A flat tire typically shows up unexpectedly and catapults itself onto the top of your priority list. A flat tire can happen to anyone at any time. It doesn’t matter if you were already running late or if you’re wearing a cocktail dress. Regardless of your situation, the basic mechanics of changing a tire are the same whether you’re working with a car, truck, van, or SUV. Below, I’ve broken down how to change a tire in 15 simple steps.
Once you realize you have a flat tire, do not brake or turn abruptly. Slowly reduce your speed and scan your surroundings for a flat, straight stretch of road with a broad shoulder. An empty parking lot would be an ideal place.
Level ground is good because it will prevent your vehicle from rolling. Straight stretches of road are also better than curves, as oncoming traffic is more likely to see you.
Never try to change your tire on a narrow shoulder near oncoming traffic. Move (slowly) until you find a safer place. While riding on a plane there is a risk of damaging your rim. Replacing a rim is better than being hit by an inattentive driver.
Be sure to read the owner’s manual and read the specific steps for changing a flat tire for your vehicle.
Use your hazard lights and parking brake to keep yourself and your vehicle safe by increasing your visibility and decreasing the vehicle’s ability to roll.
Once stopped, always use the parking brake when preparing to replace a flat tire. This will minimize the possibility of your vehicle rolling.
Wheel wedges are located in front of or behind the tires to ensure the vehicle does not roll while you repair the flat tire. When changing a rear tire, place it in front of the front tire. If your flat tire is in the front, place the wheel chocks behind the rear tires.
Bricks or large stones work just as well as “real” wheel wedges. Just make sure they are big enough to keep the car from rolling.
If your vehicle has a hubcap that covers the wheel nuts, it’s easier to remove the hubcap before jacking the vehicle up.
Use the flat end of your wrench to remove the hubcap. This works for most vehicles, but some hubcaps require a different tool to loosen. Refer to the owner’s manual for information on how to properly remove the hubcap or hubcap.
Use the wheel wrench to turn the wheel nuts counterclockwise until you break their resistance. You may have to use force, and that’s fine. Use your foot or all of your body weight if necessary.
Loosen the wheel nuts about a quarter to a half turn, but do not remove them completely yet. Keep this if you want to remove your tire/wheel from the vehicle.
The correct place for the jack is usually under the vehicle frame next to the flat tire. Many vehicle frames have molded plastic at the bottom with a free area of exposed metal, especially for the jack. To raise the vehicle safely and avoid damage to the vehicle, follow the jack placement instructions in your vehicle’s owner’s manual.
To prevent the jack from settling and becoming unbalanced under the weight of your vehicle, place a small 2 x 6 inch cut of wood under it before attempting to raise your vehicle. This tactic is particularly useful on asphalt.
With the jack in the correct position, raise the vehicle until the flat tire is about six inches off the ground.
Never place any part of your body under the vehicle during or after lifting the vehicle with the jack.
Now it’s time to remove the lug nuts all the way. Since you’ve already loosened them, you should be able to unscrew them mostly by hand.
Gripping the tire by the treads, pull it gently toward you until it’s completely free from the hub behind it. Set it on its side so that it doesn’t roll away.
Now place the spare on the hub by lining up the rim with the lug bolts. Push gently until the lug bolts show through the rim.
Put the wheel nuts back on the wheel bolts and hand tighten. Once all of them are on, double-check and tighten as much as you can. You will tighten them with the wrench after lowering the vehicle to the ground.
Using the jack, slowly lower your vehicle until your spare tire starts touching the ground. This holds the tire in place as you begin tightening the lug nuts. Tighten the lug nuts in increments, alternating every-other nut. For example, if you assign a number to each lug nut, tighten in this order: 1, 3, 5, 2, 4, 1, 3, 5, 2, 4, and repeat. This way you’ll keep the tire on straight.
Once the lug nuts feel equally tight, completely lower your vehicle to the ground. Once grounded, you may be able to tighten the lug nuts a little bit further. Continue your tightening in the same incremental order until they no longer budge.
If the hubcap you took from the flat tire will fit your spare, put it in place the same way you removed it initially. If it doesn’t fit, stow it away with the tire when you stow your equipment.
