Locking the spare?

Hey y’all, my spare tire was recently stolen from outside my house in Denver. I am wondering if anyone has any recommendations on locking your spare as I’m going to get a new 285 with a matching rim and don’t want this to happen again (I know there are other threads about this but none of them are specific to 3rd gen/they don’t have very recent info). Anyone have any pics of the OEM spare lock installed, or care to chime in?

 

The OEM lock looks like a locking lug nut that get pressed into the lowering cone. Some have said that it falls out. There is a lock loop in the anchor plate that you can toss a waterproof lock on. Or you can just put a waterproof lock through one of chain links and one of the lug nut holes in the spare. The problem is that changing a spare in rain or snow involves getting way under there to get the lock off, not to mention the possibility of it freezing up over time.

 

I had been eying a spare tire lock on Amazon, it goes thru the spare and around the frame.

 

I just use a basic key master lock and connect to the slack in the drop down chain.

 

How was it stolen? Did they just lower it down? Cut the lowering chain?

 

Time for a bed mounted option?

 

Thats what I do also.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...it-actually-works.475930/page-3#post-17021269

I have the OEM lock, it works great. Doesn't fall out if you use a mallet. Check out my post #18 for installation instructions.

Lots of thieving tweakers here in SoCal, we must take care to secure our stuff!

 

@mrkabc hell yeah thanks man that is by far the best write up I’ve seen on it, I found that thread but didn’t see your post so that helps a bunch.

As for the question about how it was stolen- admittedly I never actually lowered it myself so if a Tacomaworld Investigator can tell me how they jacked it from a picture that’d be sweet (ha). I checked the part of my bumper were the extension goes in and it look untampered with.

 

It looks like they lowered it the normal way then cranked it all the way up so that you wouldn't notice.

I see lots of folks driving around with the end dangling. Their thieves are not as thoughtful. . .

 

Rig a grenade pin to the spare tire next time.

It looks like they probably lowered the tire as you would to change it, and they actually raised it back up afterwards. This means they either had the tool to lower it, or spent some time under there with a screwdriver/drill. Did you ask any neighbors if they saw anything? It would've taken a little bit of time and some noise to get that off of there.

 

You sure there was ever a spare tire down there to begin with? Toyota forgot to put air in my spare, so maybe they are just progressing

 

How did you notice it was gone?

 

I really don't get this, I mean how much is some tweaker going to get on the market for a Tacoma spare tire and wheel? Btw, I see on ebay motors they sell what looks like the factory spare lock device for $35 so I guess maybe a criminal's plan is to get the factory spare lock device, then hit every Tacoma they can find?

 

That's weird they cranked the chain back up after stealing...Can't really think of why they would waste any time where they could get caught putting it back up.

Matt

 

Looks like they cut a chunk out of the piece your rim sits snug against.

 

Oh yeah. Weird.

 

sorry OP. I hate thieves. I’ve got cameras all over my garage and driveway because someone stole some lawn equipment from me.

 

It's too bad we have to deal with stuff like this. Thieves suck.

 

I'm with you. Either someone cut it free as it sat, or it failed and broke off. I don't see a theif rolling it back up.