So Thats How You Get the Spare Tire from Under the Bed

So, I kinda knew how to lower the spare tire from under the bed (I actually read the manual when I got my truck 2 years ago!!)

But--actually doing it was a bit of a puzzle. So I took some pics to show what I did.

By the way the Jack kit (along with the lug wrench) is under the rear passenger seat (on the opposite side from the driver) in my 2020 DCLB Off-Road. (but I knew that!)

Any ways the pics show what I did.

1. Before you do any jacking--LOOSEN the lug nuts on your wheel you are changing so that they are just hand tight--this is hard to do once the tire is off the ground.

2. Get your jacking kit out and take out the rods that are used to operate the jack. You will insert the hooked end (SEE PIC BELOW) into the hole above the license plate.

(By the way I replaced my Jacking kit with one from Safe Jack BUT YOU STILL NEED THE RODS & LUG WRENCH FROM YOUR OEM JACK TO LOWER THE SPARE TIRE)




3. First attach another section of the rod to the piece that has the hook on it. Insert Hooked end into hole above license plate and under tailgate. You hook your OEM lug wrench on to the other end to turn the rod. With the lug wrench on it takes almost no force to lower the tire. (and not much force to raise it again.) The pic below doesn't show the lug wrench attached.


4. The hooked end will automatically be fed into the turning mechanism by a little "funnel-like" thing. (silver colored thing in the pic below) It's a good design--You don't have to worry about centering the hook or putting it in the right way--just feed the hook in until it stops and start turning. Turn the rod counter-clockwise and the tire will start coming down.


5. Normally you can't see this mechanism because it is above where the tire is stored and so is out of view. The chain is what holds the tire up. The actual "hook" that holds up the tire is in the pic below just to the right of the pink colored wire.

 

Which Safe Jack kit is that?

 

While it's off, hose that entire area including the mechanism with a good anti rust preventative like LPS 3 or fluid film. Work it into the rotating parts. Also do the rails and frame bits.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/cheap-free-mods.4838/page-51#post-3571643

Might not be quite the same length measurements, but it's still a slick idea.

Also, flip the spare so the stem is down and easy to access.

 

This one:


A little expensive, but a well put-together set.

 

Nice. I'm old and cheap, I use an electric scissor jack with a 2 ton capacity I just plug into my cig lighter. Cost. $1 at a garage sale. I've used it a couple times [it's the only thing that will fit under my Miata] and it beats crawling in the dirt.

For ANY jack, always carry either a plate of decent metal or 3/4 plywood to place under the jack base to keep it level. [and a GI shovel]

 

Exactly! I carry a short shovel and a 12" x 12" piece of birch plywood (its stronger than regular plywood and I actually only paid for the 12"x12" piece which, while expensive, was a lot cheaper than a full sheet of regular plywood and a lot lighter than 12"x12" of 3/16" or 1/4" plate steel). Since I was in my garage, I didn't use the plywood.

 

Living in the desert, I really don't worry about rust. My truck will look the same, as far as rust goes, 50 years from now as it does today.

 

Carry a drill and insert the square end of the bar into her and let it eat!

 

Personally I carry this jack as well in my bed. Big stable base.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...im6CEoRhfPAMl1CVdX5Ee0iVZOk6PpIwaAqhCEALw_wcB