How to Change a Flat Tire Guide
- Stop and park in a secure area.
- Your hazard lights should be on.
- Apply the wheel wedges and parking brake.
- Take off the wheel cover or hubcap.
- Take off the lug nuts.
- Leverage the Jack to raise your Toyota.
- Take off the lug nuts.
- Take the flat tire off.
In This Article...
How is a Toyota Avalon jacked up?
Model years of the Toyota Avalon: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018.
- Find the jack kit, the jack handle, and the lug nut wrench.
- Pre-Jack List: Actions to take prior to lifting a car.
- Position Jack: Put the jack handle together and place the jack beneath the jack points.
- Vehicle Lift: Lift the car securely using the jack.
FIND A SAFE LOCATION
Do not suddenly brake or turn when you first notice you have a flat tire. Slow down and look about for a straight, flat section of road with a wide shoulder. The best location would be a parking lot that was empty. It is advantageous to have level terrain since it will keep your car from rolling. Furthermore, straight sections of road are preferable to curves since they increase the likelihood that incoming vehicles will spot you.
Never try to replace a tire near oncoming traffic on a small shoulder. Move forward (slowly) until you reach a safer location. Although driving on a flat tire puts your rim at danger of damage, this is better than getting struck by an inattentive motorist.
Make sure to examine the precise instructions for changing a flat tire for your vehicle in your owner’s manual.
TURN ON YOUR HAZARD LIGHTS
Other drivers will be able to see you on the side of the road thanks to your hazard lights or flashers. They should be turned on as soon as you recognize you need to stop in order to prevent an accident.
APPLY WHEEL WEDGES
To make sure the car doesn’t slide while you patch the flat tire, wheel wedges are placed in front of or behind the tires. Put these in front of the front tires if you’re changing a rear tire. Put the wheel wedges behind the rear tires if the front tire is flat.
Real wheel wedges are not necessary; you can just use bricks or big stones. Simply make sure they are substantial enough to prevent the automobile from rolling.
REMOVE THE HUBCAP OR WHEEL COVER
It is simpler to take off the hubcap before raising the car with the jack if your car has one covering the lug nuts. You can move on to Step 6 if your lug nuts are visible.
To remove the hubcap, use the flat end of your lug wrench. Most automobiles can use this, but some hubcaps require a specialized tool to remove. For instructions on how to remove a hubcap or wheel cover properly, go to your owners manual.
LOOSEN THE LUG NUTS
Turn the lug nuts counterclockwise with the lug wrench until they lose their resistance. It’s okay if you have to use force. If required, use your foot or your entire body weight.
The lug nuts should be loosened by 1/4 to 1/2 turn, but not yet totally removed. Save that for when you need to take your tire or wheel off the car.
PLACE THE JACK UNDER THE VEHICLE
Under the car’s frame, next to the flat tire, is normally where the jack should be placed. A cleared piece of exposed metal on the bottom of many car frames is designated for the jack and is covered in molded plastic. Use the jack in accordance with the owner’s manual’s directions to properly lift the object without causing harm to the car.
RAISE THE VEHICLE WITH THE JACK
Before attempting to elevate your vehicle, lay a little cut of 2×6 wood beneath the jack to keep it from collapsing under the weight of your car and losing equilibrium. On asphalt, this strategy is very useful.
Lift the car with the jack in the right place until the flat tire is roughly six inches off the ground.
Never place any portion of your body under the car while it is being raised with the jack or later.
REMOVE THE FLAT TIRE
Pull the tire gently in your direction while holding it by the treads until it is totally free from the hub behind it. To prevent it from rolling away, position it on its side.
TIGHTEN THE LUG NUTS BY HAND
Reinstall the lug nuts on the lug bolts and manually tighten them all the way. Once they are all attached, double-check each one and tighten as much as you can. After lowering the car to the ground, you’ll use the wrench to tighten them.
LOWER THE VEHICLE AND TIGHTEN THE LUG NUTS AGAIN
Lower the car using the jack so that the spare tire is on the ground but that the tire isn’t bearing the entire weight of the car. Now, using the wrench and rotating in a clockwise direction, tighten the lug nuts as much as possible. Use your entire body weight to press down on the lug wrench.
LOWER THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY
Remove the jack and fully lower the car to the ground. To make sure the lug nuts are as snug as possible, give them one more tug with the wrench.
REPLACE THE HUBCAP
Put the hubcap you removed from the flat tire back on if it fits your spare tire after first removing it. If it won’t fit, store it with the tire when you store your equipment if it isn’t necessary.
