The strange things Ford does......
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 352
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The strange things Ford does......
So I stopped along the road to help a guy change a flat today. He had an '05 F250 reg. cab 6.0 and was struggling to get his spare down from under his truck. I told him about how he needed the key thats in the glovebox to attach to the end of his rod and that would lower his tire. He looked, and couldn't find the key, so I said no problem I have mine. ( I have an '07 F350) I got mine out, and it wouldn't work. So eventually he found his key, and we compared the two, and they were identical.... EXCEPT mine has a straight cross patten on the end of the key (+) and his had an (*) like a torx head pattern. WHY THE HELL would Ford change something like that?!?!? Ended up we could only get the tire half way down so we ended up crawling under the truck to wrestle the spare out.... what a fine design. But again I ask... why would ford take the time and I'm sure expense to change something like that from '05 to '07?!?!? Just blew my mind... there were probably seventeen executive-level meetings called to decide to do that.... meanwhile the company is losing how much $ every day??
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,176
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From: the woodzies
i think they would make them different on purpose....so that it is harder to steal the spare! if all the keys were the same then someone with a key could pretty easily walk around a parking lot and steal a whole set of new tires....
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,181
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From: Eastern CT.
I think Ford's idea is OK,,you just need the so-called key to get the spare down,,,What is GM's idea??? Use the truck key to un-lock it ??
I dont know about anyone else,,,but all the trailer hitch locks I ever had went to the scrap yard,,,they get corroded,,and your small pos keys will not unlock them,,,even my cap's rear door locks,,I have to spray with WD40 or equivilent,,to keep them working,,I can just see a lock all corroded ,,trying to get the spare tire down,,,,,,,,,NICE !
I dont know about anyone else,,,but all the trailer hitch locks I ever had went to the scrap yard,,,they get corroded,,and your small pos keys will not unlock them,,,even my cap's rear door locks,,I have to spray with WD40 or equivilent,,to keep them working,,I can just see a lock all corroded ,,trying to get the spare tire down,,,,,,,,,NICE !
Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 26
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While we're on the " better idea" thread, The rocket scientist at Ford that decided the switch and light for heated seats on the seat was brilliant (not). One has to open the door and look down to know they have activated the heated seat. At least they moved it to the dash on the newer trucks.
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Hotshot
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Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 17,398
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From: Whittier, CA
But I do agree that their method is poor. The F150 has a locking insert in a bumper hole and it uses the ignition key. I think it's a better idea and I don't know why they did something different on the SD. Maybe because it is intended for heavier duty service and the F150 style lock would be more likely to get filled with dirt and sand and not work.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,351
Likes: 242
From: North Florida
I think Ford's idea is OK,,you just need the so-called key to get the spare down,,,What is GM's idea??? Use the truck key to un-lock it ??
I dont know about anyone else,,,but all the trailer hitch locks I ever had went to the scrap yard,,,they get corroded,,and your small pos keys will not unlock them,,,even my cap's rear door locks,,I have to spray with WD40 or equivilent,,to keep them working,,I can just see a lock all corroded ,,trying to get the spare tire down,,,,,,,,,NICE !
I dont know about anyone else,,,but all the trailer hitch locks I ever had went to the scrap yard,,,they get corroded,,and your small pos keys will not unlock them,,,even my cap's rear door locks,,I have to spray with WD40 or equivilent,,to keep them working,,I can just see a lock all corroded ,,trying to get the spare tire down,,,,,,,,,NICE !
Junior User
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: Memphis, TN
I bought my 05 F250 used from a FORD dealer. Next day discovered it had no tire tools, jack, key, etc.....Went back an they gave me a jack, and tool set but no key to unlock spare. They didnt have a Master set to compare so they did not know which one to order. As I was about to leave for an extended trip and did not want to be without access to spare, they asked if OK to just remove (break) the lock. OK with me...now I dont need the lock, just us the long rod to lower the spare.
Who the heck came up with putting the spare under there anyway?
Seems its always raining or muddy when I get under there.
I like them old trucks with the spare mounted IN the pickup bed.
Who the heck came up with putting the spare under there anyway?
Seems its always raining or muddy when I get under there.
I like them old trucks with the spare mounted IN the pickup bed.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 951
Likes: 20
From: SW Indiana melon fields.
Is it just me?
Anybody but me ever wonder why vehicles come equipped with an extra wheel and tire? Why did they pick that part? Why not a spare belt, radiator hose, headlight bulb, tail light bulb, or whatever? Why just a "spare" tire 
???
Just makes me go hmmm
???Just makes me go hmmm