Stuck Spare Tire...

[hifu]

This should be part of a PM somewhere. Just drop ur tire tire every year and make sure all is well. I remember borrowing someone’s pickup to move all my freezer goodies to a new house 300 miles away and made it about 20 miles in the middle of nowhere and get a flat. Trucks spare was rusted tight and it was 4 hours later before we got a spare from someone that happened by.

 

[Julian Stead]

first job I done was take the locking security nuts of the wheels and fit standard. I don't have a security key on the spare though, just a slot. I think it is the insurance companies that dictate this garbage to be fitted.

 

[WaHoo]

Well, I finally had good enough weather to make me want to roll around on the ground and bang my knuckles on metal...so...I thought getting after the 6 bolts that held the crossmember brace would be the easiest to get to...Nope, not hard to get to, but the middle one won't take a box end wrench (close quarters).

I then moved to the four that hold the cross member to the braces...nope...so...I soaked the winch with PB Blaster...and very slowly and carefully lowered the tire...with the silly theft prevention device...tire is on the ground, going to try and take off the winch and remove the theft prevention thing...and saw this on the 4 bolts that hold the winch on...

So...there is a tab on the top part of the plastic piece...enough to get a spray straw in...I soaked it with PB blaster, then put some lithium in there...works pretty smoothly now...

I will eventually have to replace this, just wasn't in the mood to disassemble the rear end today...I should have taken more pics, but greasy hands to not do well with an iPhone...