Have you dropped your Taco's spare tire yet?

If you have not dropped your Taco’s spare tire yet, I suggest you do so at your earliest opportunity. Better to practice in your driveway than have to do it for real off road in the middle of the night. It took me over a year to get around to dropping my spare. I thought, how hard could it be, so I did not bother until today. It isn’t hard, just a tad tricky. For a complete blow by blow on dropping your spare, search for – “How to video: Change a tire on the Tacoma”.
Only thing that I would add to that excellent video, is get yourself a 6” Mag light or some other light with a small diameter. Pack it with your jack handle. I was not connecting with the curly end of the jack handle. I had to use my 6 inch Mag lite to line up the end of the jack handle with the socket type piece on the spare tire assembly. You need a flash light with a small diameter so that you can see past the flash light to the socket like piece that you have to connect up with. Once you do that, it’s a piece of cake.
HTH Mark

 

Nah, I'll just read the manual if it happens--in the middle of the night --out in the middle of nowhere.

Actually, I bought a 4 runner last year and dropped the spare the day after I bought it.

I still haven't done it with my Tacoma and I've had it for 2 months now. your post just remined me. I'll do it in a couople of days.

Thanks for the reminder!

 

Spares worthless if you're running oversized. Drop it and leave it off. Anyone figured out if a 33" will fit under there?

 

You have to grind off the little wings that are closer to the cab and shove it under.

Matt

 

There's a mod write-up here that makes it a bit easier with the use a a section of pvc pipe to help guide the removal tool to the sweet spot. I've had mine off enough now that removal isn't bad anymore... just need to practice like you said.

Edit: heres the write-up...
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/technical-chat/4838-cheap-free-mods-51.html#post3571643

 

Anyone who lives in areas where salt and corrosion are facts of life, dropping the spare a couple times per year and spraying a shot or two of lube in the winch will help keep it from seizing up too. Trying to use a spare when you need it can be tough if you can't lower it.

 

Any chance on a link to that DIY thread?

 

AAA

 

IMO a spare is still better than nothing at all. it will still get you a few miles at a low speed if need be, even if there is a size difference

 

Yeah i did one day. and flipped it i think. I need to do it agin thought and clean the mud and maybe some salt out.

 

first off, why do you have your spare under you bed if you are offroading. Tsk. tsk.

Would hate to have a flat spare when you need a full one.

 

Just have full-size lift-out spares
But in all seriousness, I don't know if my old spare would have dropped if I needed it. Its a good thing to check when its not muddy/raining/dark.
Just like I had chains that didn't fit when I needed them.

 

I should have thrown it in the bed. But I can’t keep it in the bed, i use the bed way to much to keep it in there.

 

I checked mine after a couple months of getting my truck and it was flat. I haven't needed it yet but I'm glad I checked and wasn't stuck with 2 flats.

 

Great advice. I dropped mine this weekend while searching for the cause of my TPMS light.

I spent a few minutes cussing until I found a flashlight. After that, I figured out what the hell the manual was talking about and the tire came down with no problem. Kind of neat, actually.

Incidentally: for those of you with after market rims and 265/70 or 265/75/16 tires, will the stock spare (same size tire) work in a pinch, even though the offset and back spacing don't agree with your new rims?

 

^ Stock size tires are 265/65/17 and 265/70/16, but one size bigger 265/75/16 (32") tire still fits under the truck.

I have 4.5bs aftermarket rims with 265/75/16 AT tires mounted, and I also have a 16" OEM steelie with 265/75/16 AT tire as a spare to complete the set. Different offset, same size. Was told it will be fine so thats what I bought. Didn't have to use the spare from that set of (summer) tires yet.

First time I had to drop the spare on the Taco, it was -15F outside. Took a while.

 

Offroadtoy, Mandy has a great idea with the PVC pipe. I'll be installing one next week along with giving the elevator a shot of lube. Phil, I find that using engine oil seems to do a good job.
SeattleCoug, go to the menu and under "Search", type in “How to video: Change a tire on the Tacoma”.
It about the 3rd post down the list.
Mark

 

The only time I drop it is when the TPMS light comes on telling me the spare is low (can only be that since I check the others once a week).

 

Labatt's Blue Light Lime. LOVE that.

 

Good point.. I got a flat on my xterra in the middle of GODNOWHERE at 2am once on a gnarly dirt road and had to figure out how to drop the spare. luckily it was a full size and inflated. I need to keep that in mind with future tire purchases.