Spare Tire Winch not strong enough?

[jsalbre]

Shortly after picking up my JT (approx 500mi) I had the stock tires swapped out for 35x12.5r17 Falken Wildpeak AT3Ws. I had the spare tire swapped out as well, planning to purchase a matching 5th wheel when it came time to do the first rotation so I could do a 5 tire rotation.

I just pulled the spare down to take a look at it and found that it has abrasion marks from where it touches the frame. There are matching marks on the frame, with the paint being worn off completely in some spots.

I know the tire winch was as tight as it could be as it clicks when it’s tight enough, and I checked it after the tires were installed and several times since then, and it clicked almost as soon as I start turning.

Is the tension setting for the tire winch not high enough with the increased weight of a 35?

Has anyone else noticed a similar issue?

I’m not sure I want to rotate the other tires in if they’re all going to get damaged like this. I’m tempted to see if I can use my tire certificate from Discount to get it replaced.

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[j.o.y.ride]

By chance do you remember if the outside of the rim was facing up or down?

 

[jsalbre]

By chance do you remember if the outside of the rim was facing up or down?

Outside up. It’s the stock steel spare wheel at the moment.

Edit: Also want to add that the wear on the tire is worse than it appears in the pictures. There’s a bit of an indent ion and it looks like small pieces of gravel may have gotten in there as there are some small divots.

 

[j.o.y.ride]

Also, I have never had it do any clicking like you mention.

 

[jsalbre]

Also, I have never had it do any clicking like you mention.

If you keep tightening it once it stops the winch will click, kind of like the gas cap.

In the section on stowing the spare owners manual says “Continue to rotate until you feel the winch mechanism slip, or click three or four times.”

 

[j.o.y.ride]

Huh, never needed to go that tight to get it to sit tight and unmoving. Maybe yours is defective if it can't handle keeping it tight even when it's clicking.

 

[sharpsicle]

The spare winch is plenty strong. Sounds like it might not be positioned correctly underneath.

 

[jsalbre]

The spare winch is plenty strong. Sounds like it might not be positioned correctly underneath.

It does definitely feel tight. I can’t move it by hand, or even if I kick it, but I can’t figure out how else this kind of wear could be happening.

 

[Hootbro]

I dropped my spare 35x12.5 Milestar Patagonia AT for my fluid film treatment for the season and noticed some very minor scuffing at the frame contact points but nothing like that severe in your pics. My tire was on for maybe 10K miles before the inspection.

Also, I think you may have stripped the mechanism if it is ratcheting at full tight. The two times I have dropped and reinstalled my spare, it got supper tight but never stripped or ratcheted like you mentioned at full up.

 

[jsalbre]

I dropped my spare 35x12.5 Milestar Patagonia AT for my fluid film treatment for the season and noticed some very minor scuffing at the frame contact points but nothing like that severe in your pics. My tire was on for maybe 10K miles before the inspection.

Also, I think you may have stripped the mechanism if it is ratcheting at full tight. The two times I have dropped and reinstalled my spare, it got supper tight but never stripped or ratcheted like you mentioned at full up.

I've definitely not damaged the mechanism. See step 4 in this screenshot from the owners manual.

Unrelated note: I grabbed the latest version of the OM (v4) from the Jeep site for this screenshot. The version I already had downloaded was v1. The 4th edition is 32 pages longer than the 1st. I wonder what all changed.

 

[STLDAVE]

Have you checked the air pressure in the tire? IF the pressure has gone down since you winched it up the tire might have shrunk just a little. That might be enough to allow some movement.

 

[jsalbre]

Have you checked the air pressure in the tire? IF the pressure has gone down since you winched it up the tire might have shrunk just a little. That might be enough to allow some movement.

You know, that's something I hadn't considered at all. I do a lot of elevation changes, and it's been back there for 5000 miles.

I'm going to go ahead and order a new Mojave wheel and TPMS sensor and do the 5 tire.

I'll give the frame contact points a really good clean before I put the tire up, and might even put some thin adhesive rubber on the contact points to reduce the chance of friction and movement, kind of like the spare tire bumpers on the tailgates of Wranglers.

 

[Hootbro]

I've definitely not damaged the mechanism. See step 4 in this screenshot from the owners manual.

Unrelated note: I grabbed the latest version of the OM (v4) from the Jeep site for this screenshot. The version I already had downloaded was v1. The 4th edition is 32 pages longer than the 1st. I wonder what all changed.

Thanks, learned something new.

I would swear on mine, it just feels like something is going to snap (break) if I try to get it any tighter.

 

[XraytecH]

Just yesterday I did my 5k oil change and 5 tire rotation.

Full size spare with matching wheel. In my case I did not notice any wear on the side wall of the spare. I'll look again after work just to make sure.

 

[XraytecH]

I'll give the frame contact points a really good clean before I put the tire up, and might even put some thin adhesive rubber on the contact points to reduce the chance of friction and movement, kind of like the spare tire bumpers on the tailgates of Wranglers.

That's Smart

After work I'm head over to Lowes.

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