting this issue
[QUOTE=Potlicker David;15804206]Well it all started when the running lights on my flatbed all went out. I start pulling wires and see that this would be a lot easier to get to I'd I drop the spare. Grab the handle and the stupid key thing. I try to put it in. It doesn't find the hole no matter what I do. Try like 10 different time. Time 10 the key thingy
I have owned my 2001 truck for four years and have been **** about every form of maintenance that could ever be done. Prior to reading your post I never realized that my spare tire took a special socket key. When I went out to the truck to check the glove box and consol I realized that I never had one. Wow, I have been very luck not to be stuck on the side of the road with a perfect spare and no key to lower it.
I have now eliminated the entire security key part and can no just lower the winch with the OEM extension.
Thanks for the advise,
Bryan Swanson
I have owned my 2001 truck for four years and have been **** about every form of maintenance that could ever be done. Prior to reading your post I never realized that my spare tire took a special socket key. When I went out to the truck to check the glove box and consol I realized that I never had one. Wow, I have been very luck not to be stuck on the side of the road with a perfect spare and no key to lower it.
I have now eliminated the entire security key part and can no just lower the winch with the OEM extension.
Thanks for the advise,
Bryan Swanson
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Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 11,286
Likes: 263
From: North of Greenville
I thought I had lost my key as well and have been carrying around a full size 285 spare on a stock allow rim in the bed of my truck for the past several years. Just a couple weeks ago, while tooling through my glove box, I popped open the Owner Manual packet and guess what I found... that little spare tire key!
Now I can reclaim some bed space by dropping the aged and partially dry-rotted OEM spare down and put my good one up under the truck!
Now I can reclaim some bed space by dropping the aged and partially dry-rotted OEM spare down and put my good one up under the truck!
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 13,011
Likes: 742
From: Here in No. Calif
Had the same prob where the dang thing was stripped but needless to say the whole tire tire, holder hardware fell off truck as I was driving. It was about 2 weeks after fighting with stripped issue. Thankfully I heard/felt it fall and was going slow at the time. Now I have to replace the whole enchilada but do have AAA just in case
Logistics Pro
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,446
Likes: 25
From: Panama City, FL
I thought I had lost my key as well and have been carrying around a full size 285 spare on a stock allow rim in the bed of my truck for the past several years. Just a couple weeks ago, while tooling through my glove box, I popped open the Owner Manual packet and guess what I found... that little spare tire key!
Now I can reclaim some bed space by dropping the aged and partially dry-rotted OEM spare down and put my good one up under the truck!
Now I can reclaim some bed space by dropping the aged and partially dry-rotted OEM spare down and put my good one up under the truck!
