When you need your spare tire, the last thing you want is to discover that you can’t access it because you don’t know where the key is to release your spare tire hoist. This can be of particular concern if you have a used Ford F-150 whose original owner lost the key or failed to hand it over during the sale.
If you’re trying to take out your spare tire only to discover you lack the key you need, there’s good news. Getting around the spare tire lock is a simple process that requires just a few basic car repair tools. Follow these steps and you’ll have your spare tire free and on your truck before you know it so you can get back on the road.
1. Gather Your ToolsBefore getting started, it’s helpful to gather all the necessary tools together so they’re readily available for access while working on the car. When choosing a socket, opt for an inexpensive variety. The removal process requires the socket to contort around the lock, so choosing a cheaper socket makes it just as easy to achieve and does not damage your best 14 mm socket. To remove your spare tire, you’ll want:
When removing the spare tire, you will need to strike your tools in a manner that can cause the truck to rock. If you do not effectively secure the truck, this can lead to an accident when it rolls. If possible, park on a flat space. Engage your truck’s parking brake to decrease its ability to roll, and consider using blocks on the tires to further secure your truck, particularly if you decide to elevate the truck.
3. Secure the Socket to the LockTo locate the channel to release your spare tire, look for a small hole in the rear fender of your truck to the left of the license plate.
This hole leads to a tube that will guide your tools to the locking device. Although the locks used to secure a Ford F-150 spare tire to the body of the truck are not a perfect match for a 14 mm socket, they are close enough that you can make a standard 14 mm socket work. Attach your socket to as many extenders as you need to reach the locking device.
Using a hammer, gently knock on the other end of the extended device in order to drive the socket onto the lock. Because the shape of the lock is nearly the same as a 14 mm socket, by adding the percussive force of the hammer you can force the socket to deform in order to envelop the lock. You should see and feel your extension moving in beyond the point where it initially met resistance.
Securing the socket to the lock should not require extreme force. Start with gentle taps and increase the power of your blows if needed until you feel the socket latch onto the lock.
4. Crank to Release the Spare TireNow that your socket is attached to the locking device, you can use it to release your spare tire.
Attach a ratchet to your socket extension and begin cranking. If the socket has adhered to the lock, you’ll see the tire begin to lower down. Continue cranking until you have fully released the spare tire and can remove it from under the truck. As you pull out the extension, you’ll notice that the socket is no longer attached to your extension and will need to be retrieved.
Before moving on to the next step, you may choose to elevate the rear of your truck, as you’ll need to get underneath your truck. If you’re able to fit comfortably and safely under your tailgate without elevating, you can skip this step and move on to clearing the socket.
When elevating the truck, it’s particularly important to double check that your truck is firmly secured, both with a parking brake and blocks or other stabilization devices. Securing your truck before elevating ensures that it will not shake or slip off the jack while you’re underneath, which can be dangerous.
If you’re removing your spare tire, it’s likely that you intend to put it on on your truck right now. If that’s the case, make sure to loosen the lug bolts on the tire being removed prior to lifting your truck in order to make it easier to gain the leverage you need to loosen them.
6. Clear the SocketOnce underneath your truck, look to the area where you inserted the extension. You should see a plastic tube running from the bumper to the spare tire housing. This tubing serves to steer your extension into place when inserted and can be moved out of place by hand without any special tools. Once removed, look for the socket and lock on the spare tire housing. Using your flathead screwdriver, gently pry the socket loose.
7. Raise the Spare HoistWith the lock assembly removed, your vehicle’s crank should now be able to raise and lower the spare without any special tools in the future. If you’re replacing your spare, place it on the spare tire hoist before reversing your crank to raise it safely back up into the housing.
If you have not yet purchased your replacement spare tire, simply raise the assembly with no tire to allow for safe driving.
Wendle Ford is Spokane’s premiere Ford dealership, so we know how much Ford drivers love their trucks. We hope this guide has helped you get the most out of your Ford F-150. If you’re interested in getting a new or used Ford F-150, Wendle Ford is the place to go, so get in touch or come out to see us today and see what we have to offer on our lot.
