PSA: Exercise your spare tire winch!

[rwh963]

especially in the "rust belt". last year i found i could not drop the spare. at the dealer for a tire rotation, i asked them to look at it. the service advisor told me it was seized and would have to be replaced. i think the quote was something like $600!

after getting home, i set about working on it. after lots of persuasion, i finally got it to release. i cleaned up any loose rust, and lubed the cable with a lithium spray. i now do this twice a year.

 

[Toyrundrive]

I exorcised mine...

 

[KBToys]

I use u-joint grease on the cable, no issues

 

[_chassis_]

Good suggestion, thanks. I used mine a few weeks ago, all good.

 

[rwh963]

many never need to use their spare for a flat change and that winch may not be used for years.

 

[Bluesky 07]

Coated my cable with Fluid Film & I also shoot some FF into the mechanism at each spare tire pressure check.

 

[MikeinNH67]

I had to free mine up too, luckily the tire was already off. Now it gets fluid film whenever I'm in there. My plan is to spray it at least once a year.

 

[Syr4RinNC]

Yea the salt will really rust that thing out. On my 03 it gave out such that the spare tire fell and you couldnt retract it. Got a used one for $100 to replace it.

 

[Mantilgh]

I got mine moving after a bit of spray soaking with PB Blaster and a couple of other left over cans of penetrant/lube.

After a bit of hitting and more soaking it slowly began to free up and I got it most of the way down I believe. The cable was a bit frayed and I kept soaking it and running it up and down after it was freed up.

Then......the cable snapped.

At least it didn’t happen on the highway!!!

There is a post about replacing the cable in this thread below. I’ll have to see if I can get the bolts for the mechanism out now.

Spare Tire Cable/Winch replacement


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[f250ben]

If you do a 5-tire rotation, you're forcing yourself to exercise the winch every 5K miles.

I do a 5 tire rotation myself, and I spray lube the winch while its down, every rotation. Its gone from sticking to perfectly smooth in 3 rotations.

 

[ran]

the Dealership actually gave me a good price on new Cooper AT. Got it home and the spare was upside down. Lubed it up while I changed it.