Cutting out the spare?

[TommyR]

My spare tire has been stuck for years. I don't think its the mechanism itself. I believe the turn slot or whatever you call it is stripped. When I put the tool in, it doesn't bite on anything so i can even try to turn it. Is there a way I can just cut the damn tire out? I plan on buying a roof basket and just putting the spare up there anyways.

 

[Doubeleive]

you have to put the correct end of the rod in the slot or it will not go in the way and turn the chain, it can be a pain but what you can do is take a flashlight and look in there to see the position first then put the correct end of the rod in right position and push it in all the way and turn, it's pretty unlikely to be stuck otherwise. in the future you can mark the correct rod end with a dab of paint or tape so there is no confusion when its raining and 20 degrees outside and your stuck in bum-f Egypt like I was one day.

 

[corvette744]

you have to put the correct end of the rod in the slot or it will not go in the way and turn the chain, it can be a pain but what you can do is take a flashlight and look in there to see the position first then put the correct end of the rod in right position and push it in all the way and turn, it's pretty unlikely to be stuck otherwise. in the future you can mark the correct rod end with a dab of paint or tape so there is no confusion when its raining and 20 degrees outside and your stuck in bum-f Egypt like I was one day.

You are exactly right-he is putting the wrong end in i did the same and luckily figured it out.

 

[Sasquatch]

If it is actually stuck you can gain better access to cut the cable by removing the license plate. When mine froze luckily it lowered a few inches before it froze so i could reach in and cut the cable.

 

[TommyR]

you have to put the correct end of the rod in the slot or it will not go in the way and turn the chain, it can be a pain but what you can do is take a flashlight and look in there to see the position first then put the correct end of the rod in right position and push it in all the way and turn, it's pretty unlikely to be stuck otherwise. in the future you can mark the correct rod end with a dab of paint or tape so there is no confusion when its raining and 20 degrees outside and your stuck in bum-f Egypt like I was one day.

Its the rod with the hook like end correct? Kinda makes like a [ shape? I've gotten it to catch on something before, but when trying to turn it, it just slips.

 

[Martinjmpr]

It's probably the idiotic "secondary latch" that GM - AND NOBODY ELSE EVER - put on their spare tire carriers for some dumb reason. With the secondary latch, even if you were to cut the cable completely, the spare would still be hanging up there. The Secondary latch is supposed to release when you press up on the spare, but given their location they very often rust solid. Mine was completely rusted in the "locked" position.

Anyway, what I did was got an angle grinder and ground off one of the "ears" of the bell-shaped part that goes through the center hole of the spare wheel.

Once you do that (be ready to catch the spare tire when it falls!) you can remove the rest of the mechanism with a couple of bolts.

Also, if you want to, you can replace the hoist with one that doesn't feature the secondary latch.

Too bad Photobucket went Full Retard, I had all the photos of this on there. Still have them on my computer but no way to post up here.

 

[swathdiver]

If you can see through the holes in the tire, there's just one 15mm bolt holding the hoist in place.

My mechanism is slipping, it will operate without a load but slips when trying to hoist the spare into position. I've been kicking around the idea of grinding off the 5 rivets and having a look inside or just buying another for $85 and be done with it. What do y'all think?

 

[Doubeleive]

Its the rod with the hook like end correct? Kinda makes like a [ shape? I've gotten it to catch on something before, but when trying to turn it, it just slips.

you should be using the big squared female end inserted into the hole and then turned, but use a flashlight to look inside the hole to be sure

 

[Martinjmpr]

If you can see through the holes in the tire, there's just one 15mm bolt holding the hoist in place.

My mechanism is slipping, it will not operate without a load but slips when trying to hoist the spare into position. I've been kicking around the idea of grinding off the 5 rivets and having a look inside or just buying another for $85 and be done with it. What do y'all think?

I would just buy a whole new mechanism. That's what I did. Once I got the spare down (which required grinding off one of the ears of the "bell" that holds the wheel) it was super easy to remove the old hoist and bolt in the new one. I don't think it took a half hour.

 

[RDKill321]

Its the rod with the hook like end correct? Kinda makes like a [ shape? I've gotten it to catch on something before, but when trying to turn it, it just slips.

Nah man, it’s the little square end. You’re using the notch for the jack right meow.