2013 Hilux Spare Wheel Removal
Discussion
Posting because I had to puzzle this out. My Hilux is an ex commercial truck that I use for dog work and shooting. A neglected workhorse. Needed to do a wheel change today. Assumed the underslung spare would be in a cradle arrangement like most seem to be.
Oh no - not for Toyota it's chained up and to release it you have to crank on a windlass. The tools required are in the toolkit and there's a three piece rod you assemble. The hook that engages with the loop on the trolley jack fits into a slot in the windlass and you unwind it to lower the wheel.
What I struggled with was finding the hole for the rod. Tried Google and YT. Most of the cars demonstrated had a really obvious hole in the bumper. On the latest Hiluxes it seems to be in the recess where the rear plate fits. I noticed my rear plate fills the recess so took it off. No hole. Finally noticed a small semicircular gap in the trim between the tailgate and the truck bed. You need to close the tailgate and push the rod through the hole and with a bit of jiggery pokery it engages with the slot in the windlass. The toolkit has never been used so I didn't hold much hope for the windlass not being seized but it dropped the wheel. Wheel was caked with mud and very rusty and needed a lump hammer to disengage the plate on the end of the chain holding the wheel.
Hope this helps anyone who needs to access the spare. Thinking about it, it makes sense. The windlass is much less likely to seize than bolts on a cradle and its much harder to steal as you need to know the weird arrangement and have a suitable tool to crank the windlass. And all you get is a crappy 16" steel wheel.
Pictures
Oh no - not for Toyota it's chained up and to release it you have to crank on a windlass. The tools required are in the toolkit and there's a three piece rod you assemble. The hook that engages with the loop on the trolley jack fits into a slot in the windlass and you unwind it to lower the wheel.
What I struggled with was finding the hole for the rod. Tried Google and YT. Most of the cars demonstrated had a really obvious hole in the bumper. On the latest Hiluxes it seems to be in the recess where the rear plate fits. I noticed my rear plate fills the recess so took it off. No hole. Finally noticed a small semicircular gap in the trim between the tailgate and the truck bed. You need to close the tailgate and push the rod through the hole and with a bit of jiggery pokery it engages with the slot in the windlass. The toolkit has never been used so I didn't hold much hope for the windlass not being seized but it dropped the wheel. Wheel was caked with mud and very rusty and needed a lump hammer to disengage the plate on the end of the chain holding the wheel.
Hope this helps anyone who needs to access the spare. Thinking about it, it makes sense. The windlass is much less likely to seize than bolts on a cradle and its much harder to steal as you need to know the weird arrangement and have a suitable tool to crank the windlass. And all you get is a crappy 16" steel wheel.
Pictures
When we had ours i regularly wound the standard alloy spare down and kept the mechanism greased, also wrapped the wheel in a thick black bin bag which kept it clean.
The earlier ones, ours was a 2007 early mk6, indeed did have a suitable hole in the rear bumper, similar to a starting handle opening, and it was fairly common knowledge that Invincible spec at least had a full size OE spare alloy so i fed a serious motorcycle anti theft chain through the wheel centre and over the chassis closed with a hefty padlock.
Still cracking vehicles, regretted selling ours many times.
I rustproofed it within weeks of getting it, and followed its MOT progress down the years, only minor things like the odd tyre or wiper blade then it suddenly disappeared from MOT site in '22 around 138k miles, no idea what happened to it would have been interesting to have a look under it in 2027 had it still been around.
The earlier ones, ours was a 2007 early mk6, indeed did have a suitable hole in the rear bumper, similar to a starting handle opening, and it was fairly common knowledge that Invincible spec at least had a full size OE spare alloy so i fed a serious motorcycle anti theft chain through the wheel centre and over the chassis closed with a hefty padlock.
Still cracking vehicles, regretted selling ours many times.
I rustproofed it within weeks of getting it, and followed its MOT progress down the years, only minor things like the odd tyre or wiper blade then it suddenly disappeared from MOT site in '22 around 138k miles, no idea what happened to it would have been interesting to have a look under it in 2027 had it still been around.
They get under your skin. Mine was originally a Balfour Beatty site truck with a canopy and beacon on the top (which is still there). It was bought by a builder mate for his lads to use and then sold it on to me. He fabricated a steel mesh divider with a door so dogs can go in the back. I've had ten spaniels in the back of mine.
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