When I recently bought my 99 it was missing all the spare tire tools . Is there a way to make the long tube thing that turns the winch to lower the tire? Also was it stored in the cab or did Ford hide it under the hood? Thanks Bykman

 

Stored in the cab. Do you have a standard cab or extended? 2 door or 4 door if extended?

In my extended cab 2 door, it's stored behind the passengers side jump seat.

What you need basically is something that looks like a very long flat blade screwdriver to lower the spare. It just goes through the hole and the flatted end goes in a slot on the winch. The tool is about 3/8" to 1/2" diameter tubing typically. Not sure of the exact dimension but somewhere in that range.

 

It's a std.cab. Think I'll check the scrap pile for a length of 3/8" shaft and heat up and flatten the end for now. I was looking at another thread discussing tailgate tire holders that may be in my future. Thanks

 

Should be easy to find at a local junkyard. On the last regular cab I had (2000), they were behind the passenger seat.

 

Made one last night used an old screwdriver blade some shaft stock and it's got a T-handle for ease of use. Thanks again
Rwenzing, your mods list is impressive, that's gotta be a sweet riding Ranger.

 

Very good --and Todd, they are normally in interlocking sections that total about 4 or 5 feet or so when put together. You probably need 2 to 3 feet at least to use it as a tire winch crank. I'd start long if anything, unless you score one at the junkyard -- then it's academic, lol.

 

I think part of the reason the assembly is so long is to operate the jack under the truck. I usually don't use the full 4-5' assembly just to operate the winch..