Getting spare down without special tool?

Hmm , I cant say I have had any issues in my 2010 with the low tire light over the past 8 years but I will keep this in mind .
There are a lot of members who flip the spare for this reason . Maybe it is specific to your year ????

 

Best mod ever. It will save you a lot of grief.

 

There is no way that flipping the spare caused the light to come on. I had the wheels off my truck having some tires changed at the tire shop. My TPMS light was on. As soon as I pulled into the parking lot to pick up my mounted tires, the light went out. No. I wasn't driving without wheels. I had my extra set of wheels on the truck. Another time, I had some of my tires inside my shop. I have a Scangauge set up to show tire pressures. I was able to see the tire pressures of the tires in the shop when my truck was outside.

 

I just lowered mine today and hosed it down inside and out with Fluid Film. It's the first time I've had it down since I got the truck five years ago. Mine has a chain that holds the tire/wheel up.
On my old T-100, I tried dropping it after 15 years and it was seized up. I had to cut the cable then removed the assembly and threw the spare in the bed. It's a good thing I never got a flat in the 17 years I owned that truck!

 

mine too

 

centralcoastbuc!! I went up down and sideways with this before I read your excellent post! Just pry that MF off and get on with your life! Thank You!!!

P.S.: Oh no! Now somebody steal my spare tire! Wait... the CAT is still there, you still rock!!!!!

 

I always thought why not wire tie it in and then make a rubber bushing where it goes through the bumper. That way it wouldn't rattle and it would be easy to get at.

 

Having a way to get your spare down is extremely important. And I lower mine roughly once a year to check everything. If nothing else I've found that the practice of doing it often makes it easier.

I've thought about flipping my spare so the valve stem is down. It shouldn't make any difference as to triggering the TPMS warning light. But every truck I've ever seen has the spare mounted valve stem up. I figure there is a good reason since every truck manufacturer does it that way. The only thing I can figure out is that it is to protect both the rim and the valve stem if you were to drag the spare on the ground while driving off road.

But the best plan IMO is to keep an air compressor, tire plugs and tools to plug tires while still mounted and not have to use the spare. It is faster, cleaner, safer, and a lot easier. I've lost count of how many times I've simply aired up a flat or low tire with the compressor and was able to make it to a tire shop where they had the best tools to actually correct the problem. Not just for me, but helping other stranded drivers.

Only occasionally did I even have to resort to plugging the tire. Sometimes that was all that was needed, other times the plug was temporary just to get me to a tire shop.

In the 17 years I've owned my Tacoma I've never had to put the spare on. I plugged a tire once just to get me to a tire shop. The damaged tire couldn't be saved, but the tire store put the spare on for me. In fact, only twice in my nearly 50 years of driving have I had to put on the spare. I damaged a tire on a Jeep Wrangler too badly to plug. And I ran over a broken bottle back in the 1970's and ruined a tire too badly to save.

 

For what it's worth, I picked up an Auxbeam 6 gang switch box for my 2010, I had previously purchased a two pack of aftermarket license plate lights for my trailer and only used one, mounted the second one to the cross spar that holds the tire lift cable assembly. Amazon listing shows the lights being waterproof/water resistant, I siliconed the hell out of the back where the wires push through. No more flashlight and slightly less foul language....

Auxbeam -

$136 Auxbeam 6 Gang Switch Panel GC60, Universal Circuit Control Relay System Box with Automatic Dimmable On-Off LED Switch Pod Touch Switch Box for Car Pickup Truck Boat UTV SUV, 2-Year Warranty, Green

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08RRXFLTL

Lights -

$9 Mudder 4 Packs 12V 6 LED License Plate Light Waterproof License Plate Lamp Taillight for Truck SUV Trailer RV Trucks and Boats License Tags

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0813HRPY6

 

Does anyone have a lead on replacing the Tool bag set-up with one that's solid? As in one piece that I won't have to put together to use? Ideally one that would fit under the rear seats of my access cab in the box.

I think maybe I'll try to find a blacksmith to make me one if I can't find one another way. That'd be pretty sweet too.

 

I've seen the suggestion of trying some auto salvage yards for the kit

 

Why not weld the one you have together? Could just replace the thumbscrews with regular bolts.