For all of you with aftermarket wheels on your trucks, have you thought about this one? I stopped to help a guy with a nice 2002 Ford pickup the other day on the expressway. He had a nice set of 22’s and at least 3 out of four tires were still holding air. The one that didn’t was his area of focus – and a big problem. You see the aftermarket lug nuts and the lock were a different size than his stock lug nuts – and lug wrench. It’s tough to put your spare on if you can’t get these bad boys off.

Fortunately, I carry a ½” breaker bar (with 4 different size sockets) and a small floor jack in the back of my truck. We got his old lug nuts and lock off with no problem – only to run into a second problem. You see his aftermarket wheels used conical seat lug nuts and his factory spare required flat seat lug nuts. Fortunately, I still had the bag of 5 spare flat seat lug nuts that I always carried for my ’99 and ’02 trucks in the jack bag. I donated them to the cause and had one happy camper on my hands.

So, for all of you with aftermarket wheels and lug nuts and / or locks out there, do you have the correct tools (and maybe spare parts) to change a tire on the road? You might want to check.

 

Good points. Yes, I have a bag with all the stuff in it. A big ratchet, socket, 6 lug nuts, and the lock key.

 

Yep!

Well, actually, not at the moment. My stock jack has been removed due to it's useless-ness. My floor jack and spare parts, tools, etc. are in my tool box. And at the moment, the key to my tool box is broken.

Guess I'm screwed. Thanks for reminding me to get that key fixed.

 

Don't mean to interupt you guys bragging about your nut sacks.

However, I'd like to mention that oversize tires/rims and lift kits can also make the tiny oem jack seem even more tiny.

That's why I always carry some lumber in the truck.
You won't catch me out on the road and not sporting wood.

 

So those rails have multi-functions!

 

Raoul,

You kill me. You're the only one who can drop in here, provide sage advice - and make the milk I was drinking for lunch come out my nose! Keep up the good work!

 

Another point, some aftermarket wheels use a different lugnut than the oem wheels. Make sure you have a set of lugnuts that will work with your spare tire.

 

Seems obvious, but I'm going to put together a "kit" when I get home tonight. Great advice

 

Anybody ever run a smaller spare? I'm putting 37's on next week and have thought about carrying a 35" spare underneath. Not sure how that'd work on the back with a truetrac, but if I had to I could do some jockying to get the smaller tire on the front if needed after a flat.

Might get a little lean and upset the ABS for a bit, for a short distance in an emergency, you guys think that would work?

 

I would use the smaller wheel in front.

 

I think thats what I'm going to plan on. It'll be a pita to swap things around if I ever get a flat in the back, but I don't really want to carry a 37" spare in the bed.

Good thoughts above about carring 6 stock lugnuts for the spare as well. I was smart enough to pack the right lugwrench for the aftermarket lugnuts but didn't think about the stock lugnuts to hold the spare on

 

Just grind out your frame and back of the bumper... I bet you could stuff a 37...

In reality though, I don't think you'll have a problem with the 35 - I definitely wouldn't run it on the back though, especially with the truetrac.

 

All go points about the lug nuts..
Question- What size of spare tire would I need to have with 33" tires. something skinning.

 

the aftermarket nuts should work on an 04-08 tho right? since there both the same style conical nut?

 

Yep ,I carry a 4way with me I have the steel stock rims so mine takes the cone lugs,not the flat ones so no need to carry them around with me.