99 GMC Sierra- Spare Tire

Well, depending on how tight the tire is up against the bed, you could try to push the bracket out by hand. As I recall, to get to the "hoist" you have to have the tire down. You should be able to cut the cable right at the bracket, just be careful of falling tires. :)

Take the TRUCK BED off ... and then lubricate the Winch..

azwiley1 wrote:

Yeah, that's definitely the easiest way to solve it....

If it's a 1999 new body style...... GM has a design interference issue

for lowering the spare tire. For 99-2000 GM issued a 'fix' shim bracket

which lowered the spare tire storage position on the frame so that the crank

would align with the winch socket. The crank hits the tire sidewall so

the crank will not align with the socket. Use a short socket link

(do not go thru the rear bumper hole) to get the tire lowered.

This is a known problem that GM issued a SB on. Check your e-mail for more information.

Just curious as to why you would not post the information or at least a link here for anyone else who might have this same problem?

Greetings,

I'm not sure about your '99, but on my '04 the bracket that is attatched to the end of the lift cable is held together by a center nut on a threaded rod on the end of the cable, which in turn is passed through a short, heavy spring. The bracket on the end of the cable lifts and holds the spare tire through the center hole of the rim, and the spring allows some "play" when tightening the lift cable once the spare is seated up underneath the bed.

If you get directly under the spare tire you should see the center nut on the cable end bracket in the center of the spare's rim. Making sure to support the tire, you should be able to remove the nut and release the bracket from the cable, dropping the spare tire right onto your head if you didn't read the first part of this sentence. The cable should not need to be cut at all.

Cheers - Jonathan

I didn't reply to the group because this was so long ago I thought everyone had known about this for some time. BTW, my reply to the OP was sent back as undeliverable.

GM came out with a revised flex tool to lower the spare, it was offered free to anyone that could not lower the spare. The problem is when the spare is cranked up it bends a plastic tube that is between the bumper and winch and the ridged tool that came with the truck cannot reach the winch due to this bend. When the problem first arose GM advised dealers to let the air out of the spare (to take the pressure off the plastic tube) and lower the spare. They didn't notify owners of the problem for at least a year. I wonder how many people laid under a truck with a flat letting the air out of their spare so they could lower it, and then rolling it off the interstate to rein it only to roll it back and install it.

Al Bottoms Up Divers

Thank you, I had never heard of this issue, and have not had any such problems but it is nice to know about it for the future.