I decided to lower the spare tire to check the inflation. The ignition key is used to access the crank hole. My key wold not go into the lock due to rust, and when I tried to oil the lock, it fell out! I inserted the crank and tried to lower the spare wheel. It would not move until I crawled under the truck and beat on the hub with a hammer! This would be very interesting on a wet pavement, or in a snow storm! My solution is to mount the spare IN the box. Again, as with other problems with the vehicle....rust and corrosion is a real problem.The truck is seldom driven in the winter and when it is, it gets a thorough washing underneath. The guys who came up with this spare tire mounting contraption have never had to change a tire on the side of a busy highway in inclement weather conditions. The guys at Ford who design these things should have to try to change a tire after the truck is a few years old and not show-room new.