2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission spare tire winch fails

[RMidgett]

Has anyone come up with a way to keep the steel cable on the spare tire winch from fraying & failing? My spare has fallen from under the truck while in motion... twice!#@$%!

I'm thinking of securing the tire with chains or rope or steel strap to the bottom of the bed & just using the winch to raise/lower it when needed.

 

[Regcabguy]

Has anyone come up with a way to keep the steel cable on the spare tire winch from fraying & failing? My spare has fallen from under the truck while in motion... twice!#@$%!

I'm thinking of securing the tire with chains or rope or steel strap to the bottom of the bed & just using the winch to raise/lower it when needed.

Get a ratchet strap tiedown and wrap it around the frame rails and tighten up. My wife noticed that my spare was touching the cement after arriving home from a Baja trip. This was on my '98. 5. The winch mechanism had failed. Replaced under warrranty,then secured with the ratchet strap.



I'm using the same tiedown on my '07.



The winch itself failed,not the cable

 

[Road Dog]

I've never had an issue with it (two trucks & 12 years). I snug the spare to the frame and nothing moves.

 

[RMidgett]

Thanks for the idea. . that's simpler than what I had in mind, and it would be effective.

 

[RX720B]

Mine failed earlier this year, still have to get a replacement

 

[SRath]

A couple of options that may be worth investigating:



1> find some stainless steel cable that will not corrode.

2> there is some "rope" on the market that is used on regular recovery winches. It is extremely strong and, I would think, won't stretch and rot. Using a ratchet strap or similar as a safety in any case sounds like a great idea.



No matter what you do, if you live in the rustbelt, you will encounter another problem eventually: The steel spare rim lays horizontally and will collect moisture & crud at the bead and will rust out, ruining your spare wheel & tire. You may find this out the hard way when you really need that spare. Ask me how I learned this...



I bought two heavy plastic semi mudflaps and cut them into round discs to 'seal' both sides of my spare tire and prevent as much crud as possible from collecting in and on my spare. Just cut a hole in the middle for the cable winch.



I found a couple of RV spare tire winches on ebay that seem to be made of better materials and heavier cable than my factory Dodge spare tire winch. The price was right and time will tell.

 

[HHhuntitall]

There a lots of options out there. On some of the ranch trucks and some trucks that are abused pretty hard, they've had problems with the spare staying up under the truck. Sometimes we move the spare to the bed, but for some that's not an option, so... ... In that case, I drill through the upper bracket, next to the winch, and install a 1/2" or 9/16" bolt(if the bed's off) or an all thread rod that's long enough to come down through one of the lug nut holes, and then put a nut on it. The rod is drilled so a lock pin can be installed to prevent the nut from backing off or a pad lock to prevent theft. It's somewhat of a PITA when putting the tire back up, but it's better than losing it on a dirt road. I also usually tack weld the bolt at the top to keep it from rattling or coming out. It's a pain to line up the rim with it moving all over the place, sometimes. A small rod can be welded on the nut under the rim so it can be loosened by hand, if need be, or a large washer so a lever can be put inside it to turn it.



If you do it this way, be sure you use two wahers against the face of the rim to keep the nut from working against the seating face of the lugnut. You can also find a 9/16 all thread or bolt that is the same thread as your lugnuts, and just use a spare lugnut.