WARNING RE Flat Tire Replacement

[cvalue13]

Just had a heart-stopping moment with the lightning, owing to what should have been a routine flat tire change.

This warning is for people who might use AAA or other roadside assistance, for any truck with a “full sized”** spare tire. If you have a flat, make sure the roadside assistance has a jack taller than (probably) 20” when fully extended. OTHERWISE, you end up in the pickle I only barely escaped.

As background, my back passenger tire caught a screw and I woke up to a flat tire in my driveway. Since I pay for AAA, I decided to get some value from it by having AAA come change the tire while I continue to work.

Before AAA arrived, and wary of the oddities of the Lightning’s underbody, I checked the owner’s manual regarding jack points:

AAA arrived, I instructed on the jack points and returned to work. A few minutes later AAA asked me to come look.

The floor jack carried by AAA reached only about ~18” at max extension (I did not get exact measurements, and the jack itself didn’t specify). This ~18” max extension, plus the jack point near the middle third of the truck, plus the control arm’s extension, meant the truck could not get high enough off the ground to allow the “full sized” spare to be mounted. There was about 1” of additional height needed (equating to the jack needing maybe 2” inches of additional max extension).

This was a pickle, because the jack point didn’t provide enough room to allow the (taller) jack that comes with the truck to fit on any acceptable jack point.

(More below)

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[cvalue13]

So, to avoid this same pickle, if you’re out and about needing a spare change, any roadside assistance will need a taller floor jack OR use your provided truck jack.

We ultimately solved for this by using the provided truck jack under the control arm, to raise the hub another 1” or so. But I don’t recommend that method (and it also becomes a bit of 2-person operation, which defeats the purpose of roadside assistance if it’s someone not otherwise familiar with trucks/jacks, etc.).

The story and warning could end there, but I’m afraid there was a middle step in this story that is incredibly embarrassing, dangerous, and - in my case - nearly disastrous.

Before the control arm idea, we attempted a different - non-approved - jack point, again using the provided truck jack. We had gotten the truck lifted just above the floor jack, and the AAA rep was attempting to fit the spare when the entire truck began to move. We had neither chalked a wheel nor double-checked the emergency brake, in part because we were on perfectly flat ground (not a good excuse, as should be obvious by the consequences).

The truck rolled backwards maybe 1”, enough to put the provided jack off balance, moving the floor jack off the frame, and the truck came crashing down, as we skittered backwards to get out of the way.

By some miracle, the break assembly caught on the inner rubber of the spare tire (that the AAA guy had been holding up to the hub), catching and stopping the truck and the assembly from crashing to the pavement. Until we determined a safe work-around, the truck sat on the inner lip of the spare’s rubber for 2-3 minutes, saving the hub and control arm (as well as probably the back passenger bumper).

All-in-all, the lesson is that the jack point on the lightning requires a rather tall jack in order to create clearance sufficient for mounting the full sized spare. Even with the provided jack, if the truck were sitting on soft ground I’m not sure it would lift the truck sufficiently to fit the full-sized spare in some instances.

Any such scenario could be a bit of a pickle (or worse) if depending on a roadside assistance solution - unless they bring a tall floor jack.

Watching the jack buckle and your lightning come crashing toward the ground is equivalent to I’d say 5-7 cups of coffee, and not advisable.

 

[cvalue13]

While we are on the topic, just one more reminder that a full-size spare is not the same thing as a same sized spare. The former should be treated the same as a donut, in terms of staying below prescribes speed, and not driving it for long distances. And it is a so-called full-size spare that comes with the lightning, not a same size spare.

 

[Nick503955]

Would it work to place a strong object between the top of the jack and the jackpoint? E.g., a block of wood?

Edit: jackpot -> jackpot; dang autocorrect!

 

[PA Lightning]

Would it work to place a strong object between the top of the jack and the jackpoint ? E.g., a block of wood?

Nothing would prevent that. Most service truck that I have seen have multiple blocks of wood.

I just cancelled my AAA. Needed a battery swapped out on my wife's vehicle on a Sunday. Called AAA, told them the vehicle and the battery I needed. They said they had that battery on the truck.

