has anyone ever had their's down. we had a flat, and I could only drop it a little, then the winch would just "click".

Anyway had roadside come out and got our problem sloved without using the spare.

Today I put the van on the hoist, and finally got the tire off. I took the whole winch assembly off, and it seems like the cable may be wrapped around itself inside. But, it is all spot welded together, so you cannot take it apart.

Do I need a whole new assembly?

I take it, the cable is long enough that you should be eable to pull the tire out from under the van?

It is an 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT.

TIA

 

It is not just the Dodge MiniVan, all cars with Spare under the car with Winch does that sometimes. Yeah, you'll need a new winch, should cost $100 from the dealership.
Even if you do manage to take it apart, once u put it together, it'll just wrap around itself again.

 

so, then I would expect the new wone to do it as well.


may as well just keep mt Roadside current. Lol

 

Hi , my wife bought a new Caravan 2010 last summer . We took it to the shop an had the spare tire removed with a 13/16 socket an impact air tool . The cable binder was tough to figure out . We bought a 2 foot x 10 inch board for the jack foundation as that jack sinks right thru the mud. We put the tire, an a new 4 way lug wrench , an board in the rear seat sink hole behind the seat . You know that flat tires don't happen in the parking lot with lights . Oh Yea , the tire only had 40 psi air in it . Should have been 60 psi . We simulated a flat tire at home so we would be prepaired . We're old retired disabled people an always need to think before we make a move ! my thoughts Lovvorn

 

finally got the tire down, and took the whole ratcheting assembly apart, and the cable was wrapped around itself. Grrrrr. And a new one is $175-$246.

 

oh, and the cable was wrecked.

 

im from the 2nd gen dak forum, but my good friend has a 2005 craravan sto-n-go. she got a flat and we tried to change it and the dumb spare got stuck on the way down. we finally got it down and all was good, untill we tried to put the spare back up. it was 6 inches short. so is the winch bad or am i doin somthing wrong?

 

yup. I am guessing the winch is bad.........mine was, . they are a poor design.

I know now why I see a Caravan with a spare on its roof. lol ( not mine)

take the winch off (four bolts) and then grind the little spot welds off to split the winch. ( it is broke anyway) I bet you find the cable wrecked inside, causing it to jam, and not go up all the way...........

let us know how ya make out.

 

Our 31-year-old son died trying to change to the spare tire on a 2012 dodge caravan. He was crushed under the van trying to get the spare tire out from under the family van. He was on a flat cement pavement and the jack failed while he was under the van. Whoever designed the spare tire placement, needs to think about the people they are selling these vehicles to. Mini-vans are geared toward women with children, how is a Mother suppose to get that tire out from under the van with a scissor jack and kids in the van? Who is to say it is a good surface to use the jack that comes with the van in the first place.