Posted in Auto Maintenance, Ford Vehicles | Comments Off on How to Remove a Spare Tire From the Ford F-150 Without the Key
Like all car models, the Ford F-150 has a compartment dedicated to storing a spare tire that owners can remove and use in the event of an emergency or simply whenever one of their wheels has run its course. If this is your first time owning a Ford F-150, or any truck, you might have a hard time locating and removing the spare tire, so we’re here to help.
The spare tire for a Ford F-150 built between 2014 and 2020 is underneath the truck’s bed. You should be able to see it if you lay on the ground and look up at the truck’s undercarriage. To remove a Ford F-150’s spare tire, you will need to unlock it using your key and crank it down using the three-piece rod system tool.
In this article, we will take you through a step-by-step process on how to locate and remove your Ford F-150’s spare tire in addition to other emergency tools that come with your vehicle. We will also provide an alternative method for removing your Ford F-150 spare tire if you are missing certain tools.
This might seem like an odd place to start considering the focus of this article is to locate and remove your Ford F-150’s spare tire, but in order to do this, you will need the three-piece rod system tool that is attached to your truck’s provided jack and lug wrench tools. Therefore, we figured this would be a more logical place to start.
The jack and lug wrench on a Ford F-150 can be find behind the rear passenger seat on the right. They are tucked between the back of the seat and the front of your truck bed, and easily accessible by pulling the front of your right, rear passenger seat down.
Once you’ve folded this seat down, you should see the bundle of emergency tools on the ground and strapped into place with three Velcro straps.
Remove the straps, slide the bundle of tools towards the truck frame, and then gently lift it out of its storage area.
In this bundle, you’ll find:
Look for a Replacement F150 Spare Tire Tool Set Here on Amazon if you don’t have one.
If you’re about to remove your F-150’s spare tire, you’ll want to grab that three-piece rod system now.
Here’s a video showing where the tools can be found:
As stated previously, your spare tire to any Ford F-150 that was made between the years 2014-2020 is located underneath the truck’s bed, but how do we remove it? The answer is here.
If you haven’t already found and removed the three-piece rod system from your Ford F-150 for this process, you’ll want to refer to the previous section, which will show you where it is located and how to access it.
To remove the spare tire on a Ford F-150, follow the steps listed below:
Once you’ve performed these steps, you should be able to slide your spare Ford F-150 tire freely out from underneath your truck.
If you have trouble cranking the removal tool to lower your spare tire, you might need to apply some WD-40 or an alternative lubricant to help loosen the mechanisms. Apply these products to your spare tire system regularly is always a recommended step of overall Ford F150 maintenance.
Here’s a video showing how to get the spare tire on the F150:
As you can tell from the guide provided above, a crucial element to easily lowering and removing any Ford F-150 is using the three-piece rod system removal tool.
Which means, if you search your bundle tool stored behind your right, rear passenger seat and find that this removal tool is either absent or damaged, you’re probably wondering if there is an alternative way to get your spare tire.
To be honest, there is no easy way to lower your Ford F-150’s spare tire without potentially damaging the locking mechanism and other components.
It is much more advisable to purchase a new set of these tools online (F150 Spare Tire Tool Kit Here) for a minimal cost than to try and troubleshoot the issue with incompatible tools.
Most people won’t attempt to access their spare tire unless they are in a dire emergency, such as being stranded on the side of the road due to a blown tire. In these instances, you might not care about the integrity of your locking mechanism and other pieces as long as you can access your spare tire.
If that is the case, then your best bet is to connect a 14mm socket to two-foot extender and then inserting this into the white cone until it is near the locking mechanism.
This sized socket is close enough to the removal tool that, with a little muscle power from a hammer, you should be able to force the socket to distort and envelop the locking mechanism.
