Check your spare!

[GT!]

Got to my car tonight and found I had a flat tire. It had a slow leak, but must have got unlucky and parked it in such a way the leak was way faster than normal. Thought, no problem ... I'll just pop the spare on. Problem ... couldn't get the damn plastic retainer that holds the cover to the spare well off. It was really stiff, and then just started slipping (so the metal nut buried inside the plastic was just spinning freely). Arghhhhh! 50 minutes for CAA to arrive and give me some air

Moral of the story is to check your spare regularly for access and air! Spring is a good time to do this.

Took about 45 minutes o hack away at the plastic and get the nut off. I wonder how much GM is going to zing me for this part.

-GT

[jonnyd]

did you try pulling upwards and turning at the same time to create a friction on the nut?? that sucks, over such a small issue too =( little things like that which arent regularly checked can def turn into some time issues =( unless when you know you have a small leak you carry along one of them portable air pumps that plug into the 12v cig lighter. sorry to hear man!

[GT!]

Originally Posted by jonnyd

did you try pulling upwards and turning at the same time to create a friction on the nut?? that sucks, over such a small issue too =( little things like that which arent regularly checked can def turn into some time issues =( unless when you know you have a small leak you carry along one of them portable air pumps that plug into the 12v cig lighter. sorry to hear man!

I tried everything to get it off - it was really stuck. Even after I got home and sprayed some penetrating oil it would not budge. The design is actually very bad - all they have done is buried a nut with a circular disc (dumb) on it into the plastic. Would have been much better if it was not circular since this does not give it any grip in the plastic once it breaks free.

I think the only time I'd gone in there was when the car was new (2003) to check it out. Lesson learned, must verify these things every so often.

-GT

[jonnyd]

lol yea fortunately for me i had to open it all the time...because of my saltwater fish tank...buying water and bringin it to my house, water would spill all up on my trunk carpet so i always had to take it out to dry lol.

I feel ya on the poor design. ON my lexus taking off my stock intake box..the same damn thing happened...needed me and my buddy to take it off. Freakin ghey!

Originally Posted by GT!

I tried everything to get it off - it was really stuck. Even after I got home and sprayed some penetrating oil it would not budge. The design is actually very bad - all they have done is buried a nut with a circular disc (dumb) on it into the plastic. Would have been much better if it was not circular since this does not give it any grip in the plastic once it breaks free.

I think the only time I'd gone in there was when the car was new (2003) to check it out. Lesson learned, must verify these things every so often.

-GT

[frank20899]

I check my spare tire daily...

[tommy compton]

[kfx]

i carry my spare tire with me at all times.

[ghettomike]

dont buy a plastic 1 from gm...go get a metal wing nut...take the factory bolt to any hardware store and find out the diameter and thred type...buy the wing nut and insted of the plastic cut a circle pice of ply wood and just spray paint it black..never have this issue again...or just make sure to leave it on loose...if that happened 2 me i would go with the wing nut and wood....maybe a couple wide washers to make it fit better.
gm will probably charger 10-20$ for it

[GT!]

Originally Posted by kfx

i carry my spare tire with me at all times.

... and I'm guessing it never goes flat

-Gt