Have you checked your tire change stuff?

I have a 2013 and have never had to use the spare until this weekend in the middle of nowhere with limited tools.

First what I found was that the jack is bolted through the floor board and after 10 years definitely wasn’t moving by hand. Luckily I found some pliers under the seat and could very awkwardly and slowly turn it… until what it was screwed into broke. I then had the bolt attached to a round piece of metal under the floorboard with no way to grip it. I spent about an hour working it back and forth until I could pull the whole thing through the floorboard and will deal with the hole later I guess

Second problem then was this bolt I couldn’t remove was through the eyelet of the jack so I couldn’t put the hook of the crank bar in there. Putting the hook around the bolt itself at just the right angle would get me half a turn at a time though and I eventually got it jacked up. Since the ground was all muddy it took a few tries to get it up without it shifting. Having something to set the jack on would have been very helpful.

I knew I had the jack and stuff but had no idea they weren’t very usable. If I hadn’t found the pliers, that I didn’t even know were in there, I wouldn’t have been able to change it.

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I keep a chunk of 4×4 in bed now because my jack doesn’t lift truck up high enough

Great Post!

Might want to check the spare tires on your boat trailers too. I’ve found many times the lug nuts on the trailer tires are not the same as the tire iron in the tow vehicle.

I keep my stuff nicely and neatly underneath my rear seat. Jack, full tool box and impact. I always have a 2×6 chunk in my box and that’s all a guy will need for road side tools.

Good topic Reef! I thought everyone just called for help nowadays.

John Rasmussen wrote:

Good topic Reef! I thought everyone just called for help nowadays.

I almost gave up and considered trying but not sure being on basically an ATV trail up north on a Sunday would have worked!

Brian Klawitter wrote:

Might want to check the spare tires on your boat trailers too. I’ve found many times the lug nuts on the trailer tires are not the same as the tire iron in the tow vehicle.

I didn’t realize this until almost 4 years after I bought my boat. The spare is belly mounted under the front hull on the trailer, and requires a specific size lug nut to remove, which I did not have on me.

Second, the lug nut wrench for my truck tires did not fit the lug nuts for my boat trailer tires either.

Luckily, I found this all out at home while the boat/trailer was parked in the garage, and not out on the shoulder of a highway. I had a valve stem go bad and came out to the garage to a flat trailer tire. Could have been a lot worse.

Great post.

I have a bottle jack, a chunk of 4×4, and a chunk of 2×6 in my truck at all times. More often than not there’s an impact in the truck too. In the event it is not with me I’d be subject to using the tire iron.

My old truck had a toolbox mounted behind the cab that kept this stuff + straps, a machete, knee pads, and a Milwaukee air compressor. With this truck I stuff as much as I can under the seat. My next truck I will definitely be back to a toolbox though.

buckybadger wrote:

My old truck had a toolbox mounted behind the cab that kept this stuff + straps, a machete, knee pads, and a Milwaukee air compressor.

While I like to be as prepared as the next guy, can I ask what the machete is frequently used for?

John Rasmussen wrote:

While I like to be as prepared as the next guy, can I ask what the machete is frequently used for? shock

Hahaha. For zombies, of course. When he runs out of ammo. Blades don’t need reloading.

Most spare tire pressure is never checked either.
In most vehicles the stem is mounted up and you have to drop it to check pressure…

Brian Klawitter wrote:

I’ve found many times the lug nuts on the trailer tires are not the same as the tire iron in the tow vehicle.

LOL, in the case of mine, the trailer had 3 different sized nuts. I just always carried a set of deep-well sockets in the truck. I had it in for some brake work 2 years ago, and the guy said, “I did you a favor–they’re now all the same size.”

My emergency kit has gotten bigger through the years. An experience in Canada did that for me. We had a slow leak and had trouble releasing the spare tire. My wife said we have AAA, let’s call them. It turns out the tow/emergency service truck was located 180 miles away. I wasn’t going to wait that long so I eventually solved the problem and got the spare tire on. Since then, I now carry a second jack, a tire inflator, a sledge hammer, a tire patch kit, flares, and 2&6 and 4×4 chunks as well. I’ll have to think about adding a machete…

The machete helps to keep the tolls “free” when traveling on out of state road trips if you flash it around at the booth.

I am in the woods a lot and we have acreage with logging roads that are not the nicest and often get overgrown…so I carry one to keep things tidy when I’m mushroom hunting, checking trail cams, or walking fencelines.

…duplicate post & reminder to never ever use the quote function on IDO

buckybadger wrote:

The machete helps to keep the tolls “free” when traveling on out of state road trips if you flash it around at the booth

Ok that I can get down with! Or you can also tell them you have a case of the explosive sh#ts

Besides the tools to change a tire make sure you can lower the tire as well before you’re in a situation that you need the spare. Before they went to stainless steel cables a lot of gm’s were galvanized and had a safety catch in case the cable rusted and broke. Well the safety’s rusted so you can’t lower your spare and have to take the bolts out of the carrier to lower it. Some also have locks in the tube to prevent theft and those rust as well. Especially the fords.

Stanley wrote:

Besides the tools to change a tire make sure you can lower the tire as well before you’re in a situation that you need the spare. Before they went to stainless steel cables a lot of gm’s were galvanized and had a safety catch in case the cable rusted and broke. Well the safety’s rusted so you can’t lower your spare and have to take the bolts out of the carrier to lower it. Some also have locks in the tube to prevent theft and those rust as well. Especially the fords.

