I've got a real freshman/rookie question here guys!

I have a ’99 4wd Ranger with the extended cab. After owning the truck for about 4-years it had sudden dawned on me that I’m not sure if I could get to the spare tire if I had to.

I’ve found the long handled key used on the airbag switch and to remove the lock beneath the tailgate. It works fine.

Finding the jack and lug wrench weren’t any trouble.

Now I can’t seem to find the "drive section”. The lug wrench turns this to lower the spare tire from under the truck.

Looking at the “JACK AND SPARE TIRE STOWAGE” diagram, I’m failing to see where the "drive section” is located in the truck. It just says how to assemble the pieces and use them.

I looked around the truck quick, but seem seems to locate it. My neighbor has a ’97 extended cab and his is found under the hood near the radiator and hood holder rod.

At the moment I can’t seem to locate my owner’s manual either.

 

pass side rear jump seat

 

Thanks for the quick reply 429.

I figured that along side the jack would likely be the place, but it is not there.


Looks like I might need to pick one up.

Hope it's just a $5 junkyard piece.

 

You didn't say if you had the 4dr SC. If so, the jack & drive handle are between the two jump seats, behind a removable panel on the rear cab wall trim.

If you don't have the 4dr super cab, then look in the passenger side rear cab compartment , or behind the jump seat , in a separate tool bag. So says my 99 owners manual.

Well while at the salvage yard you could look for a owners manual too.!!!!

Or you could download one from the "My Ford" or "Motorcraft" web sites.

 

Thanks for the input guys!

It looks like some scoundrel who had the truck previous removed the sections for the drivehandle and never put them back.

I believe they were supposed to be in some kind of case to quiet the rattle.

Not popular if you need to get to the spare tire!

The Owner's Manual is somewhere around the house, but I found the vinyl booklet holder that has everything else.

I'll be likely calling the junkyards.

 

If I was you I would make a trial run at changing a tire just to make sure you have everything you need and are familar with how it all fits. On mine I was lucky and had the flat in the driveway. Found that I didn't have the key for the bumper lock and the dealer couldn't get me one either. They suggested drilling it out which I did. Then I found out the whoever had put the tires on (I believe they were the factory Firestones) had them on so tight that I had to use a 3/4 breaker bar to break the lug nuts loose.

 

Good point Goat!

Some of those tire changing shops over torque the lug nuts. They can be at a point where a normal human being could not remove them with the Ford provided tools.

I wanted to do a dry run this weekend to see if the lowering mechanism is frozen.

Never touched it in the 3-4 years of my use. Still has a Firestone tire tucked up inside.

Heard a few stories about folks going through hell trying to change a flat tire while out on the road.

 

I ALLWAYS crack and retorque my lug nuts after somebody else has been at them like on a tire rotation. I keep light lube on the treads and use a decent torque wrench. I've complained to shops about their over torquing and been told straight to my face that they were torqued to factory specs after i literally witnessed their technicians using an air gun. I've had them try to break the nuts themselves with the tire iron just to have the dingleberries tell me there's something wrong with my studs. I don't deal with retards like that. It's a bloody nightmare on the side of an 8 lane highway with a good spare and no way to get the lugs off because of some goofball d**khead.

Fred