...you go over a small curb to get a parking space, get out of the truck, look back at the road and think "Wow...I didn't see that tire laying in the street!"

Then you realize it's your full sized spare that broke off from the cable under the bed!

I'm so happy it happened like this and not on the highway. I just inspected the damn thing about 8 months ago too!

My truck is 1997 F150 4x4 XLT.

Anyone else have this problem where the cable rusted? I'm assuming this is a replacement part I can buy and install, no?

 

You're going to need a new tire winch. Ford part # 2L3Z-1A131-AA. It will run you about $95.00 and is fairly easy to install. Hope this helps.

 

my friend's S10 did that to me when i was driving behind him, luckily i had time to get around the tire....

 

Thanks superduty! I'm going to look around for a less expensive part or try the junkyard (I just replaced the brakes last week and the U-Joints last month...not another truck-related expense so soon for me!)

 

I remember once seeing a truck (maybe a chevy) parked and the cable was hanging. For some reason I got the impression the tire was supposed to be on it.

The poor guy probably had lost it at some point and hopefully not in such a way that someone got injured.

 

i once saw a chevy astro going 55 down the highway dragging his spare tire behind him by the cable i passed him. then a half hour later i was at a gas station, and guess who pulls in but non other then mr. astro, still dragging his spare

 

i lost the spare driving down the road somewhere on my old S10 i had in high school - never knew it happened until i got a flat one day and went to let down my spare and realized that it wasnt there...i got a new spare tire winch for 5 bucks at a junkyard

 

Sounds like a rare thing to happen to an F150, but a common S10 problem

 

my tire winch broke when i had a flat a few months ago, junkyard is definetaly the way to go!

 

Sorry, it's common on both... I know many Heritage style F150 owners who lost their spares, including 2 of my 3 former F150's.

 

Never heard of such a thing..... well you learn something new every day.
Edit.. 32 you've been around a long time but not many posts. You must have a life outside this site!