Changing a tire is the most basic of roadside repairs. If you’re on the road and realize you have a flat, it’s best to change it as soon as possible. If you’re unsure how to do this, don’t worry; it’s not as hard as it looks.
Here are steps for changing a tire:
Before you begin, gather your tools and ensure you have everything you need. You will need a jack, a lug wrench, gloves, and a tire iron. You should also wear safety glasses, closed-toed shoes, and long pants.
Jack up the car on the side of the flat tire using your car’s jack. Please put on your gloves, remove the hubcap or wheel cover and place it safely to one side. Loosen each lug nut by hand or with an impact wrench if necessary. Raise the jack until its top is level, with the bottom edge of the flat tire’s rim not in contact with any other part of your car. Remove all five lug nuts completely using your tire iron or ratchet wrench. The latter is faster. If necessary, use a hammer to tap on each one until they come free from their grooves.
Take off the tire and put on the spare
Now take off the flat tire and put on the spare by placing it on top of the hubcap or wheel hub and then unlocking it using your lug wrench until you hear it click into place. Tighten each nut by hand until they are tight enough to securely secure the spare tire onto your vehicle, but not too tight, as this can cause damage to other parts of your vehicle, such as suspension or steering components.
Lower and tighten the new tire
Put all of your equipment back in the trunk. Lower the jack until it touches the ground, then remove the jack from under your car. Put on the lug nuts on each wheel as tightly as possible by hand. Then lower your car off of its jack stand with another person helping you if possible so that both wheels are touching the solid ground again.
Drive your car very slowly back onto its wheels
Once both wheels are back on solid ground again, drive slowly forward until your car is completely back up onto its wheels without help from an outside source like a tow truck.
It is worth learning how to make a simple repair on your car in an emergency.
Learning how to change a tire is a good idea for many reasons. It saves you money, keeps you from having to call for roadside assistance, and helps ensure that nothing goes wrong on the road. You never know when an accident will happen; in this case, it’s better to be prepared than not. If you need to change your tire, it can be done with some practice and patience.