I Cant Get My Spare Tire Down!

joelfriddle · May 31, 2011

I am having trouble lowering my spare tire. it came down about 2 inches and after that it just clicks and wont come down any further. I was stranded a few weeks ago and had this problem. i tried cutting the cable but not luck. all i was able to remove was the spring on the bottom of the spare. Can someone please tell me how to remove the whoe hoist assembly so i can remove the tire and tote it in the back of my truck?

ChevyTech77 · May 31, 2011

Cut the cable and then replace the hoist assembly. That is the only way that I've ever been able to do it, myself.

joelfriddle · May 31, 2011

cant cut the cable. it only drops 2 inches. i can barely get my hand abouve there, much less a hacksaw

Wingnut · June 1, 2011

Last ditch...But...Use a grinder on the doohickey that comes through the wheel?

TexasAl · June 1, 2011

Before you try to cut it, read your owners manual on how to lower the spare tire when it is stuck. If that doesn't work, how about connecting the cable to a winch or tow strap and pulling on it. I'm sure it will give eventually. If anything, it might pull out some more cable so that you can cut it. Good luck.

elcamino · June 1, 2011

How about tightening it till it breaks?

Nick The Great · June 1, 2011

I want to punch the spare tire carrier engineer square in the nose!

Here's the problem. You can see where I cut mine with my recip saw. This is the 'secondary latch'. Right now it is shown upside down.

Here's the new one installed. You can see it's just one bolt. But I don't think you'd be able to get to it with the tire there.

ChevyTech77 · June 1, 2011

Cut off wheel, sawzall or cable cutters will cut it. Only way that I know to get it down when they are stuck.

joelfriddle · June 2, 2011

thanks for the help guys. I have tried to remove that one bolt but i have just enough room to get to it. and when i do turn it, it doesnt seem to loosen. I wasnt sure if there was some kind of anit-theft thing on it. but i backed it up with a wrench and when i turned the bolt, the wrench on the backside will not move, and the bolt does not loosen. i am going to try to loosen it again today and if that doesnt get it, bolt cutters. thanks again for the help

Nick The Great · June 2, 2011

That bolt is covered in rust and salt and dirt and all sorts of wonderful things. Mine was stuck pretty good. I didn't have to spray any penetrating oil on it, but I thought I may have to. Maybe give that a shot.

YZINGERR · June 7, 2011

Is the inserted end of the tire tool a square?

Nick The Great · June 7, 2011

Yes it is.

YZINGERR · June 7, 2011

Yes it is.

thank you!

yam700 · June 23, 2011

Yes it is.

thank you!

Same thing happened to me. Luckily I carry torches and was able to get above the tire and torched the cable.

shallowwatersailor · July 27, 2011

I must be lucky! I recently purchased a 2001 GMC Sierra 2500HD 8.1L with just under 30K miles. After reading this post, I thought that I better get ready for trouble with the winch. As you can tell with the mileage, this truck has done a lot of sitting.

When I got out the jack and tools, I found that they had never been unwrapped after leaving the assembly line. The tire was the OE Firestone with the nubs and stenciling still on the tread. To my surprise, the tire came down without ANY problem. It had never been lowered in ten years!

I took the time to touch-up the frame where there was some rust and repainted the wheel. I then sprayed lithium grease up in the winch housing and did the same with the cable. Hopefully this will prevent it rusting in place.