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.
In This Article...
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.
How are the front wheels jacked up?
Under the jack point that is placed close to the front tire, place a jack stand. Downshift the automobile. On the opposite side, repeat. Right now, you have both of the front wheels raised (on jack stands) and both of the rear wheels down.
Before jacking up the automobile, should I loosen the lug nuts?
Although changing a flat tire isn’t difficult, there are a few things you should know to ensure that the spare tire is installed correctly so that you can go to the tire shop without incident. Watch this Les Schwab Quick Tips video to learn how to do it by following along as we walk you through each step. We discuss:
- What to do before pulling out the tools.
- how to locate your car’s ideal jacking point.
- how much lug nuts should be loosened before lifting the automobile.
- how to properly install the spare tire.
- the right way to tighten lug nuts.
How to Change a Tire
- security first. Maintain a safe distance from oncoming traffic, put your car in park, engage the parking brake, and turn on your warning lights. It is preferable to ask for roadside help if you are unsure that you can avoid danger.
- Consult the owner’s manual. It should have directions for changing tires, including where the jacking point is.
- Bring out your spares and tools. Typically, they are kept in a compartment in the trunk. The jack should provide usage instructions as well.
- Make sure the jack is set up correctly. Ensure it is positioned correctly in the vehicle’s jacking point and is facing the right direction.
- Before jacking, loosen lug nuts by roughly a quarter turn.
- The car should be jacked up high enough so that the tire is off the ground.
- The lug nuts should be taken off and placed so they won’t roll away.
- Pull the flat tire off and place it behind the jack underneath your car, or if it’s too broad, try another position under the car. This is crucial in the event that the car slips off the jack.
- Make sure the valve stem is facing you as you install the spare.
- Hand-tighten the lug nuts while reinstalling them.
- Once the tire is in touch with the ground and partially loaded, lower the jack.
- To ensure that the wheel is properly installed, tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern rather than a circle pattern. This ensures that the wheel is straight and won’t pop into place while you’re driving, allowing some of the bolts to become loose and the vehicle to wobble, or worse, the nuts to break and the wheel to come off.
- The car should now be lowered all the way. You’re prepared to make a cautious trip to the nearest tire shop to get your regular tire changed or repaired.
Spares should only be driven for brief distances and at low speeds. Your spare tire’s speed rating can be lower than that of your primary tires. Have a tire specialist inspect your spare at the shop so that it is in working order for the next time you need it.
Where do jack stands belong?
The lifting point must be immediately beneath the jack stands. Every jack point ought to have ample space for the stand’s grasp. A correctly rated jack stand will support the weight of the automobile as long as the stand is flat when the hydraulic pressure from the floor jack is released. If the jack is inclined or the weight of the car doesn’t come down flush on top of the stand, issues arise. Once you are certain that the car is firmly placed against the stand, only fully lower the hydraulic jack. The stand shouldn’t move at all.
Is it possible to lift a car by the differential?
The phrases “certainly” and “probably” are very different since we are a maker of vehicle lifts and floor jacks, and we have seen just about everything there is to see go right and wrong in auto shops over the previous 50 years. This year, millions of people will jack up their cars by the differential, yet very few of them will ever cause damage to their car through carelessness or a faulty component. To some people out there, that might not mean much, but to us, it means everything. So here is our position on the subject: Unless the manufacturer specifically advises it, never jack up your car by the differential. It doesn’t matter what your neighbor thinks or what you observed the tire shop workers performing without a hitch while moving at breakneck pace.
We produce a variety of lifting equipment at BendPak, and we’ve seen what may happen when safety procedures aren’t followed. If you lift a truck on a two-post lift without employing frame cradle cushions, for example, you could find yourself on a one-way journey to Lawsuit City, population you. It only takes one instance of using the wrong lifting equipment. Place your jack stands suitably and as close to the jacking point as you can after applying lifting force with a floor jack at the OEM-recommended places. Additionally, always set up jack stands before working.
Can a car be jacked from the front?
Consult a service handbook to find the suggested lift points and support locations for your particular vehicle before learning how to jack up your truck properly. Repair guides are typically offered online or at auto parts retailers.
- Engage the parking brake and block the back wheels before you start the jacking procedure to stop unwanted movement.
- You should begin lifting the car up from the front. Trucks with four-wheel drive can have their front ends elevated by setting the jack under the differential.
- A helpful hint is to position the jack for two-wheel-drive trucks underneath the engine’s jacking pad.
How is a car’s suspension lifted?
There are numerous ways you can modify your car to make it more suitable for rocky, uneven off-roading trails. In addition to installing body armor and a winch kit, raising your vehicle’s ground clearance can significantly improve your off-roading experience by giving the vehicle more space to absorb road shocks and preventing the underside from rubbing against objects.
Depending on the problems you want to overcome, the ground clearance of an off-road vehicle should ideally be between 8.8 inches and 10.8 inches or higher. Consider using these practical techniques to raise your vehicle’s ground clearance if it is a little lower than you would like.
Without a lift kit, how can I lift my car?
Additional clearance is always better! Let’s discuss some alternatives to elevating your car by up to six inches without a lift kit.
Using add-a-leaves is one method for larger vehicles and trucks. Your suspension coil springs’ height will rise as a result, and you could gain up to three inches of height as a result. Additionally, installing is a rather simple process.
Another choice for boosting height is coil-spring rigs. They are inexpensive and resemble the add-a-leaves used on truck and larger vehicle suspensions. The suspension coil and pressure canister are separated by these spacers. They might also make things easier than they are currently. However, they only add a maximum of two inches of extra clearance in height.
In light of this, exercise caution while making any alterations to your car, and have any work you don’t feel confident handling yourself, done by a professional. With Jerry, you can find additional security. For as low as $4.16 a month, you can join Jerry’s roadside help membership and get access to the best roadside service in the business.
How powerful must you be to raise a car?
Despite how fascinating these testimonies are, scientists only have a rough idea of what exactly might be causing hysterical strength. In the end, the unplanned, life-or-death circumstances that seem to unleash it do not lend itself to careful study.
According to E Paul Zehr, a professor of neurology and kinesiology at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada, “you really can’t design an experiment to accomplish this in a lab and make people think they’re going to die.” “Something has to occur by accident,”
The physiological and psychological aspects of hysterical strength, however, have been the subject of various lines of investigation, particularly on sportsmen. Robert Girandola, an associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Southern California, asserts that “clearly, we have it in us.” No mystical force is responsible for that strength, she said.
Let’s establish a crucial fact concerning hysterical strength before moving on: the amounts of mass that are frequently stated to have been involved in the occurrences are lower than reported.
Consider the classic car-lifting instance. A person with hysterical strength is thought to have lifted at least 3000 pounds, which is the approximate weight of a mass-produced, non-truck passenger vehicle (or roughly a tonne and a half). This form of lift is essentially a “dead lift,” when someone squats down and then raises an object entirely off the ground, such a barbell with a lot of weights on it.