2001 Spare tire assembly

[Alkenes]

So a few days ago I got the great idea that I should check my spare tire's inflation level (It ended up being 5.5 psi) and long story short the mechanism (under body style not the door style) was so rusted out that some of the chain links misformed and now it doesn't crank right. So I have two questions: 1) Does anyone have any exprience with removing the mechanism? It looks like it should be easy but I'd love if anyone had advice. 2) Does anyone know if I can just replace the chain instead of the entire assembly?

[Rebelord]

I believe the whole assembly unbolts. I had mine do the same. But I just soaked the chain in liquid wrench and was able to straighten it out. But my links themselves didnt deform.

[Alkenes]

Yeah I've been thinking of it all day and decided I'm gonna run down to the scrap yard and pick up a new(ish) one. That way I can replace the bar I bent the @!*% out of trying to move it and a new seat belt buckle.

[hawairish]

Yeah, it just unbolts from the unibody. It probably needs some maintenance like Rebelord did. I've gotten dirt up there before on mind and my Frontier; jams it up a little. I've found it helpful to give some left-right turns to loosen it, with the occasional tire-kick and negative vocal encouragement.

[johann_peralta]

On my 97 there were 4 bolts holding the whole thing into place, had to swap mine out bc rust broke one of the links