Tire flat and stuck? Here are the 10 steps to changing a tire.
- Locate a Secure Overpass to Pull Over.
- Inspect the materials.
- Take off the lug nuts.
- 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.
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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 needs 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.
What doughnut spare tire is it?
Temporary backup
This tire, which is smaller than the conventional tires on your car, is also known as a “donut.” Driving on a donut will result in a noticeable performance difference as opposed to the full size spares.
Which five steps are involved in changing a flat tire?
FIVE STEPS FOR CHANGING A FLAT TIRE
- Step 1: Find safety. You must stop or locate a location away from the busy road before you step out of your car.
- Step 2: Collect Your Tools.
- Third Step: Loosen and Lift
- Step 4: Replace the Tire
- The fifth step is to lower and tighten.
How do lug nuts unwind?
- Locate a secure location to stop. The safest course of action is to exit the roadway, even if it means continuing to drive on a flat tire. If not, yank as far onto the shoulder as you can.
- Avoid parking in the center of a curve where oncoming traffic cannot see you.
- Pick a flat area; jacking up your automobile on a hill can go horribly wrong.
- If your vehicle has a manual transmission, keep it in drive.
- Don’t forget to engage your parking brake!
- Your hazard lights should be on.
- Bring the jack, the wrench, and the spare tire over to the flat tire from the car’s trunk. Use additional equipment or supplies as necessary.
- To remove the lug nuts, use the wrench.
- The hubcap might need to be taken off. At this point, only loosen the lug nuts by rotating the wrench to the left rather than removing them (counter-clockwise).
- Try putting the wrench on the nut and standing on the arm of the wrench to put your entire weight on it if the lug nuts are extremely tight.
- You might also try hammering a rock against the wrench arm.
How difficult is it to replace a tire?
Actually, changing a tire requires quite a bit of physical effort. The lug nuts must be removed, the jack must be turned, and then the tire must be raised by bending over. People frequently attempt to complete all of this in a rush to get moving, but it is a mistake.