Help ID random part found resting atop the spare tire wheel

Had to lower and use my spare tire for the first time. After lowering to the ground and going to remove the chain, this spare part was resting loosely on top the wheel. Any idea what this is?

 

I think that’s a spare tire lock. I had one and it was junk and also fell out of place. The idea is that it’s keyed and only someone with the key can get the tire down. But it doesn’t work that well in the real world. I got rid of mine and just use the normal stock tool.

 

It's part of the hoist winch. If you look at a parts breakdown it sits directly on the winch housing.

 

That piece sets into the spot where the rod to lower the spare goes. It takes a lot of force to get it to snap in place and if not in tight it drops on top of spare. Key for it fits onto the end of the rod for lowering. I believe McGuard makes it for Toyota and it looks similar to their locking lug nuts. Got mine through Toyota to keep my spare fluid on getting stolen.

 

It's the part your stick mates into.

The flesh-light on the winch mechanism.

 

Ha! I never realized I had the factory spare wheel lock. Which is complete garbage as it didn't remotely do its job. After I inserted the rods to turn and rotate, it didn't take much force to start turning it to lower (I remember thinking "oh that was a little snug" to get it going, but not hard enough to make me think "wait am I doing this right?" I thought eh it hasnt been lowered in 7 years there's probably some gunk built up). (Yes, I know, I should inspect my spare more often.) Plus after I removed my spare, I used the rod to crank up the chain slack a bit so it doesn't hang real low, and it cranked up fine. So I thought I hadn't broke anything.

So I just went and looked, and I can see the cone receiver on the actual hoist-which is the important part. So ya, that factory wheel lock - it's junk.


Thanks for the quick replies everyone!

 

Cool... not sure if my 07 has or had one of these but I learned something.

 

First off, technically it's not a wheel lock, it's a spare tire lock. Secondly, I once parked in a friends apartment lot overnight and 3 Tacomas in the lot out of 4 had their spares stolen... Guess who didn't... Glad I had it.

 

LOL, ok, my bad... "spare tire lock." Happy to hear yours worked for you. Mine would not have worked for me.

 

Sounds like the lock wasn’t sitting in that rusty cone at all. Just looking at the pics, there’s no way for the standard hook to interface with the lock if it is installed. I had one of these on my last truck. The “key” is a cylindrical piece that fits over the hook allowing it to slide into that lock cone

 

Yea I get what you're saying. And I agree, it wouldn't make sense that I could lower it with the standard hook end if the lock was where it was supposed to be and installed appropriately. The only other remote possibility, is that shortly after I purchased the truck I went through the fuel pump recall where they had to drop the whole tank to replace the pump. Im not sure if the spare tire gets removed for that procedure, but if it does, there's the possibility they jacked something during that. I should check the bottom of the bag that holds the extension and hook piece, to see if the lock key is even in there.