Well it happened to me. I should have read all the posts on this and I wouldn't have done it. I just rotated my tires and took down my spare for the first time. I had to move the truck before I finished so I put the cable up without the spare tire on it, bad move. When I finished and ready to put the spare back, low and behold, the cable would not come down. I tried everything, pulling, hitting and then a few 4 letter words. Just a reminder to everyone, do not raise your cbale without a spare on it. Lifing the cable empty causes the cable to bind inside the wench, you need tension on it to raise or lower proper. I took the ^%$# thing off and now it's off to the dealer for a new one. You can't even take the &%^% apart to fix the cable, some good design work here.

Here is the &^%& thing off the truck.

 

When I replaced my junk Goodyear tires last fall the tire shop changed the spare and could not wind up the spare tire(size upgrade) and threw the spare in the bed. Well being me I cranked it up tight when I got home and bought the replacement winch and changed it when I changed shocks. The "new" model winch looks a little better built and with only two bolts holding it on it was not much effort. Getting that tire down was another story that envolved many bad words and bolt cutters.

Reloader55

 

Same thing happened to me. My husband finally managed to free the tire and we replaced the entire lift assembly. We opened up the old one and discovered the reason it got stuck. The cable is wound around a nylon spool with grooves in it, presumably to make the cable wind smoothly. Well, the grooves were all chewed up and the cable had frayed really bad. The lift had only been used about 4 times since I got the truck. Ford needs a better game plan with that one.

 

i agree that ford does need to do a little r and d on the spare tire winch but you gotta remember where this thing is located.......