Can you do it? Should you do it? How do you do it safely?
A tire going flat is one of the most disappointing and annoying things that eventually happens to each driver, who hits the road. If you’ve been driving for a while, you’re lucky if you’ve not experienced this situation yet. Most commonly, a blow-out tire causes just a time delay and the car owner’s frustration, but sometimes it may even result in terrible car accidents. In order not to be stuck in the middle of nowhere and wait for the automotive services to come and save your day, a beginning driver (just as quite an experienced one) should be well-prepared before the drive and learn how to change a flat tire way before popping into the driver’s seat and heading out somewhere. It’s one of the basic skills and types of car repair anyone may cope with. So, it’s necessary to know at least the rules and main steps of the technique not to figure that out on the spot when the things are already a little bit stressful.
Of course, there’re those convenient mobile car repair services now, which may come to you no matter where you are and conduct pretty much any auto repair procedure right on the spot, let alone the tire change. And, they’re often the lifesavers for those who’re not able to fix more complicated car break-downs, who don’t know how to replace a tire, who appeared without the simplest tools to take off the old tire or even without a spare one to install. If you’ll find yourself in one of those situations (I hope you’ll not, but, you know, hope for the best, and prepare for the worst), go to HireRush.com and find auto repair service that operates the closest to the area you’ll be forced to make a stop. Take a look at the average and minimum costs. Make the call directly from the site and wait until professional mechanics or repairers get to you.
However, it’s totally possible not only to learn how to change a tire, but also take some measures in order to prevent its blow-out. For instance, if you’re planning to go for a relatively long road trip, it’s always good to check the tires on your car at least the day before. If they’re weak, take the car to the nearest auto repair shop or service station to get them pumped up. By the way, you’re supposed to check the pressure in your car’s tires and get them pumped up regularly. Also, if the tires look quite shabby and worn-out, don’t take a risk and change them. The chances that you’ll need to install the new ones are quite high in this case. So, there’s no reason for you to play for time. Get those tires changed before leaving your hometown.
And, you always have to check if you have all the tools to install the tire, as well as the replacement tire, in your car’s trunk. Those include a jack and a wrench. Those are the most important ones. And they often come with the car, along with the spare tire. You shouldn’t even consider changing a tire on your own if you don’t have them on hand. Besides, it will be quite nice if you keep these things too: a flashlight (each car needs to have it) if the incident happens to you during the nighttime, a tire gauge, blocks or wheel wedges, a pair of gloves, a simple rain poncho, a mat and a couple of wooden blocks to secure the jack with. Those will complete an ideal tire replacement kit. However, you’ll do just fine with the basic tools. And I’m about to tell you how you can do that.
How to change a tire on a car
- Get to the safest spot to park/pull over. If you’re driving on the freeway, it’s better to pull over as soon as you understand that the tire has gone flat. However, it’s better to stop as far from the road’s border as possible to be able to have the space to change the tire safely. It’s especially important if you notice that the wheel, which is closer to the middle on the road (on the driver’s side), has deflated. Don’t park in the midst of a turn or a curve, as the approaching won’t be able to catch the sight of you in time. Also, it’s always more comfortable to work on a flat area. Lifting your car with the help of a jack whilst standing on a hill can be a disaster. Don’t forget to set your parking brake!
- Turn on the waning (emergency) lights right when you decide to pull over, so that other vehicles are able to adjust to the situation. Keep them on while changing the tire. If you have one of those emergency road signs, set them up as well. Get out of the car and go to the trunk to check if you have a jack, a wrench, and a replacement tire in there. If not – look up the phone numbers of the nearest mobile car repair services and call them not to lose time in vain. If you have those, take them out of the car and bring them over to the damaged tire. If you have other tools and supplies I’ve listed above, pick them up as well. Use your phone instead of flashlight if you have enough of charge. Secure the car from rolling. Grab the stones from the side of the road if you don’t have special wheel wedges.
- Loosen the lug nuts on the wheel with the help of the wrench. Remove the hubcap with the help of a screwdriver or a sharp side of the wrench prior to that. Don’t undo the wheel bolts just yet. Just loosen them till they’re almost ready to be taken out. Turn the tool to the left (or counter-clockwise) for that matter. Pull out the floor mat from the car not to kneel on the road or ground.
If the nuts are too tight and you can’t even move the wrench, adjust it on the bolt the way that you can stand on its arm to make the full use of your body weight. In general, it’s better to position the wrench almost vertically and turn it with the help of your body, but not just one hand. You may also try to hit it with a rock. - Place the jack under your car and lift it off the road. Different cars may have various jack placements. Check the owner’s manual to find the proper position or just adjust the jack until its stays in place nice and sturdy near the trouble wheel. When the jack is inserted, jack your vehicle up so that the wheel is about 6 inches above the ground.
- Undo the lug nuts completely and remove the old tire. Don’t lose your wheel bolts. They might scatter all over the place easily, so put them on the hubcap or onto the car’s seat. Pull the flat tire straight toward yourself to get it off the base of the wheel.
- Attach the replacement tire to your car. Push it into the base of the wheel really hard until you feel that it can’t move any farther.
- Set the lug nuts in place. Screw them on just with your hand. They shouldn’t sit too tightly at the moment. Just make sure they’re holding the spare tire, making it stay on wheel’s base for little while.
- Lower the car with the help of the jack. Don’t place it back on the ground right away. Stop when the tire is touching the ground, but is not bearing the full weight of the car. Take a wrench and make them sit on the base a little bit tighter.
- Make sure that the tire bolts are put on tight enough. Lower the car completely to the road, remove the jack and finish screwing on the nuts. Don’t tighten them one by one in order, but begin with one nut, tighten it about 50%, move to the opposite one and work with it about the same amount. Continue tightening opposite bolts gradually till they are as tight as they should be.
- Gather your tools and the flat tire and put them back into the trunk. Don’t forget your stuff on the side of the road. Bring the old tire to the auto repair or mechanic’s shop to let professionals fix it. If the spare tire you’ve just installed turned out to be a quite deflated, turn the emergency lights on and drive slowly to the nearest car service spot to get it properly inflated. Drive safe! Find a local car repair shop