AAA showed up two hours after they said they would be there. No battery on the truck. They then decided that they could not replace the battery because they saw acid on the terminals. Said it was a safety risk.

Went to Walmart and battery was installed in a few minuets.

 

[davehu]

wouldn't another solution be to let enough air out of the spare until it would fit? or was that too flat to take a chance?

 

[VTbuckeye]

Would it work to place a strong object between the top of the jack and the jackpoint? E.g., a block of wood?

Edit: jackpot -> jackpot; dang autocorrect!

Could also place the blocks of wood below the jack for more stability.

It would also be great if there were more jack points on the vehicle so that there is a place for jack and jack stands (not everyone has a lift) and it would allow another lift point if the first was inadequate.

 

[ctuan13]

I mean I know that Ford claims there are only those four "safe" jack points, but this truck is body-on-frame with a fully independent boxed frame which has significant portions fully exposed.

As long as you use an appropriate jack pad that fits into the cup of your floor jack to avoid scratches, crushing surround shields, etc, I don't see what the big deal is. Just place the floor jack under a near by section of frame rail and lift.

 

[Joneii]

Did you need the physical key to access the spare let down crank? I just saw a training video for tow truck drivers that indicated the physical key lodged inside the key fob is required to access the spare. This is a real concern for me since I never carry the key. Maybe I’ll remove the physical key and leave it in the glove box without the electronic part of the fob.

 

[cvalue13]

I mean I know that Ford claims there are only those four "safe" jack points, but this truck is body-on-frame with a fully independent boxed frame which has significant portions fully exposed.

As long as you use an appropriate jack pad that fits into the cup of your floor jack to avoid scratches, crushing surround shields, etc, I don't see what the big deal is. Just place the floor jack under a near by section of frame rail and lift.

At least toward the back of the truck, the way the battery shields are incorporated together with the IRS, obscures all but a few spots in the frame rail - and most of that exposed rail is not level to the ground (note separately the crushed portion of a plastic shield, from when the truck fell onto the floor jack):

(note separately the crushed portion of a plastic shield, from when the truck fell onto the floor jack)

admittedly, an appropriate block between the jack and rail - if the AAA guy or myself had one on hand - would have been a workable solution.

but the same caution remains: the roadside service person should either use the taller jack provided with the truck (and hope for solid ground), bring a taller floor jack, or have blocks available.

Did you need the physical key to access the spare let down crank?

yes

 

[cvalue13]

It would also be great if there were more jack points on the vehicle so that there is a place for jack and jack stands (not everyone has a lift) and it would allow another lift point if the first was inadequate.

jack stands towards the back would be difficult. See the photo above RE available frame rail forward of the rear wheel. Behind the rear wheel, any Jack stands would need to be very tall (the frame is maybe 20”+ off the ground back there)

 

[sotek2345]

Did you need the physical key to access the spare let down crank? I just saw a training video for tow truck drivers that indicated the physical key lodged inside the key fob is required to access the spare. This is a real concern for me since I never carry the key. Maybe I’ll remove the physical key and leave it in the glove box without the electronic part of the fob.

Your truck should have come with an extra physical key. I keep mine in the glove box.

 

[rdr854]

While we are on the topic, just one more reminder that a full-size spare is not the same thing as a same sized spare. The former should be treated the same as a donut, in terms of staying below prescribes speed, and not driving it for long distances. And it is a so-called full-size spare that comes with the lightning, not a same size spare.

I purchased a matching wheel and tire so that I have a same sized spare. I still have to go to the dealer to have it installed.

 

[cvalue13]

I purchased a matching wheel and tire so that I have a same sized spare. I still have to go to the dealer to have it installed.

I forget the exact deltas between the matching and spare in the lightning, other than the spare is more narrow. Don’t remember if there’s a small delta in height.

if so, it would exacerbate this jack height consideration

 

[rdr854]

I forget the exact deltas between the matching and spare in the lightning, other than the spare is more narrow. Don’t remember if there’s a small delta in height.

if so, it would exacerbate this jack height consideration

I would like to believe that if I use Ford’s roadside assistance that they will have the correct equipment, unlike AAA.

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