I'm an old mechanic but now I have ms and can't hardly hold tools any more, but I showed this to my wife (a good one) and she banged this out almost as fast as she does me. Took her almost 5 minutes. She just yanked the tube off and used a flatblade to pop out the keyed section while it was still mounted. Thanks from the bottom of my truck! Now I can get my spare down with a cordless impact and an extension I keep in the cab. You made it much easier for me to travel solo, and gave me back some of my freedom. Thanks again. You're a solid dude.
Worked like a dream for me. My spare was off (stored in the shed for over a year), and the loose cable secured away with zap straps. I could not get the "winch" out , but I could flip it around enough to get easy access to the crank, pried out the security lock, and reassembled everything. Now, I'm going to always check RU-vid for great solutions like this.
Jack of all trades but master of none, most of the time is better than a master of one. Great vid brother. The 16 point 14mm socket didn't work for me, so I used a 15mm Snap-On bolt extractor socket. ( since I did not have the key ). My hoist looks like yours, and it worked great. Slow and small increments turning be hand, 1/2" extensions and ratchet.
Thank-you.. Thank-you !! Beautiful! Heard about removing the key, but seeing it being done is great! EASY, even for a 69 year old guy with a 2001 F-350.
I attached a medium size "Vise Grip" pair of pliers onto the key, and after 8-10 moderate taps with a ball-pean hammer.. popped right out! Thanks Again! You saved me a headache!!
Great tip. Thanks! I suggest getting the tire hoist either sand blasted or at least remove the rust with a wire brush or wheel and repaint everything with a good quality primer and paint. I just did the same thing recently with the wheel of the spare on my Ford. Have the wheel and/or hoist sand blasted (you can leave the tire on the wheel) and then prime the wheel with a couple of coats of Red Oxide Primer available at Tractor Supply. An experienced welder and the sand blaster both recommended the same primer. It's tough as hell and lasts forever. Farmers know the good stuff. Tractor Supply sells it by the quart. Finish by painting with Rustoleum High Performance Enamel a couple of coats and you are good for years. You can probably do the whole job for less than twenty bucks plus the cost of the sandblasting. They charged me thirty bucks to sand blast my wheel. A new hoist or wheel will cost you a lot more.
Fantastic help! My spare tire was still on the truck, so I was able to reach up and over the frame, clamp some vice grips onto the key, and use a prybar and a hammer to tap on the vice grips to get the key out, thanks again for the help!
THANK YOU - zactly what I was looking for! Decided to see how easy it would be to lower/raise the spare in my new-to-me 07 F250. Quickly realized what a POS the "key" is .... all good now - AND! - I thank you for not using 8 degs as an excuse for not making this vid..
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Saved me a ton of frustration at Ford still a stupid idea though. Where are you supposed to get one of these security Keys anyways?
Thanks for the info. I have the key, however it would not stay engaged. It took me a good hour with hammer and tapping the key into the lock and maybe getting a quarter turn before it would again disengage. I love my ford truck but this is a poor design. When I returned home, the first thing I did was remove the lock, I can use the spare tire rod and drop and raise the tire easily. Thanks again
Great video, lucky I had my key,but it still was a pia getting the tire down. The key repeatedly slipped off, so I was keeping my spare in the bed. No more lock yeah!!!!!😁
Why are there people in life who have a spare and make sure it works and those that dont but are always bugging you when they have a flat. I would say up bringing myself. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for the help, great video. I also purchased a used 2006 Ford F-250 and had a similar problem. My problem is that when the service guys connect the locking key to the jack handle to raise/lower the spare back up after remounting it, the key gets disconnected from the jack handle and remains stuck to the frame. I had my new spare mounted a few weeks back which took less then 20 minutes, then it took three service guys an hour to get the locking key back out of the frame. When they finally did get it out, I noticed the retaining ring that locks the key to the jack handle was shot. It looks like the previous owner had the same issue because when I swapped the spare tires, the one that was mounted was brand new but 12 years old.
Thanks. While I have the key, it's always been an annoyance lowering and esp. raising the tire. The receiver of the key is just too shallow, so it's hard to keep the key engaged. Lately, I just couldn't tighten the tire against to bed. Once I took the hoist out, I realized part of my problem was a frayed cable, so I'll replace the whole thing, only 40 bucks. I think the guy who replaced one of my tires a year ago might have damaged the cable. Tire guys must hate these things.
You have to order the key from the company that makes it, and you need the number. Mine was missing and it was no trouble to order but after using it once its slipping so I want it off!
What about the jack tool that is in the hood? Will it work once that key is removed? Some a**hole broke into my truck and stole my key out of the glove box along with other items. 2003 Ford F150 XL. Just UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am not a happy camper!!!!!!!!!!
Ford dealer said they could not look it up by VIN. There were at least 60 different keys, they didn't have them and couldn't match it up even if I brought the truck in. So I am glad to have the key gone.
I took off the hoist which was easy then vice grips and one good crack with a hammer and it was out, a little rust and it just might fall out. No way I would leave the bullshit lock thing in, knowing what I know!
