Silverado Spare Tire Winch Woes

[actaeon277]

So . . . just after a tire blowout on I-74 this morning, I learned that the spare tire on my trusty 2002 Silverado no longer wants to lower and present itself for use. In the rain, naturally.

Blowout is resolved and all (other than my wallet) is well in that regard, but I am still not able to lower the spare. I think it's probably rusty.

I don't want to cut it. Anyone with a lift or pit who wants to try to help me encourage it function again?

[video=youtube;r8vr4fi99V4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&persist_app=1&v=r8vr4fi99V4[/video]


There,I feel better.

 

[rhino]

Actually, I'm upset I didn't use the Nelson for your OP.

There,I feel better.

TOO LITTLE TOO LATE TOO BAD!

 

[actaeon277]

Seriously, under the car sucks.
It will worka thousand times.
Till you need it in the pouring rain.

My spare on the front is a full size tire, I got new tires and kept that one. Got a rim from the junkyard.
Underneath I still have a donut.

 

[actaeon277]

TOO LITTLE TOO LATE TOO BAD!

Que?
No habla English.

 

[rhino]

Seriously, under the car sucks.
It will worka thousand times.
Till you need it in the pouring rain.

My spare on the front is a full size tire, I got new tires and kept that one. Got a rim from the junkyard.
Underneath I still have a donut.

As I learned!

Que?
No habla English.

Demasiado poco demasiado tarde ¡Qué lástima!

 

[CountryBoy19]

Common issue in most GM vehicles from the late 90's to current. They utilize a locking mechanism that prevents the spare tire from falling if the cable breaks. The problem is that it's a cheap, bent/stamped sheet-metal design with moving parts and its completely exposed to the elements (hanging under the rear of a vehicle in salty/dirty/wet condition) and they very rarely ever work unless they are maintained religiously. I had the same problem on my wife's 2009 Buick Enclave; I was able to reach a long screwdriver through 1 of the holes in the rim of the spare and "pop" the mechanism free and get it to lower.

 

[actaeon277]

As I learned!





Demasiado poco demasiado tarde ¡Qué lástima!

Nicht sprechen Spanish

 

[rvb]

My buddy rhino :

two backup guns. 6 knives. Baton. Pepper spray. Multi tool. Wears bobby pins in his hair just in case he might have to pick a pair of cuffs.

Not prepared to change a flat.



-rvb

 

[SMiller]

My buddy rhino :

two backup guns. 6 knives. Baton. Pepper spray. Multi tool. Wears bobby pins in his hair just in case he might have to pick a pair of cuffs.

Not prepared to change a flat.



-rvb

A real man would have shot the cable in half, installed spare tire and drove off like a boss...

Rhino would have found a way to screw that up, he would have tried to use a knife and would have cut himself, I am guessing by now that he is into stuff like that...

 

[CountryBoy19]

A real man would have shot the cable in half, installed spare tire and drove off like a boss...

I know you're joking around now but in all reality, severing the cable wouldn't have allowed the tire to drop. It's the stupid "safety mechanism" (prevents the tire from dropping in the case that the cable IS severed) that always causes these problems.

 

[Outlaw]

had the same thing happen on my suburban. I cut the cable and safety mechanism off with a saw zaw. went to the hardware store and got a cable tie and reused the old holder that goes in the center. Works just like the old ones now.

 

[Lectric102002]

Common issue in most GM vehicles from the late 90's to current. They utilize a locking mechanism that prevents the spare tire from falling if the cable breaks. The problem is that it's a cheap, bent/stamped sheet-metal design with moving parts and its completely exposed to the elements (hanging under the rear of a vehicle in salty/dirty/wet condition) and they very rarely ever work unless they are maintained religiously. I had the same problem on my wife's 2009 Buick Enclave; I was able to reach a long screwdriver through 1 of the holes in the rim of the spare and "pop" the mechanism free and get it to lower.

Sure would be handy if they told you that in the Owner's manual.

 

[Big Guy]

Thanks for the OP, I'm gonna have to check mine out, it's an 03 Silverado. I checked it out a few years ago, and it still has the original spare tire mounted and worked fine. I'm a firm believer in preventative maintence, but I've definitely overlooked the spare.

 

[gunrunner0]

Sure would be handy if they told you that in the Owner's manual.

I think mine does, I seem to remember reading through it when mine got stuck. I believe it said that it could happen and to use the jack to apply enough pressure to break the safety loose. Pretty stupid, that they wouldn't fix the problem, just tell you one way you might be able to fix it, especially a way which isn't exactly convenient on the side for the road.

 

[actaeon277]

Thanks for the OP, I'm gonna have to check mine out, it's an 03 Silverado. I checked it out a few years ago, and it still has the original spare tire mounted and worked fine. I'm a firm believer in preventative maintence, but I've definitely overlooked the spare.

A LOT of people overlook it. Probably why there's so much about it on the internet.

 

[ModernGunner]

Yep, had a similar problem with our Blazer, except the cable became so corroded it finally broke, and had to install a new one. Now it gets lubed up every fall.

'Maintenance' is funny that way...

 

[rhino]

My buddy rhino :

two backup guns. 6 knives. Baton. Pepper spray. Multi tool. Wears bobby pins in his hair just in case he might have to pick a pair of cuffs.

Not prepared to change a flat.



-rvb

When you put it that way, I seem even more retarded than when I am negligently cutting myself! And you're right!

Now I am better prepared:

1. Still have AAA
2. Shiny new Firestone spare tire, winch functional and lubed.

A real man would have shot the cable in half, installed spare tire and drove off like a boss...

Rhino would have found a way to screw that up, he would have tried to use a knife and would have cut himself, I am guessing by now that he is into stuff like that...

And you are correct!

 

[churchmouse]

My 04 GMC (same) did the same thing. Nothing we did made it happy. I cut the cable and went to my buddy's scrape yard and found a functional replacement. Soaked it in a good lube before mounting it.