How to change car tire is a must for every driver or car owner. The plan to call for help or hailing other car owner doesn’t always turn out well. It is a plan that could keep you waiting on the side of the road for hours.
When you actually roll up your sleeves and do it yourself so as to save yourself the time and stress of hailing other cars. To change a car tire takes between 15 to 30minutes and you are back on the road. Safety regulators always stress that you have the necessary tools to undertake this procedure because it can occur at time and place.
Tools To Change a Car tire
Below are some tools to change the car tire.
- Hand gloves- Optional
- A wrench- Necessary
- Jack- Necessary
- Lubricant- Optional
Steps To Change Car Tire
Below are the steps to do it yourself.
Park In A Safe Location
When you realize you have a flat tire put on your safety lights and find a safe spot to park. Do not move too far or fast on the flat tire as it might affect your rims or cause greater harm. Slow down gradually to a stop. Further on the As soon. An empty parking or Level ground be ideal.
Draw Up the Hand Brake
This will further ensure that your car will not roll off while trying to change the car tire.
Apply Wedges
Wheel wedges are includes that are usually amongst the repair kits that come with the car. The wedge and the hand brake will ensure the car does not roll an inch during the process.
Note: if the flat tire is a rear tire then place the wedge behind the front tires. For a front flat tire, wedge the rear tires.
In the absence of a wedge, bricks or large stones will work just fine. They just need to be large enough to stop the car from rolling.
Loosen The Nuts
Using the lug wrench in the car kit, loosen the nuts holding the rim and the tire. Turn counterclockwise to loosen the nuts. There might be resistance at the beginning, feel free to use your entire body weight to loosen it.
When you want to change a car tire, it is advisable not to lose the nuts completely as it might create difficulty when losing the rest 4 or 5 nuts.
Set The Jack Under The Car
You can check the manual for the right place to fix the jack. Typically it is along the frame beneath the sedan cars. Ensure to set the jack on solid ground or platform that would not sink with the weight of the car.
Lift The Car With The Jack
Now that placing the car is settled, let’s go into steps to change the tire properly. Using the car jack the car up to about six inches above the ground or to a point where the tire is totally off the ground.
Note, do not put any part of your body under the car for safety reasons.
Unscrew The Nuts Completely
Now it’s time to unscrew the nuts completely. You can do this with your hand since you have previously done much of the work.
Lift The Tire Out
Now lift the tire out from the nuts that suspend it and place it asides. Ensure to safeguard the nuts as they are important and re-usable.
Time To Change The Car Tire
Now lift and place the tire in the space where you just lifted out the bad tire. Rid the nut of sand and water and if possible apply lubricating oil.
Then holding the tire in place, put the nuts behind the rims.
Tighten The Nuts By Hand
If the nuts are oiled this should be relatively easy. Tighten the nuts one after the other to a point. Do not worry if you can not tighten it like you want at this point.
Congrats, you have just changed your car tire yourself.
Lower The Jack
Now lower the jack to let the tire touch the ground slightly to get some needed friction. Pick up the wrench and tighten the nuts very well with the full weight of your body.
It is necessary to do this else you might have your tire running off while you drive. Turning clockwise, as much as you can.
Lower The Jack Completely
Yeah, the final stage you need to change the car tire. lower the car completely and take the jack from underneath the car.
Re-tighten the nuts to final confirmation.
Replace Wheel Cover.
There you go you have completely change the car tire between 15-30minutes. In the same way, replace your wheel cover if you have one.
Check the pressure on the spare tire to ascertain if you need to pump it up
Put Your Equipment Away
Now you are done, ensure to put all your equipment away back in the trunk before driving off. Keep the flat tire as a technician can make the tire reusable again.
The whole process would take an expert about 15minutes while a first-timer will do this in a max 30 minutes. It is a total DIY skill.
