RyanK

I've looked all over the place and can't figure out what this thing is for.

mcaldwell

Remove the plug with your ignition key and insert your tire iron to lower your spare tire (it cranks down on a cable)...

RyanK

Oh sweet.. thanks!

f150mashin559

is there a way to crank it down without the tire iron? i wanna remove mine because its pointless.

06fordf150

no i dont think there is i havnt looked into it on my new truck but on my old truck you had to use the tire iron to crank it down cos it rides on like a cable!!

mcaldwell

You would still need an arm with the right head to engage the gear. I suppose you could get all custom and put a little electric motor back there if you wanted to do away with the crappy factory jack kit, or build a custom bit for your power drill (assumming you carry one in your toolbox), but the reliability factor would be reduced. If you are scrapping your spare tire due to size change, just remove it and tighten the cable back up so it doesn't swing around.

Its been a year or few since I changed a tire as well, so I shouldn't be saying tire iron so confidently when it might be the jack crank handle that is used. Either way, it's part of the roadside tire kit that's under your hood. It's mounted to the inside of the fender wall. The scrap yards will have hundreds of these parts floating around if you lost yours.

f150mashin559

well mine was under the backseat but i took it out cause its useless and i lost it somewhere in my garage. i just want to take the tire off cause thats useless too because of the size of my tires now.

emtzach

try a long 3/8 extension about a foot will do its just about the size it worked on the older exploders i think its the same size

jbhill

self destruct.