Good idea, I think without the tube I can get the jack rods lined up and tap them with a mallet. However, I couldn't get a good bit on it and the rods just slipped off.

 

my 2005 didnt have a lock or a key..i think i took the lock off already because i was stranded on the side of the road one night and couldnt get my tire down.....NOW, the next problem im having is that my cable broke...i mean i have only used the spare tire twice and the cable frayed and the last time i let it down, it wound up inside the housing and i had to force it out....Does anyone know where to buy the winch assembly other than the dealer who wants $100.00.....they ahve plenty in stock becuase it is a problem on most trucks the technician told me....
thanks
allen.h@mplusinc.com

 

Check with Ed (FTEPartsGuy) one of our site sponsors.

I can't say I've heard of too many of these failing though. I have heard of people breaking them to get the tire off because they lost the hey though.

 

Bump for stuck spare tire

 

Its a good idea to drop the spare every spring to lube the cable assembly, clean the tire/wheel and fill the spare up with air. If you live where you get snowy winters you would be surprised the amount of crap that sits in the wheel and rusts it out.

I think the key is sort of a dumb idea. Anyone who wants to be a dirtbag and steal spares can easily get the 6pc. master kit which is widely available.

 

Driving through a little sleepy town nearby a guy in a car waved me down and said "you lost a tire back there." Sure enough my spare had dropped out from under the truck and was laying in the road.

I had just come off the highway from a 40 mile run of some of the worst two lane roads Indiana has to offer. Could have easily lost that tire at 60 miles an hour, who knows what might have happened.

Check the spare, check the cable and check the end that holds the spare up!! I have a 99 this happened last fall.

 

This reminds me of my spare tire.
I lowered my tire and cleaned up and undercoated the truck.
When i replaced the tire and started to crank it up it stopped about 1/2 way up and would not go up or down. The crank turns but nothing happened. I had to lift the tire off the bracket and remove the whole thing. I haven't repaired it because its all riveted together.
Anybody else had this problem?
Bob

 

My unit would go up but not down all the way. I removed the winch, drilled out the rivets and took my not working '99250SD winch unit apart. The cable had frayed inside the unit and broken off a piece of winch hub rim. A spring loaded cable guide was jamming against the break in the hub when lowering it. No fixing that piece of plastic. Bought a new winch for $104.