Spare tire help

I'm trying to take my spare tire down ('11 Tacoma) and I seem to be having a problem. I watched the how to video by acozzens and did some searching to try to solve my problem. I have come to the conclusion that my truck is missing the piece that receives the hook to lower the spare. Here is what other trucks look like and here is what mine looks like...

First from a helpful thread about spares...

Next from the how to video




Here is mine...




I called the dealer and I'm going there to get it checked out. If I'm missing something please save me the embarrassing. If I'm not then go check your spare because I would be SOL at midnight on a dark road compared to my driveway on a Friday morning.

 

the hook end does not engage into like it does on the bottle jack. the hook has to act like a flat head screw driver and lower the tire as you turn the round bolt head.

 

http://youtu.be/PwdCYqPvjlQ

 

Yep. The hook will set itself into that slot and you just turn the handle. Righty tighty lefty loosy. Its a horrible design and a PITA to work with, but it does the job.

 

Well right before I left to go to the dealership I found this piece that must have fell out of the tow kit repair bag... They must have changed the design for the 2011, it was really easy now that I have this adapter.



Also I saw this when I dropped my spare... There must be some serious rubbing going on with that spare tire... I'm going to put some sort of buffer between the tire and the truck before I put it back up..



Anyone else?

 

I cant see your pics

 

Sorry about the pictures I figured it out now... Anyone else have that happen to their spare?

 

As soon as I saw your photo I could see that they made the spare lockable so nobody could steal it! That is a locking lug in there instead of the previous slot. Good that you found the key that goes on the end of the crank!

Also, my spare had the same wear in the sidewall... I flipped it around but that was mainly to have access to the fill valve on the spare to add air if it ever needs it. (without dropping it to the ground)!