I know it is cosmetic but I wanted to replace my generic 2007 Dakota spare rim with a actual Dakota rim so if I happen upon a flat the replaced tire would not have that junky generic spare tire look about it.

I got a rim off of eBay and everything looked good to go. So then pops a question in my head, let me test out the removal of the spare and use the new mag I just got in its place to make sure everything fit as expected.

I lowered the spare tire from under the bed and come to find out that the center hole of the spare is larger than the center hole of the mag. The cable of the under bed tire holder has two main pieces. There is the main cable that is fit with a contraption that wont slip from the cable. Then there is a balancer piece that fits on that contraption that goes through the hole of the rim to hold the spare in place under the bed. This "balancer" is too big to fit through the center hole of the Dakota mag. The main contraption does fit, but the balancer will not.

Has anyone did this type of spare replacement. I am wondering how I can still use the replacement mag I bought. The main contraption can fit through the hole and seems to snugly hold the tire, but if it was not made to do so I really do not want to be traveling down the road at 65 mph and lose the tire and have it smash into some one.

I guess I could chain it in the bed, but that is just as ugly as the spare generic rim.

Any guidance on this problem is welcome.

FM3

 

I would look to see if the second gen Dakota has the same hole size in the tire as the third gen, I had a 2000 Dakota with a same spare tire as the rest. Might be a direct replacement if the design hasn't changed.

 

I found these pics of the tire winch on ebay.

Mine most def does not look like this.



The part I refer to in my first writing is this part below:



The pic is not clear, however the black piece looks skinner than the one on mine and I wonder if it could fit through the small fitting of the standard Dakota Mags that my Dakota has.



Currently the black tire balancer piece that fits through the wheel center hole will not fit through the center opening of the factory rim above. I am beginning to wonder if I did not get a RAM winch on my dakota due to the size difference.

I have searched the internet to find pics of the winch systems and have been unable to find one that looks like mine

 

that looks nothing like my tire holder, but mines an 05 with these weird wing things that act as a safety latch. I looked at the part you pictured on ebay and that one is not a 3rd gen winch, if you have that one, someone must have replaced it at some point cause thats not original.

 

Thanks for the reply... mine too has the strange winged safety latch and does not look anything like the above. I thought that this was why I had the wrong winch. But you have confirmed that I do have the correct one.

Doing a eBay search for "dodge tire carrier" will bring up some tire winches that of course look nothing like the safety latches of yours and mine. I can attest to the fact however that the piece I call the black tire balancer that goes through the center hole of the mag is too large on mine and does not allow for a 5th rim be carried but only will allow for a generic black spare.

For your spare do you have a 5th truck mag or a generic spare?

I would be interested to see if anyone has a 5th rim using these safety latch winches and a Mopar part numbers for a Dakota winch that actually fit a 5th wheel.

 

I have a generic steel wheel. It is strange that the center hole would be a different diameter. Maybe has something to do with safety, they don't want you putting an aluminum wheel on that tire holder for some reason?

 

That is a interesting point of view. From what i have been able to track down on various forums is that no one has moved to place a 5th wheel on this undercarriage winch. All seem to have the generic steel spare under the bed. I guess I just have myself an extra wheel in case I run up on a curb or something. Dang I was hoping to put this under the truck.

I don't think there is a safety issue though as I know when I had my 2000 Dakota RT it did have a 5th wheel under the bed of the truck. Of course I do not know the center hole size of that 17 inch rim, but can say that the winch did hold an aluminum wheel on a lowered frame so I would not think it an issue.

 

My one and only suggestion is for you to grind down the sides of the metal holder piece until it fits through the hole of the wheel ! That's the only solution that comes to mind!! Good luck! Either way let us know what you do!!.

 

that's actually a good suggestion, raven. we tend to over-analyze things sometimes and forget there might be an easy solution (i.e. by using common sense)...lol

 

hey thats some crap! i'm gonna see when i get home if my dick cepek rim will fit when i get to Texas after i buy the rim and a new BFG ALLTERRAIN TIRE for it!