Anyone ever have any problems removing thier spare from underneath. Well I had one hell of a time last thursday.

I was turning around in my buddys yard a few days ago when I ran something over. I didnt know what the **** it was, didnt think anything of it. Then I drove about 5 miles, arrived at subway to get food before work. Then heard a hissing noise and my rear passenger side tire was completely flat with something sticking out of the top. Turns out I ran over an old deer skull that my friend use to have hanging on his barn that fell off and into the yard. A piece of an antler went into my tire and popped it.

So I figured, okay no big deal Ill change the tire. I get under there, and of course its rusted to ****. Me and a guy passing by who also had an f-150 helped me get the mount down. We had to use two tire irons and a jack to turn the bolts that hold it up.

So we get that down an hour later and all thats left to do is remove the tire from the steel bar holding it on the truck. Well theres a carriage bolt that goes through the bar and the tire is held on with a giant threaded plastic piece.

The square hole for the carraige bolt was rusted into a circle so there was no turning the plastic piece by hand, and low and behold that was ceized to hell on there too. We tried wrenches and **** and this didnt work. We also tried breaking it off with tire irons, that also didnt work.

So I called my buddy to bring his tools and help. He comes roaring down the street in his 78 f-150 hahaha and pulls in. We tried using crowbars now to break that plastic piece. Nothing. So finally we torched the ****er off and i finally "rescued" my spare tire.

After 3 hours of grunt work and a broken stud later my tire was changed. What a ****ing hassle. Oh and we did all this in the subway parking lot.

 

[quote=Growl60;8150058] We had to use two tire irons and a jack to turn the bolts that hold it up.

\quote]

you shouldnt of had to turn it... just lift up on the big flat piece that holds the tire up and then the long bolt with a eye in it towards the rear has a large flat piece incorporated into it that you just position in the circle on the big flat pirce and it drops down... too late for that now.. just get a tire bed mount kit now i guess...

 

I'm sure fishforlife's advice is sound, and I'm inclined to agree with the bed mount kit. Mine consists of leaning the spare against the side of the box and securing it with a bungee cord.

 

now thats just high class...

 

I had a similar problems a few years ago, but was able to get the spare out (ran over a nail, nothing exotic like a deer skull). I check the pressure on the spare once a year, and coat the bolt with anti-seize grease. I use one of these when I head into the hinterland and carry a second spare:

spare tire carrier mount - Free Shipping

 

I ran over something that was buryed in the gravel down the road from my place and the guy whos house I was in front of thank'd me for finding his parts that fell off his tractor last winter. Anyways I couldnt get my spare down either and I ended up using a torch to cut it off now it sits in the back of my truck under the topper.

 

It belongs in this thread....
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...flat-tire.html



Yes, all you have to do is turn the eye in line with the slot in the carrier and use the tire iron to get the weight off so you can slip it over into the slot.

It is wise to cover the threads of both the carrier and tire hold down bolt with grease so that they are not rusted solid when you find yourself stranded....at night.....in the rain.