How can I lower the spare wheel from under the rear of the van? It seems to be on some sort of sprung catch. Do I wind it down or release the catch somehow? There appears to be an access hole for the jack handle just above the rear bumper.

Mike, March 2007

Many thanks mr foster, mike and mr transit owner I follwed your instructions and it worked perfectly, might just add that when inserting the jack handle, you need to push with a little force at all times when locating and turning. cheers all:)

happy transit owner, June 2008

Using the winder tool, push into the plastic funnel/guide in the spare wheel carrier mounted to the chassis, at the same time you have to release/pull the locking arm on the carrier securing the wheel in place. Unwind the handle to lower the wheel onto the ground (you have to keep the handle pressed into the carrier funnel at all times as this engages against a spring) there is a plastic 'butterfly' nut which may or may not be seized that holds the carrier bracket in place, remove this and Roberts your uncle.

J Foster, April 2007

I have now solved the problem, and the solution may be of interest to others. The wheel is raised on a cable and at the fully raised position, a sprung hook arm engages into the lifting yoke. The top end of the sprung hook arm has to be depressed by the jack handle before the winding nut can be engaged. If the cable slackens with age, all the weight of the wheel is then taken by the hook arm, and it then becomes imposssible to depress the top end and get to the nut.

The solution is to put the road jack under the spare wheel and jack it up hard. Then you can disengage the hook arm, jam it back with a screwdriver and proceed to tighten the cable to take the weight of the wheel.

I suggest that you should check your vehicle, 'cos this would be a difficult job by the roadside!

Mike, March 2007

yes insert jack handle and turn to lower the spare wheel keep turning until spare wheels rests on the ground, then simply unhook.

transit owner, March 2007