Knowing how to change a tire is a necessary skill for every driver. When relying on your phone for roadside emergencies, there's always the chance that you'll forget to charge it, keep it out of reach, or leave it at home. Flats can happen anywhere, and your phone is no substitute for knowing how to change a flat tire. Luckily, changing tires isn't that difficult. Please follow the guidelines below to prepare when you have an apartment.
These items must have come with the vehicle.
Jack, wheel wrench, fully inflated spare wheel, User manual. If you have lost any of these items or your vehicle did not come with these items, you will need to purchase new items immediately. Here are some items that don't come with your car but should be kept in your trunk or glove box if you need to replace a flat tire:
A working battery flashlight, a rain poncho, a small piece of wood to hold the jack in place, gloves and wheel chocks. Let’s repair it.
Find a safe place
Do not brake or make sharp turns as soon as you notice a puncture. Slow down and scan your surroundings for a flat, straight road with a wide shoulder. An empty parking lot is the ideal place. A flat surface is good as it prevents the vehicle from rolling over.
Turn on your hazard lights.
Hazard lights, or “turn signals,” help other drivers see you on the side of the road. To avoid accidents, turn on the power as soon as you realise you need to stop.
Engage the parking brake
When replacing a punctured tire, always use the parking brake after stopping. It minimises the chances of the vehicle rolling over.
Remove hubcaps or wheel covers
If your vehicle has hubcaps that cover the wheel nuts, it may be easier to remove the hubcaps before jacking up the vehicle. If the lug nuts are exposed, you can skip step 5. Use the flat end of a wheel wrench to remove the hubcap. It works on most vehicles, but some hubcaps require a separate tool to loosen. Please refer to the car manual properly, or you can watch a video.
Loosen the wheel nuts
Using a wheel wrench, turn the nut counterclockwise until there is no resistance. You may have to use force, but that's okay. Use your feet or your full body weight as needed.
Loosen the lug nut approximately ¼ to ½ turn, but do not remove it completely. Save it for when the tire/wheel is removed from the vehicle.
Place the jack under the vehicle
The correct location for the jack is usually under the vehicle frame next to the flat tire. Many vehicle frames have moulded plastic on the underside with an exposed metal exposed area dedicated to the jack.
Lift the vehicle with a jack
Place a piece of wood before jacking up the vehicle to prevent the jack from sinking or becoming unbalanced by the vehicle's weight. Remove the damage, put in a new tyre, tighten the nuts, place the hubcaps or wheel cover, and now you're good to go.
This step-by-step blog on how to change a tire in case of a flat tire is getting you all the info you need to change when this emergency occurs.
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