Ok...to make sure I'm clear - The wheel bolts to the C bracket (carrier). The only attachment points to the truck are the J hook on one end and the pivot on the long bracket at the other end. Talk about low-tech. Guess you need a wrench on-board to remove the bolts from the spare in the event it's needed for its intended purpose.
My valence doesn't have a hole for the J hook. Perhaps it was replaced with the wrong valence at some point over the years? Unless advised otherwise, I'll drill one.
If you do drill the hole be sure to reinforce it well.