STOW ALL EQUIPMENT
A jack, a lug wrench, wheel wedges, your flat tire, and perhaps a hubcap are the items you have in front of you. Before you go, remember to load them all into your car.
CHECK THE PRESSURE IN THE SPARE TIRE
To make sure the spare tire is secure for driving, you should check the tire pressure. Mini-spares, commonly known as T-Type temporary spares, need 60 psi (420 kPa). If the tire has to be inflated, proceed (slowly) to a gas station right away.
TAKE YOUR FLAT TIRE TO A TECHNICIAN
Driving long distances or at high speeds is not recommended with temporary spare tires, so proceed with caution until you can see a tire technician. If your tire needs to be repaired or needs to be replaced, a professional should be able to tell.
Drive carefully until you can contact a tire specialist because temporary spare tires aren’t designed to go long distances or at fast speeds. Whether your tire needs to be repaired or has to be replaced should be able to be determined by a professional.
- Locate a Secure Overpass to Pull Over.
- Inspect the materials.
- Your car should be raised off the ground.
- Remove the Tire and the Lug Nuts.
- Fix the spare tire to the vehicle.
- Switch out the lug nuts.
- Lower the car and start tightening.
What instrument do you use to remove a tire?
As you continue down the road, you feel a disturbance, hear a thump, and then a loud flapping sound. Wherever you heard the sound, your steering wheel starts to pull in that direction. Your tire just developed a flat. If you have never encountered this issue, you likely have a few questions. I need to fix a flat tire; what tools do I need? How can a flat tire be changed? We’ll be showing you how to achieve that today.
What do I need to change my tire?
Your car might occasionally have a secret compartment in the trunk that contains these supplies. If your car does not have the concealed compartment, you must get this. A spare tire, an impact wrench, a lug wrench or deep socket wrench that fits the lug nuts/bolts, and a jack are the four tools required to change a tire. Scissor jacks, bottle jacks, and bumper jacks are the three types of jacks that are available for purchase. Depending on the make, model, and year of your car, you might also require a wheel lock, extensions bars, and alignment studs.
There are several convenience gadgets you’ll want to buy even if this is all you truly need to change a tire. Professional mechanics advise having a flashlight, hand wipes, tarp or mat, plastic rain poncho, tire pressure gauge, tire blocks, road flares, or reflective triangles, and a piece of plywood on hand.
How challenging is tire changing on my own?
If your tires are already mounted to rims, you can change your own tires without assistance. Anyone can do anything; all it takes to develop the skill is the necessary information, practice, and confidence.
You can embrace the freedom of not having to hire mechanics to complete the work, along with all the scheduling, travel time to the garage, waiting around, delays, and hassles that come with it.
Additionally, if you know how to change a flat tire, you have the knowledge and abilities to perform the seasonal changeovers on your own (and we believe every driver should be comfortable changing a tire.) When it comes down to it, you really only need to jack up the car and replace the tires on your own, just like you would if you had a flat and were putting the spare on.
We’re here to make that chore manageable if it currently looks to be a difficult one. Your concerns will be allayed thanks to this Q&A.
Doesn’t the job require a professional?
The ability to change your own tires does not exempt you from having your car serviced on a regular basis. However, if you ever need to visit an auto shop, completing the tire replacement yourself will spare you the cost of hiring a mechanic to complete that specific task. They are only necessary for tasks like wheel balance and alignment that should be handled by a professional. It would be wise to have an alignment if you purchase brand-new tires. If your present tires are wearing unevenly, your alignment may be to blame.
But is it safe to do the actual tire change?
It is quite safe to change a passenger vehicle’s tire on your own if you have the proper equipment. The work isn’t very difficult or risky in and of itself. However, it does require lifting your car into the air. And here is where a little advance planning can really help.
Can the jacked car fall on top of you?
Never get beneath your automobile while it is being jacked; it is not required to do so when changing tires. If you adhere to the recommendations for jack placement in your vehicle owner’s manual, you can jack your automobile up safely. A cleared piece of exposed metal on the bottom of many car frames is designated for the jack and is covered in molded plastic. Before you remove the wheel, set a jack stand in a safe location on the vehicle’s frame.
If you decide to change your tires on pavement in the proper location, your jack will also function properly. That refers to harder asphalt, not concrete. Especially on a hot day when it gets softer, thin asphalt can actually allow a jack stand to sink into it.
Is it safe to drive afterwards? Will the wheels be tight enough?
A wheel cannot suddenly come off, so don’t be alarmed! Before anything more catastrophic occurs, you will hear loud pounding noises while driving if it is actually loose. You’ll have enough time to stop right away, inspect the wheel nuts, tighten them again, and determine if it fixes the issue.
