Spare Wheel Carrier

[Colm Trainor]

S reg V6 Si. I noticed last week that the winch mechanism to release the spare is knackered. It lowered the wheel about an inch and then packed up! Now wheel rattles but cannot be removed should I need it! Does anybody know the best way to remove the wheel and carrier/winch mechanism complete so that I can sort out a repair? I can see two nuts when looking upwatds through the spokes of the wheel but they are at too awkward an angle to fit a socket on to remove. I am unemployed so it needs to be a DIY job!

[Richard gal]

I had the same problem, the wire didnt keep pulling out and got tangled, you will have to get those bolts off somehow to get it all off the car.

 

Once i had the winding box off i drilled out some of the rivets to get inside and untangle it all, no way would tightening and unwinding would have done it.

 

Once sorted i welded it up again and am now very careful the wheel drops at the rate of unwinding

[Mike P]

Tricky but I would try levering the spare down to pull the wire off its drum, alternatively a bit more brutal but you could break the butterfly that goes through the wheel centre, then youd have room to put it right.

[Ivor_E_Tower]

Try pulling the wheel down whilst an assistant slowly unwinds the release mechanism. You need to pick a dry day, wear old clothes and keep your fingers crossed