Spare Tire

xt master

New member
I noticed my spare was flat today.Thinking it was an easy thing to fix,take it off air it up and check for leaks,plug it if necessary.

Well this is where the problem started at.Tried to take the spare off,cant get the nut off that holds the spare to the bracket on the tailgate.

It looks like there is lug that was pressed into the mounting bracket.So it is completely flat on the inside of the mount.When I tried to take the nut off the whole stud just spun:x.I tried to use a pry bar to put pressure on it hoping it would grab enough to break the nut loose:x.Two people pulling on a ten foot piece of pipe and the silly thing was harder to turn but still spun.

Then it was time to get creative,tried using some small cut off wheels on a dremal.It only problem is I could not get to the back side with it,tried to cut the nut but there is just not enough room.

Any help would be grateful.I thought about torching it off,but I dont have a torch and was also concerned that the alloy wheel would melt before the nut got cut off.

If all else fails I am going to remove the whole tailgate and through it away and get a new one.I could use one anyway some one hit the rear tire at some point and cracked the tailgate.
 

There are several suggestions to remove that spare off the bracket. to gain access to the lug bolt a little better is to remove the 4 bolts holding the bracket on the tail gate. If you have a Angle grinder, you can grind the head off the bolt. you can also use a cutting wheel to cut the top of the head in a cross cut pattern and use a chisel to remove it. also , if you have access to a welder, weld the bolt on the bracket and then remove the lug nut.
 

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Thanks,Guess that the project I will work on next week.Out of curiosity where is or was the originate jack mounted at?I thought maybe under the hood but I did not see any type of mounting bracket. I am not too concerned about just ordered a Hi Lift Jack.
 
I know this may be a silly question...but is it a locking nut? Mine has 2 on the spare to hold it on and without the key...it ain't going nowhere. :)
 

No it was just a normal nut not even a lug nut,but the whole thing nut thread everything was spinning.

On another note.

I was looking at ordering the Hi Lift jack.I noticed some are red with a black handle and others are black with a red handle.Is there any diffrence.The all red with black handles are about 10 dollars more.
 
I know this may be a silly question...but is it a locking nut? Mine has 2 on the spare to hold it on and without the key...it ain't going nowhere. :)


If you bought it from the dealer like that, they should replace the key or give you a new set for free. they are supposed to place the key in the glove box or the center console. or it could also be in the jack storage area.
 
Thanks,Guess that the project I will work on next week.Out of curiosity where is or was the originate jack mounted at?I thought maybe under the hood but I did not see any type of mounting bracket. I am not too concerned about just ordered a Hi Lift Jack.


The original placement of the jack is under the passenger seat.
 

On another note.

I was looking at ordering the Hi Lift jack.I noticed some are red with a black handle and others are black with a red handle.Is there any diffrence.The all red with black handles are about 10 dollars more.

Are far as the colors are concerned, i have the Black with the red handle. i don't know what the difference is between the different colors. mine works well for the Jeep. i used it once on the tractor in the ranch and it never gave me any problems. just be cautious on how you use them, it could be very dangerous if your not careful of its placement on the Jeep while using it.
 
If you bought it from the dealer like that, they should replace the key or give you a new set for free. they are supposed to place the key in the glove box or the center console. or it could also be in the jack storage area.

I have mine right in the center console where anyone can get to it!! :lol:
 
I have mine right in the center console where anyone can get to it!! :lol:
I use to have a Nissan 4x4 thats all jacked up with baja suspension and Bling blings. The wheels are the solid face Centerlines with BFG's Baja Champions. I had this truck when i lived in Las Vegas. it got stolen 7 times through out the years i've owned it. the only thing they couldn't take off to steal was the wheels and tires. i've installed the Gorrilla locks on all 6 wheel studs on all 4 wheels that are recessed in the wheel. there was tooling marks on them as if they tried to remove the locks. haha. I hid the key in a small pouch and tucked it under the seat bottom upholstery.
 

I was looking at ordering the Hi Lift jack.I noticed some are red with a black handle and others are black with a red handle.Is there any diffrence.The all red with black handles are about 10 dollars more.
The difference is the cheaper one is made from cast iron and the other from steel.
I had a cast one and it lasted only a few winters before rusting up so must that I bought a steel one.
The cast ones don't like being put into a shot blast booth to clean them up every year.
 
Thanks for every ones help.Got it off today.There was 5 bolts holding onto the tailgate.3 across the top and 2 on the bottom.

The 3 on the top where a pain because of the 3rd brake light.

It is off the jeep,the spare is off the bracket.

Time to sand the bracket,weld new studs in place.Then paint it,May try some spray on bed liner for the bracket.
 

Thanks for all the help.Finally got it all apart and new studs welded in.Since it was all apart i figured I would clean it up and paint it.
 

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Ya, good job man. Do you think getting rearended had anything to do with the nut freezing up... and the spare going flat too for that matter? I really want to get a swing away spare carrier, but I'd be ubber ****ed if some doofuss ran into me and bent it all to pieces, they're not cheap. makes me think twice.
 

It was like that when I bought the jeep.I do believe it was rear ended,or backed into something.My tailgate is not only bent,but actually cracked.I bent it back as much as I could so it will close properly.As far as getting rear ended in the future,I will have that fixed once I get a hitch.Leave the receiver in so the steel bar is past the tire so they hit that first.
 
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