Once the socket is secure around the locking mechanism, attach a ratchet to the socket extension and start cranking your makeshift tool to slowly lower the spare tire.
Locating and removing your Ford F-150’s spare tire should be a quick and easy process once you know where all your tools are located and the necessary steps.
If you find yourself attempting to do this without the removal tool, or worse, the key to the access port, you might need to resort to methods that could damage some of your truck’s components if you aren’t willing to take it to a professional or purchase replacement tools.
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(Different brands) various - Video Lesson Model: (Different brands) various Do you have a puncture and do not know how to remove the rear wheel? Don't worry, we'll tell you! And it's very simple. Raise the car with a jack, unscrew the bolts securing the wheel to the hub (small force is needed) and remove it. Already done! If you need to install a spare tire, be aware that every car has a different procedure, but they all follow the same principle: unscrew the cable that attaches to the back of the car. Published on 12 December 2021 by ScegliAuto | How to disassemble the front shock absorber for Peugeot 406 How to disassemble the front shock absorber for Peugeot 406? First step: lift the hood and secure it with a feeler gauge. Using a special socket wrench, unscrew the locking pins of the shock absorber (engine compartment), raise the car on the column bridge and remove the front wheel; Using a socket wrench, unscrew the locking pins of the shock absorber to the wheel hub (remove the brake lines with a screwdriver). Watch the video! by ScegliAuto more videos
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It's not uncommon to find yourself in a difficult situation with a flat or punctured tire when you drive serenely.
There are currently several options available to you, including option change your wheel . To do this, first of all, it is important to know where is your spare tire . In this article, we will explain to you where to find a spare tire for a Ford F 150 as well as various possible troubleshooting options.
The location of the spare tire on your Ford F 150 may differ depending on the year of manufacture. You will most often find her under the trunk of the , accessible from inside the trunk or sometimes accessible from the outside by unscrewing the fasteners in the trunk of your Ford F 150 . Sometimes he is under the hood but these are a few cases.
If you need to change the spare tire on your Ford F 150, we suggest you read our article on this topic:
- How to change a wheel on your Ford F 150
It is possible that you do not have a regular spare tire available.
Here are the different options available to you:
This is the small wheel, also called wafer , less bulky than a regular wheel. So it takes up a lot less space on your Ford F 150 , but at the cost of drag. Indeed, it is only useful in case of emergency, we advise you to drive a few kilometers and not exceed 80 km / h, because it is not designed to withstand the speed is too high . Quickly get to the nearest garage. Also, pay extra attention to cornering because your Ford F 150 will be a little unbalanced because is pancake thinner than other wheels on your Ford F 150. Also make sure your tire pressure is checked regularly to avoid leaving an unusable spare tire on your Ford F 150.
This is identical to the wheel that is already installed on your Ford F 150.
Logically, you can put it in place and still be able to drive normally. Warning, make sure it actually looks (in a compatible direction) to the wheels already installed on your Ford F 150 if you wish to keep it.
As the name suggests, this gives you the ability to repair a small puncture (with coagulating fluid) and temporarily inflate (with a small compressor connected to the cigarette lighter) giving you time to get there to the nearest garage in your Ford. F 150. Be careful, with this device it is impossible to drive forever. We advise you not to no more than 80 km / h and about 200 km to play it safe. Of course, if you notice too big a hole in your Ford F 150 tire, don't risk it too much, the kit won't fix it. If hole exceeds 5 millimeters it will be very difficult to connect due to too high air pressure.
Here is some information about the position of the spare tire on your Ford F 150, as well as the various troubleshooting options available to you.
This will loosen the cable and the spare wheel will fall off. Unhook it from the cable and install by placing it in place on the hub and pulling the bolts with full force. In our example Ford F-150, the spare wheel cable screw is located to the right of the license plate, under the trunk. 
We unscrew the pins from the side, remove the shock absorber from its body (we put a support support under the bar). Let's compare the old part with the new one and get ready for assembly. We install a new shock absorber on the car, working backwards. 
