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'05 Xterra: removing the &^%$& spare!!!!

My wife and I were looking at her 2005 X's spare tire today, since we haven't used it. It's like a truck's: you stick the crank in a hole and turn it and the tire lowers to the ground. But this has me stumped. The tire lowers on a chain. The manual says that when the tire is lowered fully to the ground "reach under the vehicle and remove the retaining chain." You can NOT "remove the retaining chain," I swear. It goes up into this cranking mechanism that lets you raise and lower the tire, but it does NOT come loose.

I spent half an hour fiddling with it (and I've been working on cars for 30 years). No way you can get that chain off without a hacksaw or a pair of bolt cutters. Can somebody please explain how this is supposed to be done, or do we have tens of thousands of Xterra owners out there who don't realize they can't change their tires if they get a flat???!!

Bob S.

Reply to
bstevens
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Reply to
Minnyman

You obviously don't have an Xterra....

Reply to
bstevens

I agree with Minnyman, you lower the spare and slip the flat piece through the center hole of the rim. And yes, I own and Xterra. Have had it since

2000 and have removed the spare several times. You probably haven't lowered the chain enough. Give it another try.
Reply to
: p

Thanks, but this is a 2005 model, not a 2000. I know about the flat piece - you're right, most of them have that, like the Dodge and Chevy trucks I've owned. This doesn't. It's a ROUND piece that is too large to go through the hole. The only way to get the tire off is to, as the manual states, "reach under the vehicle and remove the retaining chain." Is there SOMEBODY out there with a 2005 Xterra?

: p wrote:

Reply to
bstevens

Can you check with the Nissan dealer??

Reply to
Warren Weber

I don't have an 2005 Xterra, but I do have a 2006 Frontier. If you push the round piece down so it is out of the wheel center and turn it sideways, you can then pull it out through the hole.

Ed

Reply to
C. E. White

Yep........I have an 05 Xterra and have removed the spare......when I installed the hitch. Let the spare all the way down so there is no tension on the chain, then turn the round peice so it will come out sideways. When I first started messing with taking it off, it took me a while to figure it out as well. :)

Reply to
Shannon Duling

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