05' F250 Super Duty FX4 Lariat

I got this truck used and it already had the 4 or 6 inch lift with 35's. I was checking the jack and the spare tire and I noticed that the spare tire key that is with the manual doesn't fit to take down the spare tire.

Where can I find another or how do I take it off or just take it off and put something other than a spare tire key?

*Also the lug wrench that came with the truck doesn't fit the lug nuts that are on now.

 

Mine was missing when I bought the truck used.

So here's what I did.....

Go to the dealer and have them determine which lock (code) it is.

They usually have the complete set of 8 keys there.

Once you have the code, call McGard at 800-669-8788 and give them the code.

With a credit card, they'll sell you a replacement for about $22, mailed to your home address.

rgds,
TX

 

I also have a 2005 f250 xlt fx4 with NO spare tire key. Went to dealer. Couldn't tell me what the key number was. Didn't sell keys by themselves. offered to cut spare tire holder off and replace it with new one including key for $400 to $600.
Says the labor is $188.88 and the parts are $200 to $400 depending on what the have to ruin to get the thing off.

Hey Huckleberry: I am going to be in San Antonio on 5-18 to 5-20-07 for a meeting. maybe I can get the key that you cant use, and if it fits my new lock I'll have a spare. I can pay you for it.
Thanks:
Sonny

 

If you dont have the code you can take an impression of the lock and send it to McGard. I used a small piece of green florists styrofoam and it worked great. Had a new key in about a week. $22.49. Dont cut the cable. McGard also has a list of dealers that have the master key set. Call em.

Keith

 

I had the same problem a couple years back...
I posted my fix to the problem, check it out, see if you can use it. Worked for me, didn't cost me anything because I didn't replace the lock. For me, I'm not worried about not having a lock.
Here's the original post:

This is a post I posted in Flat Rate Tech, thought you fellow FTE'rs would like to read it too..

Browsing the (Flat Rate Tech) posts from a month back, I saw a thread about a problem someone had about accessing a spare tire- the winch winding rod wouldn't fit into the winch, therefore they couldn't lower/ access the spare, and they were wondering why.
The thread reminded me of a potential problem, which may range from downright inconvenient to life threatening (depending on where you are stranded!), which I think everyone should know about.
From personal experience, after being stuck on the side of the road w/ no way to access the spare, I found..
On some vehicles, there is a lock, similar to a wheel lock, located at the winch mechanism (at the end of the guide tube). You need the key (looks like a wheel lock key) to turn the lock so the winch will lower the spare. The key hooks onto the hook at the end of the winch winder rod.
If you lost the key, you have to remove the lock and leave it off or buy a new lock/key assy from Ford. All keys are different so simply ordering a replacement key/ lock kit (and then trying to use the key on your existing lock)won't work.
I hammered a socket onto the old lock thru the tube (using extension bars), then turned the lock assy with the socket/bars/ratchet until the spare dropped down. Then I pulled the guide tube off the winch and pulled the lock assy out of the winch. Once you get the lock assy off, you can leave it off and in the future just use the hook on the winch winder rod (it will fit directly into the winch now) or get a new lock.
Or, if you don't mind the expense of a new winch, cut the cable holding the spare to get the spare down.
This repair on the side of the road is difficult, if not impossible, without exactly the right tools.
I advise everyone out there to make sure they don't have a lock, or if they do, make sure they have the key or remove/replace lock now, before they need the spare. I had no idea about the spare lock, or even that I had a lock on the truck, until I needed the spare!
A lot of time used vehicles are missing the key, even with new vehicles, sometimes the key's gone too.
Luckily, I had a dually, so I took a tire off the back and replaced my flat front tire with it, and made it home.
Don't get caught unprepared!

__________________

 

what size socket did you use? I have a 2000 F-250 4x4 psd that I bought used with no spare tire key. I don't care if the spare tire locks I would just like to be able to get the tire down. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

I just went thru this. In fact my key is on order from the local ford dealer. It wasn't until I saw a thread on this subject about a month ago here on this forum I began to wonder.. and sure enough, when I bought my truck with 46K on it, the key was gone. I took it to Ford last Tuesday night and they pulled out a case of about 16 different round keys. Look like a deep well socket. I had to go into the service department to have them check it for me, I stood there and watched as he tried all of them, it was the second to the last one that fit it.

Thank goodness my dealer less than 2 miles from my house had the master set to try out.

 

One thing I wanted to mention to everybody. Your spare tire key should come with a little card that you tear part of it off and write your infromation on and mail to them. I would suggest everyone do this, then if you ever lose your key you can call them and they will have which one it was on file. Just a little suggestion as I just did this last week.

