Tire tool.

[Devin Wright]

When I bought my Explorer, it didn't have the tire tool/jack. I have a jack that my dad got from a family friend (probably a $80 jack) and has never used, I'll just put that in my car and use that. I've found the tire tool used to lower the spare online for like $20. Buuuuut, me personally. When I have a spare tire where I have to lower it down, I just lower it down and put it in the trunk so if I ever need it, it'll be right there and I don't have to screw with it. And, since I don't feel like buying something for $20 for a one-time use, is there a workaround for me to get it down? Like a different tool or something that a lot of people have laying around the house, I can use instead? The spare tire is also sad looking. Probably as old as the car itself honestly. My friend gave me a Goodyear tire that was brand new and has never been used that fits my Explorer. I was just going to lower the spare down, and have the tire my friend gave me put on the spare tire's rim, throw it in my trunk and call it a day and hope I never have a flat.

 

[SupaSwope]

First idea in my head is to try and stick a longer prybar in the hole, get some vice grips and crank away.

 

[Devin Wright]

First idea in my head is to try and stick a longer prybar in the hole, get some vice grips and crank away.

What would I need the vice grips for? The prybar I can see, but, vice grips?

 

[koda2000]

You would need something around 30" long and it needs to have a rather special tip to engage the tire winch, though a really long medium width flat-blade screwdriver might work. You need to turn the winch to lower/raise the spare tire, which requires something to crank the tool with (vice grips would be helpful).

A word of advice:
As far as leaving a jack and spare tire unsecured in the cargo area - this can be very dangerous, especially in a top-heavy vehicle known for rolling over easily (like the Explorer). If this happens to you it can be like having several bowling balls in a clothes drier.

 

[lobo411]

$20 is the price of two pizzas. Have a peanut butter sandwich for dinner instead and spend the $20 on the proper tire tool.

 

[koda2000]

I may even have a spare set of tire tools somewhere in my garage (left over from the first Explorer I scrapped).

 

[Devin Wright]

Eh, crap. Guess I'll just have to bite the bullet and buy the tire tool. Honestly, the best thing to do though, just hate spending money on a one-time use thing ya know? I have a tire-iron in my car along with a jack. And yes, I have them both secured with bungee cords and some straps in the cargo area along with the tire. Like, if it was like $5-10 then I'd not have a problem. But, $20 is a half a tank of gas for my Explorer .-. Oh well, guess I'll just buy it unless I find something else. Thanks guys for the replies!

 

[J_C]

And, since I don't feel like buying something for $20 for a one-time use, is there a workaround for me to get it down? Like a different tool or something that a lot of people have laying around the house, I can use instead? The spare tire is also sad looking. Probably as old as the car itself honestly. My friend gave me a Goodyear tire that was brand new and has never been used that fits my Explorer. I was just going to lower the spare down, and have the tire my friend gave me put on the spare tire's rim, throw it in my trunk and call it a day and hope I never have a flat.

Everyone has their own philosophy about how and how much to be prepared. New vehicles often don't include a spare at all. People have cell phones and a tow truck is not far away for some.

Is there something lying around your house? Sure, if you have a length of metal rod you can probably fashion it to work with a grinder. However if you have 4WD, that spare your friend has ought to be the same size.

My advise is go to a local junkyard and see what they have. If they want $20, negotiate down from that. It's cash on the barrel and no shipping hassle. They probably don't even know if they have a random part like that and would part with it for much less since it's not an inventoried part, one that they won't miss.

 

[koda2000]

Everyone has their own philosophy about how and how much to be prepared. New vehicles often don't include a spare at all. People have cell phones and a tow truck is not far away for some.

Is there something lying around your house? Sure, if you have a length of metal rod you can probably fashion it to work with a grinder. However if you have 4WD, that spare your friend has ought to be the same size.

My advise is go to a local junkyard and see what they have. If they want $20, negotiate down from that. It's cash on the barrel and no shipping hassle. They probably don't even know if they have a random part like that and would part with it for much less since it's not an inventoried part, one that they won't miss.

The pull-a-part I used to frequent would remove jacks and tire tools from vehicles when they came in (not sure why) and kept them all together in one place. Not sure what they charged for them, but they had fixed prices for most stuff. $20 seems about right. If you go this route be sure you get a Ford truck specific jack and tools, as the truck jack lifts higher than a similar car jack. The lug wrench is special too as it has a square hole in its center, which fits on the rod and acts as a crank handle. I hate to spend money on stuff like this too, but you're not really going to miss $20 that much. like someone said just skip a couple of trips to Mc D's.

 

[toypaseo]

The lug wrench is special too as it has a square hole in its center, which fits on the rod and acts as a crank handle.

@koda2000 brings up a good point. A few times in the junkyard, trying to lower spare tires, I could only find the pieces that goes in to the tire winch. It's very frustrating and time consuming trying to turn it with a crescent wrench or vice-grips.