Keep in mind to constantly tighten the wheel bolts in a crisscross fashion (our guide will show you how)
Regardless of whether you change your own tires or not, being able to tighten your wheels is a crucial skill. The wheel nuts will eventually loosen even if you have your tires replaced at a mechanic, which means the wheel is no longer as tightly fastened as it should be. This can be avoided by regularly using a torque wrench to tighten the wheel nuts. To ensure that the nuts are sufficiently tight, we suggest consulting the torque recommendations in your car’s owner’s manual before tightening.
Why go to the trouble having winter tires mounted on rims?
Whether they are pricey alloy rims or economical steel rims, winter tires need to be placed on a certain set of wheels. It only takes a few seasonal changes to practically pay for the rims, and if you replace your own tires, it pays off even faster. Many businesses charge $60 more to change unmounted tires than to swap tires on wheels.
Having winter tires on rims actually extends the life of your tires because each on/off cycle increases the danger of damage to the tires or even the rims themselves, saving you money on the expense of mounting and dismounting your tires twice a year and enabling you to change your tires yourself.
“Tire mounting and demounting twice a year puts a lot of stress on the tire, automotive professor David Weatherhead told the Globe and Mail. ” It stresses the rubber surrounding the tire’s bead, which can cause damage and, ultimately, tire deterioration and leaks, especially with lower-profile tires.
Ready to take the wheel?
All of your doubts will go as soon as you overcome your fear and take action. Simply following the instructions will make assembly Swedish bookcases easier than changing tires. Once you give it a try, you’ll never look back!
Although first mysterious, it can be solved. The correct equipment is essential. Our Tools You Need guide has further information.
When changing tires, should the automobile be in neutral?
If an issue were to arise with one of your car’s current tyres, you might find yourself needing to change a tire.
If you follow the correct technique while changing a tire, even if you’ve never done it before, you should be fine. You can learn more about what to do in our changing a tyre tutorial here.
Here, we’ll concentrate on common errors that a novice tire changer could make and explain why you should steer clear of them.
DON’T change a tyre at the side of the road
The greatest places to change tires are places that are far away from the road. You’d be better off calling a breakdown service if you discover that a tire suddenly requires replacing while travelling on the road and you can’t safely stop your car somewhere away from the road.
It is challenging to do a tire replacement right alongside the road because you need a decent bit of space to do so securely and properly. Not to mention that you would be unnecessarily endangering yourself and other road users. Another major no-no is changing tires on the hard shoulder of a highway.
DON’T change a tyre on loose or uneven ground
If you’re going to change a tire on your car, you should do it where the ground is level and smooth.
It’s not a good idea to try changing a tire on a gravelly or grassy surface because it’s harder to work on and there’s a chance that equipment, like the jack, could slip while being used.
DON’T have any passengers in the car
Imagine that you had to change a car tire on short notice and that you were able to locate a location that would be adequate for the task. Before you start changing the tire, make sure all of your passengers, including any animals, have exited the car. Make sure they travel somewhere safe that is not near a vehicle or a busy road.
A person moving around inside the vehicle while changing a tire adds extra weight that could be obstructive and will just make the task more difficult than it needs to be.
DON’T do any checks or work under your vehicle while it’s raised on a jack
To prepare your automobile for a tire replacement properly, you’ll need a car jack. However, using this tool to perform lengthy work below your car is not recommended.
Therefore, resist the urge to even glance below your car while changing a tire, even if there is something else about the automobile you want to inspect.
You need the proper tools to perform any type of maintenance on your automobile that involves spending time underneath it, or you can get it serviced. Working underneath your car is not secure enough with only a car jack.
DON’T use the jack anywhere you’re not supposed to
A car jack should only be used on particular parts of an automobile. When replacing a tire, you should position the jack at the suggested lifting point near the removed wheel.
If you don’t install the jack correctly, you risk damaging your car’s undercarriage and risk having an accident since the jack may not support the car securely. To determine the proper lifting points, see the owner’s manual for your car.
If you don’t have the owner’s manual handy for whatever reason, you can look for information online or get support from your automobile manufacturer’s customer care.
DON’T leave the car in neutral
It’s crucial to remember to leave the vehicle in the proper gear when changing a tire on a manual transmission vehicle. Naturally, you should turn off the engine before beginning the tire change. However, you should leave the gearstick in either first or reverse.
The handbrake only works on two wheels, often the rear wheels, which is why you want to do this. With the engine turned off, shifting into first or reverse causes the front wheels, which are typically the driven wheels, to lock.
If your vehicle has an automatic transmission, you may leave it in the “Park” or “P” position.