 

Someone Probably Took The Key Section Off The Spare And All You Have To Use Is The Spare Tire Rod Without The Key On The End It Will Fit In And Lower The Tire,i Have This On Mine And It Works Fine...no Lock Just The Rod

 

Not really sure what you're saying here...unless you mean that someone somehow left the key up inside the tube guide?

It's probably pretty unlikely that someone has removed the keylock receptacle from the lowering mechanism, unless someone has run into this problem before (of having lost their key) and removed the lock entirely.

TX

 

Yes You Remove The Key Lock Totally And You Can Just Use The Extension Handle; No Lock Required To Lower The Spare Tire. Extension Handle Fits Right In And Down You Go With The Spare Tire.i Have This On Mine And It Works Great......

 

Yes, that can work IF you already have your key lock and can lower the tire to get to the locking mechanism in the first place. Most of the discussion here has been about what to do if you LOST your tire keylock and couldn't get the tire down.

I'm kinda 50-50 on removing the lock for convenience or leaving it in place for security. I guess my argument might be that if you HAVE a keylock, just leave it in the truck and you won't have a problem.

PS...kinda curious why your posts show up with all the first letters capitalized? Something to do with the browser you're using?

rgds,
TX

 

Sorry, been off doing other things, like, working on PWCs.
You know, I honestly don't remember what size socket- I know it was a 12 pt.-
11/16 maybe?
What I did is put the socket on the end of enough extension bars to reach the lock, then "feel" if the socket slipped over the OD of the lock, if it did, I went to the next size down, until I found a socket that was slightly undersized. Then I hammered the socket on to the lock so that the 12 pts grabbed the OD of the lock. I know, ouch. The lock is hardened so your socket will be toast. Use an old Taiwan one, or a Craftsman you can return. The idea is to jam the socket onto the lock. Once the socket is on the lock, use the ext bars and a ratchet and lower away. After the tire's out, you can get to the winch and pull the lock (grab it with a pair of Vise grips and pull out).
You can buy a new lock with key from dealer (about $25 I think) or *****can the whole lock idea. I did. I figure nobody's gonna try to steal my spare, or if they want to try they can meet Mr. 870.
With a little effort this works- it did for me, just cost me a stop by Sears for a new socket.

 

This was a very helpful thread.

I bought a 2nd hand truck (2006 F-250) and never bothered to check whether it had the jack and all. (It did not.)

We're getting ready for a big off-highway camping trip and I decided to practice changing the tire. Yikes! No key, no jack, no lug wrench!

I sent an email to Ed, the FTE parts guy, and found out there's no way to get a key from Ford, but if I knew the pattern I could order the key from a 3rd party. So I decided to look into the hole with a flashlight to see what key I had...

I couldn't see clearly with the black tube in place, so I pulled it out. Then, with a flashlight, I was able to inspect the spare tire winch... No key! It turns out that a 3/8" square drive fits into the socket where the key no longer is.

Tomorrow, I'm going to Sears to purchase two 3/8" drive by 9 inch extensions, a 3/8" breaker bar, a 2 ton hydraulic jack and the appropriate 6 pt. socket for the lugs.

Ed, thanks for helping. (You really did help by focusing my thoughts!) Thanks as well to B A Dawg for leading me further in the right direction.

 

This thread is bringing back memories. I took my truck up into the hills to do a little shooting awhile back. Well somewhere along the line I must have drove over a very sharp rock and got a flat. No problem right? I bought the truck new and I knew I had the lock key in the glove box along with everything else I was gonna need to change my tire.

I got everything ready and things were goin good till I tried to lower my spare. I could not get the key to engage the lock hardly at all, I even tapped the key with a hammer trying to get it to engage. Finally after about 20 minutes of this, I had the spare low enough to remove from the cable. I finished changing the tire and all was well.

The next day in the comfort of my shop with a padded creeper and air tools I decided to find out why the key didn't fit the lock. I removed the winch assembly so I could get a closer look and found that the lock portion had filled up with dirt/mud to the point that the key would not quite fit right. I cleaned all the crud out and considered just doing away with the lock part but figured I would give it one more chance because I'd rather have a stuck spare then no spare I guess.

I hope I don't regret this decision to leave the lock in place, I live on a dirt road, but my truck never sees any hardcore mud or off road conditions where I'd expect to see mud and crud clog it up like that. So the lock has one more chance to work...if not, it's getting removed.