How is spare tire supposed to be secured?

[slipnfall]

Hi there, I'm trying to rid of some annoying noises from my trunk. Things are just rattling/moving around. Turns out I don't know how the spare tire and jack are supposed to be secured. Surely they(Nissan) don't intend the jack flop around in the tire well , do they? I have the threaded rod through the middle, and the screw that goes on it, but no way of putting tension on the spare. I have a small, square piece of press board(has a plastic right-angle bracket on it), but it doesn't seem to go there.

How does the jack secure down in the trunk?

Thanks!-Jamie

[Dattebayo]

There is a clip on the left side of the trunk that opens a "compartment" of sorts made of the carpeting back there. Open that and thats where the jack is supposed to go. You will figure it out.

The spare tire is secured with a long bolt with a "wing" style end for hand-tightening. This bolt goes through one of the stud holes in the wheel and screws into the unibody where there is a threaded hole.

Any questions?

[slipnfall]

Oh OK, like my old accord... gotcha... I didn't look but I get the 'gist... I thought that panel was only to get to the side marker bulbs/antanae.

Man the coverings in these trunks are so *cheap*! It's all plastic! I don't think a single panel in there is 100% secured down-I need to get about a dozen or so of those plastic panel 'screws'. Flame away, but this car is nothing like my 4th gen Accord in terms of 'fit 'n finish'. Only a minor thing though...

As for the spare tire, I didn't think to put the butterfly nut through a lug nut hole... duh... I was trying to secure it in the middle(hole for axle nut)...

That should fix it, thanks!Now if I can just get my trunk springs to stop rattling...

Regards,-Jamie

[Dattebayo]

The reason all the panels are so cheap is because the rest of the car is so heavy they didnt want to add more weight inside.

If you strip out a accord you would probably lose alot more weight and the accord does not have the great suspension parts we do!

[slipnfall]

Point taken, thanks.

[slipnfall]

Ok I'm still not sure on the jack. I see the compartment, on the driver's side. There's room for the jack to *sit* in there, but how is it secured? I don't see any brackets/etc.

[ricebike]

u r supposed to turn the end of the jack so it will open up to the point that it touches both sides of that jack-cradle... comprende?

[drifter_for_life06]

i dont believe so

[slipnfall]

Errr... there is no cradle over there. There's a loose metal bracked in my trunk, but I thought it was for the CD changer that used to be installed. It doesn't seem to mount anywhere on the trunk wall. Does this bracket have three screws securing it?

[ricebike]

hmm, i thought u already saw where it "sits" in that compartment by that access panel 2BN mentioned.

it goes in @ a slight angle & after u place it in there, u turn the knob of the jack so it can open up & take up the slack... i'll go get a pic of it & will post it up later

[Meantime]

There is a bracket in the compartment to the side. It may not be readily visible, it's behind the finishing panel, but it's there.

Put the jack in "narrow" (i.e. mostly flattened), with the twisty end facing you, then turn the twister until the jack expands and fits snug in the bracket.

You may not be able to see the bracket, but it's there, trust me.

[slipnfall]

... I didn't look but I get the 'gist...

Say what? Yeah, anyways, I knew that if it didn't go in the tire well that it fastened itself to the sidewall by opening the jack... but after looking there was nothing for it to expand against.

Thanks, a pic is worth a million posts...Does this apply to both hatch and coupe?

-Jamie

[slipnfall]

Ok, got it now. Thanks for the help. I assumed it sat vertically. Turns out that bracket was indeed the jack bracket... good thing I didn't throw it out.

Thanks again, much appreciated. Trunk should be much quieter now.

It's these little things that you'll never know about a car untill you experiance it yourself.

-Jamie

[ricebike]

meh, i'll put up the pics anyways for future niconauts

the other end of the cradle u can't see it, but u can feel it

how jack's supposed to be positioned

turn that thingie on the red square, till the yellow arrows expands to the blue lines(the cradle)

sorry i was late; had to go out w/ the nicotots & get a mother's day present for their grandma & fo' wifey.

PPS: i forgot how to put images up...silly me & my old PC runnin on win98 :PModified by ricebike at 11:55 PM 5/6/2005
Modified by ricebike at 11:59 PM 5/6/2005