hey everyone i just got back from my trip to taiwan!!!
it was a great trip...i wasn't able to get a pic of the surf's they had there..but i'm sure the members from australia know what i'm talkin about...but anyways....i came home to checkin the 4runner and the ONLY thing that is missing is my spare!!!!!!!
i looked underneath and was like...WHERE DID IT GO!! it's not really a big deal except that it's expensive to replace...just wondering if you guys think i should get another and store it in my cargo area or just dont worry about it..any of you had this happen to you?? and what is toyota thinking puttin the spare there???

 

did someone steal it or something?

 

Assuming it was stolen, my first concern was how'd they get it? If you keep your rig locked, then they would have had to brake in, open the hatch, and crank down the spare. Only other way would be to break the clamp thing at the end of the wire that holds the center of the wheel. If that's the case, then you'd have to get that fixed before you could put another one underneath.

As for keeping it inside, I could never do that. I use my cargo area waaaay to often to sacrifice that kind of space. Plus, wouldn't it stink? I know Jeeps and Chevys kept them inside for a lot of years, so there has to be a way...

 

Does your '96 4Runner have a hatch back, if so, wouldn't a supposed thief have to open the hatch back to crank down the cable?

 

on the 96 there is no hatch to crank it down..the crank is under the car like the spare...just above the tire..you use the jack crank to crank it down...also i think they broke the crank..i tried to turn it and it doesn't turn....i'll see how much another one costs...damn stealer!!

 

Hey Chih:

Did you go on that "Love Boat" thing? I have a few Taiwanese friends who did!

Anyways, I recall seeing one of the guys on ODW selling a SINGLE rim just like yours. I think AdamF or EClayton was buying the other one and the seller needed to find a buyer for the last one. If so, you're in luck and you will have to thank me profusely in the future for my near-photographic memory.

Bob

 

BOB, no i didn't go on the loveboat thing...i meant to the past few years but now i'm just too old to go on it...i went back for a cousin's wedding..and ended up stayin there visiting relatives..but about that rim....do you have the guys email so i can contact him and see how much he wants for it....and did i win the last magic felt piece?? =)
thanks alot for your photographic memory again!!

 

I had a '94 Toy pickup that had that same type of crank. I have some people in the neighborhood uncrank the tire, cut the cable (I had a padlock on the cable), and then take off with the tire. Turns out they were doing this to quite a few toyota trucks, they probably stole enough spares to make a set.
In my '99 4Runner, I have to lift the rear door (hatch) to access the crank hole. Guess Toyota got smart about security. However, with my spare tire carrier, I now have two wheel locks on the spare tire mount.

 

Chih:

Go look on the "For Sale" posts on ODW. Its there...I saw it a few days ago.

Bob

 

You could always put your new spare on the roof, in a rack of course, and lock it, chain it, deadbolt it, etc.