Spare tire hold down clamp

Hold down clamp came off. Had a hard time finding where it fitted on the bulkhead and had to pretty much get inside the boot to find it. Not where I expected it. Its about 6" left of center.
Once found, if positioned straight out, there wasn’t enough thread on the rod to cinch it up to a no rattle/move point, so I used the right-hand lower hole on the spare. This angle added just enough distance to cinch up the wheel. Using this position also allows a bit of levering to get the spare out of the shallow well its in when it comes time to use it.
A nice dab of reflective / glow in the dark paint around the attachment point will aid position next use.
I suppose you could also use reflective tape or a self adhesive reflector button. But I think if it were dark and I were forced to change a tire, I’d probably just throw everything in the boot and get back to going: sort it later in daylight.

Mine has the rod …goes through wheel then has a round cylinder spacer that goes over bolt then a round knob screw …look at a parts manual…sounds like you might be missing a spacer…what year…mine comes thru the wheel bolt hole! Ser two fotosScreenshot_2019-10-10-08-16-06-1|305x280![Screenshot_2019-10-10-08-16-34-1|231x126](upload://5FGWhYrHhnr2RGK7prvOraszRdZ.pngScreenshot_2019-10-10-08-16-34-1Screenshot_2019-10-10-08-16-06-1

I cut a short piece of PVC pipe to use as a spacer.

My spacer is original aluminum. …however I added 2 large stainless washers to tighten it up a little…actually I thought about machining one about an eighth inch longer

YuP!!!

I did a tire change decades ago. ,Not in the dark, but in the country in 129F heat. preplaned in the AC car. Hopped to it. Tossed wheel, wrench and jack in the trunk/boot and on with the AC and on my way home…

Deal wit it in the PM…

Carl