I learned this the hard way in the middle of nowhere on the way to LOTW. Tire popped off the bead and should have been an easy fix putting the spare on but came to find out that I could not lower the spare due to that rusted safety latch. I got lucky and met a local guy who brought out a grinder and I cut the saftey latch off and lowered the spare. Without that grinder I would have had to call a tow.

I too keep a chunk of 4×4 in my bed along with a piece of round iron pipe I keep inside the cab ( with my other tire removal tools) so I have a decent pry bar for leverage. Been there before with the wimpy handle and not getting enough leverage to break the nut loose.
I also lube the release catch for the spare tire so it works properly but have a pair of cutters for the wire if it doesn’t.
I also have a Star Tire wrench for my trailer and bring along an airtank when I go out of town – just in case – you never know….

Umy wrote:

bring along an airtank when I go out of town – just in case – you never know….

I like this idea and have one, just how much room do you decide to take up with this stuff.

Stanley wrote:

Besides the tools to change a tire make sure you can lower the tire as well before you’re in a situation that you need the spare. Before they went to stainless steel cables a lot of gm’s were galvanized and had a safety catch in case the cable rusted and broke. Well the safety’s rusted so you can’t lower your spare and have to take the bolts out of the carrier to lower it. Some also have locks in the tube to prevent theft and those rust as well. Especially the fords.

I got burned by this a few years back on my 2007 Yukon XL. Was up deer hunting 1.5 miles off the firelane. Came back to truck at dark to a flat tire. Jacked up truck fine. Went to get spare out from under back of truck and that SOB would not drop down. Had to walk up drive to get cell signal and call my cousin to come back and get me. Had to take the flat with me to have repaired and get ride back up to hunting land next day (60 miles). Damn jack settled over night and tipped over. What a PITA. Had the spare tire winch replace the next week. Ended up being my last GM vehicle.

John Rasmussen wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Umy wrote:</div>
bring along an airtank when I go out of town – just in case – you never know….

I like this idea and have one, just how much room do you decide to take up with this stuff.

Well the 4×4 block of wood lives in the bed of the truck. The rest fits under the back seat EXCEPT for the portable air which rides in the bed to and from the destination and locked in the cab if I’m at a lake – usually only me so plenty of room.

bzzsaw wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Stanley wrote:</div>
Besides the tools to change a tire make sure you can lower the tire as well before you’re in a situation that you need the spare. Before they went to stainless steel cables a lot of gm’s were galvanized and had a safety catch in case the cable rusted and broke. Well the safety’s rusted so you can’t lower your spare and have to take the bolts out of the carrier to lower it. Some also have locks in the tube to prevent theft and those rust as well. Especially the fords.

I got burned by this a few years back on my 2007 Yukon XL. Was up deer hunting 1.5 miles off the firelane. Came back to truck at dark to a flat tire. Jacked up truck fine. Went to get spare out from under back of truck and that SOB would not drop down. Had to walk up drive to get cell signal and call my cousin to come back and get me. Had to take the flat with me to have repaired and get ride back up to hunting land next day (60 miles). Damn jack settled over night and tipped over. What a PITA. Had the spare tire winch replace the next week. Ended up being my last GM vehicle.

GM used some secondary latch on those that was a pain to release and once you got it to release I think the dealer had to replace something so you could put the spare there again

I’m glad this kind of poop doesn’t just happen to me . Haha . I had this same exact scenario a year ago . I had a hatchet chopping at that bolt that needed pulled through the floor board .

I have a cheapo Slime brand 12v air compressor, a tire plug kit, a foldable 4-way, and a hi-lift in my truck at all times.

They’ve saved the day more than once, take up virtually zero room, and are worth every penny. The compressor doesn’t do too well after 60 psi, but it’s enough to get me mobile if I need more.

Just used them all on Saturday to fix a punctured wheeler tire.

I also have a can of starting fluid and multiple ratchet straps.

They are always useful for their “intended purposes,” but combined I’ve used them to re-seat a bead on a lawn mower and a wheeler tire “with caution” (a long stick on fire and safety glasses) lol

Add a plug kit and air compressor. I have plugged more than a few tires and back on the road within minutes w/o even pulling the jack out.

Pluggs and air compressor, saved me a few times lol.

When if I am using a trailer, I am going to be bringing a ton of tools with, just incase.

John Rasmussen wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>buckybadger wrote:</div>
The machete helps to keep the tolls “free” when traveling on out of state road trips if you flash it around at the booth

Ok that I can get down with! Or you can also tell them you have a case of the explosive sh#ts

A small compressor doesn’t take any room. Nor does a small jack and chunk of 4×4 and 2×6. Especially in the new long box lol.

Snake ii’s wrote:

Add a plug kit and air compressor. I have plugged more than a few tires and back on the road within minutes w/o even pulling the jack out.

Yep I added one after picking up a snowmobile track stud in one of my tires on Mille Lacs years ago. Saw the damn thing in the tire while we were fishing. Ran to Dollar General and luckily they had a plug kit. Fixed it in there parking lot and ran to get air at a gas station.

I carry a floor jack but added a breaker bar with pipe extension, plus impact wrench socket set after getting stuck last year with flat on truck and boat in tow. Had the tires rotated a week earlier, and for the life of me, couldn’t break the lugs loose with conventional lug iron bar. Had a 2 hour wait for AAA to rescue me and just before they arrived, a 250 lb. guy stopped to help. He was unable to break the lugs loose with my lug bar, pulled out a breaker bar and extension pipe, and after leaning into it pretty good, was able to loosen the lugs. Of course, AAA showed up a minute later to finish the job.