Go check your spare tire lol

[22hemi13]

ok sooo I have a vibration and I wanted to throw my brand new spare on to see if it goes away. Went to lower my spare and nothing happened. The cotter pin that holds the bar onto the mechanism had fallen and it just spins. I’m glad this was in my driveway and not off-roading. Zero chance I’d have gotten it off if I wasn’t at home. I had my old antenna laying on bench. I cut some off shoved it through the hole and my son spun it and it wrapped around the pole. That sucker ain’t going anywhere ever hahaha. I tried the antenna after sever other attempts at getting something through the hole that’s a pain in the **** to get to. I’m just saying y’all might wanna give it a look haha

 

[tnctx02]

Think I might check my soon. It has never been off my truck.
What size tire did you have under the truck? I have gone up to 35"x12.5" BFG and have yet to get a correct spare. Was wondering what actually fits under the bed.

 

[22hemi13]

I have a 35x12.5....... but I have no rear exhaust and no heat shields lol. It’s still snug. But I think it’ll fit up to a 35 if you air down some and squeeze her in.

 

[tnctx02]

Thanks. Will look at this today sometime. Hadn't thought about my spare till you posteds this!

 

[Gr8bawana]

I checked my spare the day after I got my new 2017 home about two weeks ago. The little winch worked just fine but I better check that cotter pin.

 

[tap4154]

I'll add that it's a good idea to check the integrity of the hoist cable on older trucks. My old 2000 F150 was 18 years old when the spare dropped as I was taking off from a light. Car behind me got stuck on it. Had it happened at speed on a freeway, it could have been deadly. I feel VERY lucky it happened where it did. Put a new winch on, and have since sold the truck when I got the Ram.

 

[22hemi13]

I'll add that it's a good idea to check the integrity of the hoist cable on older trucks. My old 2000 F150 was 18 years old when the spare dropped as I was taking off from a light. Car behind me got stuck on it. Had it happened at speed on a freeway, it could have been deadly. I feel VERY lucky it happened where it did. Put a new winch on, and have since sold the truck when I got the Ram.

Yeah. I’m need to grab a cable and add a thether just for that reason. I’d hate to be that guy lol

 

[tap4154]

Yeah. I’m need to grab a cable and add a thether just for that reason. I’d hate to be that guy lol

After I put the new winch in I added a strong ratcheting strap underneath and across the tire, just in case. After I did that I loosened the winch and the strap held the tire up by itself (just to test it). Haven't done it on the Ram yet, but I might. More common occurrence than you may think, and folks have been killed.

 

[kiloRAM]

Check the air pressure in your spare as well.

A couple years ago, I was camping off the grid and was heading into town when I hit something then heard the dreaded sound of air coming from a tire. I was still about a mile and a half from pavement, so I got to the road as quickly as I could. Long story short, changed the tire, but my spare was flat. Luckily, I keep a compressor in my truck. Unfortunately, the spare wouldn't hold full air. It did hold enough air to get me "town" 20 minutes down the road where I could get a can of 'Fix-a-Flat'. This was enough to get me another hour down the road to a tire shop. They told me that dirt can can collect on top of the spare where it can get into the bead and mess up the seal.

Moral of the story... check the air in your spare periodically. Especially if you're going to be out in the middle of nowhere.

Sorry for the long story.

 

[PaulTGarrett]

Think I might check my soon. It has never been off my truck.
What size tire did you have under the truck? I have gone up to 35"x12.5" BFG and have yet to get a correct spare. Was wondering what actually fits under the bed.

I was able to get 35x12.5 BFG Mud Terrain's up under both my '98 RAM and my '12 RAM. The '12 was a bit tighter. Had to air the tire down more and do a bit more "persuading" with a pry bar. But it did fit!

 

[tnctx02]

I was able to get 35x12.5 BFG Mud Terrain's up under both my '98 RAM and my '12 RAM. The '12 was a bit tighter. Had to air the tire down more and do a bit more "persuading" with a pry bar. But it did fit!

Good to know, I really need to get a proper size spare, and soon. I got the All Terrains, maybe a little easier fit.
So not much chance of the 35" falling out by itself then!

 

[Willie Mosher]

Any car or truck, spare tire ,
Check the air every 6 months ,
And replace every 10 years even it never been use.( 10 years old tire can blow up in face as put air in them or run a mile or two before coming apart ,

 

[ETX Ram]

^^^^This^^^^
Darn good advice right there

 

[tomb]

my bighorn is standard with 20 inch wheels-yet the spare wheel is 17inch? Maybe a 20 wont fit or maybe the 20 inch was an option on the bighorn-either way a 17 wouldnt be very safe to drive on for very far. The way it is under the truck-the mechanism is probably so rusted by now that I probably couldnt get it out now anyway.

 

[buddy guy]

i'd have a rubber mallet anyway in my truck if i needed to lower the spare. in terms of the spare, yeah don't be an idiot and treat it like a regular tire, don't put it into 4 x 4 when running a different size tire, but they actually are quite close size wise. 1/4 difference in height is it:

 

[buddy guy]

and thats based on your stock having new tread. probably be closer by the time you used it!

 

[22hemi13]

my bighorn is standard with 20 inch wheels-yet the spare wheel is 17inch? Maybe a 20 wont fit or maybe the 20 inch was an option on the bighorn-either way a 17 wouldnt be very safe to drive on for very far. The way it is under the truck-the mechanism is probably so rusted by now that I probably couldnt get it out now anyway.

Yeah. They’ll all Do that. Diameter wise they’re pretty much the same. It’ll get you down the road

 

[buddy guy]

on my tacoma, i'd spray it with wd-40 a few times a year. was still droppable after 12 years being under the truck through 4 season weather.

 

[Dinky]

Good thing to check. Also remember a key ring makes s good temporary cutter pin.

 

[16Ram4x4]

I always drop my spare down once a year and lube the lift cable with motorcycle chain lube. So far have never had one stick in place or have a lift issue. Also I check the air pressure in the spare at every oil change. Plus for emergencies or if needed I always carry a small 12 volt tire inflator in my Ram and GTO