Blue Cone on Full Size Spare Tire

[mpc999]

Does anyone know what the blue cone is on the full size spare tire. It has a split in it from top to bottom. I think it was just there for shipping and I removed it. I would hated to have discovered it on a dark rainy night while changing a flat tire. The tire will not come off the cable with the cone in place. It took a little bit of prying to remove it. There is also a heavy black cable along side the silver wire rope from the tire winch.

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[ladyhawkgt]

 

[mpc999]

My black cable was not connected to a nut on the lug bolt hole. It is connected to the center clamp with the spring with the winch wire rope. It would not come off as easy as shown in the UTube video.

 

[mpc999]

My black cable was not connected to a nut on the lug bolt hole. It is connected to the center clamp with the spring with the winch wire rope. It would not come off as easy as shown in the UTube video.

I meant the blue cone would not have come as easy as shown on the video.

 

[Mav101]

Anyone else deal with this? Just was checking out the spare on my new truck so I’m informed before i may need to be and wow is it hard to remove the blue cone

 

[GPSMan]

I have two thoughts:

This double connect process is new to me.

1) do spare tires ever fall off? I've never seen or heard of it, but it could happen

2) is this a form of anti-theft device?

While a bit of a PITA it kinda kills two birds with one stone right?

Unless I'm literally an hour from nowhere, I'm calling roadside assistance and so would my wife.

 

[Optimus]

Reviving this older thread vs. starting a new one since it’s the same topic, in particular, the blue cone being a beast to remove off two cables. This could make for a real mess for someone who has a flat tire and suddenly finds themselves in an even bigger bind.

I’m really not getting the point of the blue cone, or the far thicker heavy duty security-like cable (not the winch cable) bolted on to the winch. I’ve seen a few variations of how these Mav spare tires are suspended under the truck and seems to be tied to “donut spare” vs. “full size spare” (which is still NOT full size). My version is the same as the original poster’s, blue cone with BOTH cables going through the center of the cone.

The youtube video is different, showing only the (much thinner) winch cable going through the cone, and the larger cable going to a bracket with a single lug nut and stud on it. Mine does not use the nut/stud, thankfully.

But with both cables going through the cone, it is VERY hard to get the cone off the larger cable. The cone does not want to pry open that far, and pretty much requires a tool to pry it open. Can’t imagine trying to do this on the side of the road without ever trying it out ahead of time!

thinking I might cut the slit wider on the cone so it isn’t as tough. Or do without the cone altogether, as mine seems to have the “typical” metal plate I would otherwise expect to use to pass through the center hub/hole before hoisting the tire back

Wondering what others have done too. The owner’s manual makes no mention of the cone, two cables, etc… and I searched for “blue cone” and only found this thread (about 1 1/2 years old and this is still a problem on late build 2023’s like mine).

 

[ThisWas]

My 2022 XL was built in late 2021... only one cable goes through the blue cone.

 

[Danzig]

My 2022 XL was built in late 2021... only one cable goes through the blue cone.

My 23’ with “full size spare” also has one cable. I easily removed it with just my hands

 

[Optimus]

I’ll have to take a pic of mine from another angle. It’s like the original poster’s, but does not include your bracket with a stud/lug nut.

 

[ThisWas]

I should have posted my other photo, too, showing the cables without the "full size" spare.
I had too much practice changing my tires last year with two flats a couple weeks apart.
The reason I mentioned my build date (around 10/2021) is perhaps Ford changed the cables later?

 

[Rivers90]

The blue cone is to stop scratches from being made from the metal on metal from the center hanging point.

I went to a matching full size spare and had no problem removing the factory tire and installing the full size one. You do need to lift the tire up to pull the blue cone off and put it back on.

This works the same as other trucks I have had.

If your truck has the safety lug nut it can be removed before lowering the tire to make that step easier but many don’t have a bracket that has a lug nut or stud, the safety cable goes to the center for those trucks.

 

[Optimus]

This is what I’m talking about. I don’t have a bracket that has a lug nut or stud. My bracket also sits below the wheel and cone. Last photo is what it looks like assembled again. Yellow goop is Fluid Film.

I ended up cutting the slit in the cone about 1/8 inch wider via hack saw and sanded the cut edge smooth. WAY easier to take the cone on/off. The little winch line isn’t the problem. It’s the big black safety cable that was tough to pry on/off the . In all of my three photos, the cone is already cut wider. It still takes a slight yank to get the black cable through, but not nearly enough to break a finger.

Ford didn’t even balance the spare tire. I’ve got a hybrid with tow package, and I think I will put a TRUE full size spare on at some point 225/65R17, not this China Bomb special. I’ve seen others complain of no clearance for a larger spare tire but I easily have about 1.5 inches clearance from the receiver hitch.

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