Spare Tire Removal Question
 

So was playing around in cargo area on the x5 to update battery and went on You Tube for some pointers and for hell of it and they demo tire removal with a sling apparatus the tire sits on and you use the lower gate to lift the tire up and out.

I have an 02 4.6is and for the life of me cant find anything that resembles this apparatus in the cargo area. Is this not a feature on the 4.6? Cant post link right now as its blocked at work.

Hi There - I don't own a 4.6, but I'm sure it should be the same set up. When you open your trunk, remove the floor board completely.

At the back of the opening (should be between the jack and the tool kit / wheel chocks), there is a plastic bar that you pull up which will automatically pull the harness / straps that the spare wheel is resting on.

The handles is pressed in behind the spare wheel itself - it has slots on top of it.

Just in case there is a difference...did you check the owners manual to see if the instructions are different than what was shown in the video?

I think I ran across the same video, too when I first got my X5...I found it very informative. If anyone has not seen it before or have never seen how to access the battery by removing the spare tire...here's a link to the video: X5 Battery Replacement E53 DIY Full Replacement Procedure - YouTube

There is not the same sling device in the iS. Reason being, we have a lightweight donut spare that is fairly easy to remove from the vehicle. Everyone else has a monstrous full size spare that is nearly impossible to get out of the vehicle without assistance of that sling. I just replaced my battery a couple days ago, very easy. Pay attention to how the foam pieces under the spare tire sit so that when you put it back together you can get the spare seated correctly. I don't remember the other X5's having those foam pieces.

OMG :yikes:

the amount of times i have struggled to get that spare wheel out! how easy is that?

Good to know, I thought mine was just missing!

Didn't have the strap in my iS either.

I have a 2002 4.6---does not have that mechanism.

sling with the spare tire removed

http://i957.photobucket.com/albums/a...3/baf05e6a.jpg

Thanks guys for the quick replies and yes that is the You Tube video I was referring to in my post.

racingbmwm3 - I know its trivial question but thank you for clarifying. I tore than damn cargo area apart trying to find it. I got the foam pieces also seated correctly and u were right its key to everything seating correctly.