I got caught on the road with a flat tire when my 2000 Silverado's spare refused to wench down. I finally got it home, ground off the plate that holds the tire up, so I could access the wench. I found that the wench tool fit over a square shaft on the wench, but it slipped around the shaft. My fix was to put one of the wench tool extension rods on the wench shaft and then drill a small hole through the rod and wench shaft. I put in a 3/16 bolt and nut, and left the rod permanently attached. it worked fine when I attached the other wench rod to the one I permanently attached to the wench.The key-lock cover went back with the rod in place. I had to weld the wench cable back to the steel plate that holds the tire up. If you attach one of the wench rods NOW you won't have to go through all this hassle.

 

or just get a bicycle lock and put the spare in the bed... WAY easier

 

I had the same problem at one time......I welded an old socket to the shaft and now all I need is a long extension and a ratchet to lower the spare. I like to keep my bed clean therefore I'd never keep my spare in the bed.

 

Man i bet you were PISSED i kno i would have been, Guess you did all that work out of anger.. That would be my luck better go check it now "preventive maintenance"

 

Just wondering if this is the problem:

When the tire is all the way up, the plastic tube gets bent and the square bar removal tool gets stuck. Since it can't go all the way in, there is no way to lower the tire. GM has since made a bar with a flexible center section, sent free to original owners, as part of a recall. If you are not the original owner, you might check with the dealer about getting one.

 

its also good rule of thumb to check the spare tire pressure anytime you check the other tires pressures, hate to have a spare thats also flat!