How do you remove spare tire?

I was wondering if the spare tire lowering mechanism has a "stop" on it when you raise the spare back up? I lowered mine the other day just to check the pressure (1st time on my new truck) and when I initially raised it back up there was a click sound I heard. I lowered it back down just a tad and then raised it back up but didn't get a click sound. I'm wondering if this just happened because everything was new or whether I should have raised it up a little more? It's not flopping around by any means under there but it does have a wee little bit of movement to it. Anyone got any input on this? I didn't want to crank down on it too much with the fear of not knowing much about the mechanism itself and possibly stripping something.

thanks

 

Just turn it till its tight enough that it dont move around, there is nothing that tells you when it is tight enough (ie click sound). I always go by the saying "tight is tight and too tight is broken"

 

OK, this was going to be my next "mod invention"......I am actually quite shocked that NO ONE on TW has attacked this obvious mechanical mind F**K: the release mechanism for the spare tire is PURELY NEANDERTHAL. I think we need to have a CONTEST to see who can invent the best fix for this obvious mechanism that was invented by the Toyota Engineering Dept at their SAKE party......and I can assure you, SAKE leaves one helluva hangover headache (I know, because I love Sushi). OK, I am going to give everyone a HINT of my idea (yet to be created): The mechanism you attach the hook to needs to be brought out of the dark cave of the troglodytes and affixed to the external cave entrance.

 

Chris...dude....you're reading my mind....sort of.....the trick is to get the attachement for the socket where it is easily accessible....in these videos, someone had to @!*&#*@!& get the rod attached to the internal thingamajingee........which I will hereafter refer to as the SAKE WINCH.

 

When you lowered your spare to "check the pressure", did you flip the tire over so you'll never have to do so much heavy lifting next time?

 

Ok, you can lower it with the drill, but will it raise it back up?

 

Cool! I don't mind cranking, but my goal is to eliminate the "searching in the dark" for the Sake Winch.
Oh, by the way, go NCState!!!!

 

One reason not to depend on power tools

 

Just get an old Toupee and cut a hole in it.....

 

Exactly

 

Putting tire valve facing down makes sense, wonder why manual states the opposite? Anyone found a downside to doing that way(pointing down)?

 

I'm thinking that it would protect the valve from getting damaged/broken if you run something over, that gets kicked up under the truck... Plus the tire sits lower when upside down, so closer to potential damage

Just my .02

 

So then, do most folks here leave the valve pointing up or down?

 

Down so you can get to it

 

Would a 32" tire fit under there? I want a matching spare tire for the truck, but am not sure if a tire that large would fit underneath? Anyone?

Kind regards,
Ryan