Spare Tire Winch?
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 426
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From: Knoxville, TN
Spare Tire Winch?
Has anyone converted to a spare tire winch from a later model truck?
I am going to try to do this to get rid of the long tire support under the truck.
Does anyone have any ideas about a year/model that might work pretty well?
I am going to try to do this to get rid of the long tire support under the truck.
Does anyone have any ideas about a year/model that might work pretty well?
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
Likes: 3
From: Atlanta GA
> a year/model that might work pretty well?
None of them work well.
I have seen many trucks, Explorers, and Windstars towed into the dealership because the cable would not release. Usually from road gunk and salt, but, sometimes for no reason at all it would fail. Then you are stuck with no spare unless you have someone clever enough to reach inside the wheel's hub hole and cut the cable.
Maybe if you cleaned and lubed it at least once a year it would be okay, but, I have had to take practically brand new vehicles apart to replace the whole winch assembly.
Good thing is if it does fail, you can stick an impact wrench in the truck ones that exit between the tailgate and bumper and sometimes bust it free.
None of them work well.
I have seen many trucks, Explorers, and Windstars towed into the dealership because the cable would not release. Usually from road gunk and salt, but, sometimes for no reason at all it would fail. Then you are stuck with no spare unless you have someone clever enough to reach inside the wheel's hub hole and cut the cable.
Maybe if you cleaned and lubed it at least once a year it would be okay, but, I have had to take practically brand new vehicles apart to replace the whole winch assembly.
Good thing is if it does fail, you can stick an impact wrench in the truck ones that exit between the tailgate and bumper and sometimes bust it free.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,209
Likes: 12
From: Black Hills of SD
You might try one of those old import unitd that had a chain. I think it was on Toyotas. Maybe even combine it with your existing holder to raise the end. Also I have had a couple older Dodge caravans and even in the Alaskan slush and salt never had a problem with one of them. Even though I agree with rebocardo, sometimes us mechanics/technicians have a different slant because we see a half dozen examples which have the same problem and realize there is potential for a problem but in reality it is a very small percentage of the total number of vehicles with that system which actually fail. It seems like you only need your spare when you are dressed up and it is raining.
Under the pickup is only a good place for a spare if you never need it. I have tore those off while four bying and had to go back and get it and put it back up under there in the badlands gumbo. That only happened once and I torched that thing off and mounted all my spares in the bed from there on.
Under the pickup is only a good place for a spare if you never need it. I have tore those off while four bying and had to go back and get it and put it back up under there in the badlands gumbo. That only happened once and I torched that thing off and mounted all my spares in the bed from there on.
