I put a little lock on mine. I don't like the way it dangles there but I tend to put a lock on everything - my hitch bar has a lock, for instance, and it is worth a lot less than the spare tire cover.

Jim

 

Did you people put a lock on the spare tire cover?
I have seen some RAV 4s with locks in theirs....
Is that an item that would be an easy target for vandals and what you guys recommend?

In Australia (well, Queensland at least, but I imagine it is the same in all the states and territories) the GVs come presupplied with a lock. It did rattle a bit on rough roads, but I've fixed that with some velcro to secure the actual padlock to the cover.

As for how useful it is - well, I've not lost a cover myself, nor do I know of anyone who has, but better safe than sorry! It is worth remembering that most small padlocks are pretty feeble affairs - they're easily cut and, if you're even a bit handy with a straightened paperclip, pickable in remarkably little time.

Happy Holidays to all!

Have a great Christmas and excellent New Year!

 

The lock I bought won't fold up so that velcro will secure it. So it dangles around. Beware that this lock, being small, will also be cheap. So it's made of cheap materials. It "lives" in a very dirty spot, and so it will corrode and fill up with dirt. We have to lubricate and test it regularly or it will be jammed if we ever need the spare.

 

The other day I went to put the bike rack on the GV, and found the padlock on the spare tire cover was completely seized up with corrosion. It took several days of playing around with things like penetrating oil and a hammer to get it open. Turns out it is also full of grit. As you can see by how grime accumulates on the back end of our cars in winter, this is about as hostile an environment one can imagine for a padlock.

Obviously a spare is of no use if you can't get at it. So no lock is better than one you can't open. Maybe I'll check out locks designed for marine use. Still, they have no reason to be protected against dirt. And due to the small fitting, it has to be a very small lock. An alternative is to build some sort of cable lock arrangement inside the cover. Sounds like a major pia. Maybe I'll just wire the hasp shut and carry a pair of pliers.

Anyone have any good ideas for this problem?

 

Sounds like another use for......Duct Tape!

 

Steve,

I haven't tried opening mine, I think I will. We don't get the frozen precipitation like you illustrate here but it's still dirty where the lock is.

I've thought about carrying a little bolt cutter in the GV. Kind of expensive if you have to use it but better than not having a spare.

Jim