Do these B series trucks have problems with the spare tire winch from not being used? I know the last time we used ours it worked fine and there’s a decent space up there waiting if needed.

Do you recommend any kind of maintenance or periodic cycling of the mechanism?

If it gets stuck, what’s the trick for getting the tire down?

Thanks

 

I bought my 1988 B2200 back in 1994. I later discovered that the chain in mine had been broken and "fixed" with a universal repair link, which did give me some trouble.

So I went to a parts yard and bought a used lift mechanism, it's been fine. If anything, I would hit the mechanism with some aerosol lithium grease.

At that parts yard, the guy told me they sell a lot of used tailgate handles/latches, because folks do not pull the handle, keep it that way while lifting the tailgate into place, and only then releasing the handle. So I started doing this on all my trucks, and have never yet broken a tailgate handle/latch.