You have before you a jack, a lug wrench, wheel wedges, your flat tire, and possibly a hubcap. Don’t forget to put all of them in your vehicle before driving away.
You should check the tire pressure of the spare tire to make sure that it is safe to drive on. “T-Type” temporary spares, also called “mini-spares,” require 60 psi (420 kPa). If the tire needs pressure, drive (slowly) to a service station immediately.
Related Article: What is TIre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)?
Temporary spare tires aren’t made to drive long distances or at high speeds, so drive cautiously until you’re able to visit a tire technician. A professional should be able to determine whether your tire needs a repair or if it’s time to replace it.
Aside from taking your tire to a professional, the above procedure shouldn’t take more than 15 to 30 minutes to change a tire. Just be sure you don’t leave out any steps.
It’s beneficial to practice changing a tire in your garage or driveway to ensure you’re ready to handle this situation if it ever happens to you.
Knowing how to fix a flat tire is great, but regular tire maintenance is even more important. In addition to reviewing this guide regularly, remember to do the following:
All of these precautions will extend the life of your tires and reduce the likelihood of a flat. While there’s no way to prevent flat tires completely, proper care can improve performance and ensure your tires last as long as possible.
Related Article: How to fix Flat Tire?- In 7 Steps
How to Change Tires:
here’s How to Change a Tire in 10 steps
Changing tires doesn’t have to mean a trip to the garage. It’s easier than you think. Changing your own tires is a job you can handle yourself if you already have rims attached to your tires. Anyone can do it, it just takes knowledge, practice and confidence to build the skill.
Generally speaking, though, changing a tire is relatively straightforward. If you’re a handy person and you can use the most common car repair tools, you’ll be able to complete the task by yourself. It shouldn’t take any longer than 15 to 30 minutes.
Typically, when you’re faced with replacing only one tire, it’s the result of an unrepairable situation such as a flat or a blow-out. Unfortunately, not all tires are repairable or worth saving. Replacing only one tire mostly depends on how much tread is remaining on the opposite tire on the same axle.
Wheel wedges will also help prevent rolling. If you don’t have wheel wedges, bricks or large stones will do the trick. If you’re changing a rear tire, place the wedges before the front tires. If you’re changing a front tire, set the wedges behind the rear tires.
Be careful when driving your vehicle with a spare tire. It is not designed for long-lasting wear, so take it to a garage or mechanic as soon as possible! If you follow these few steps, you can easily change the tire on your car. You don’t need to be a mechanic or have super strength – just the right tools!
If you don’t have run-flat tires on your vehicle, you should not drive on a flat tire, not even a short distance. A flat tire makes it difficult to handle the vehicle and this could result in an accident. In a matter of seconds, driving on a flat tire could damage it beyond repair and it will have to be replaced.
Related Article: How To run Flat Tire?
Tools to Change a Tire
If you are looking to replace all-wheel-drive tires, we recommend replacing all four at once. While it may be tempting to replace only two at a time, mixing new and worn tires can create a size difference from front to back, which can lead to damage to your vehicle.
An empty parking lot would be an ideal place. Level ground is good because it will prevent your vehicle from rolling. Also, straight stretches of road are better than curves because oncoming traffic is more likely to see you. Never attempt to change your tire on a narrow shoulder near oncoming traffic.
Changing tires doesn’t have to mean a trip to the garage. It’s easier than you think. Changing your own tires is a job you can handle yourself if you already have rims attached to your tires. Anyone can do it, it just takes knowledge, practice, and confidence to build the skill.
How To Change A Flat Tire In Five Steps:
No. Do not drive on a flat tire. However, it may be necessary to travel a short distance on a flat tire when pulling over to the side of the road. But driving on a flat tire is a surefire way to put your passengers at risk and seriously damage your vehicle.
The tire replacement cost of a single standard tire is about $50-$200, depending on brand and quality. SUVs and other large vehicles can rise to around $350. Large trucks, such as pick-ups, usually cost about the same. Generally, it’s a good idea to replace all your tires at once.
Flat tires aren’t always caused by a hole in the rubber. Instead, a malfunction or leak in the valve stem can be the culprit. The valve stem is the part of the tire that you unscrew when adding air. Any damage or even dirt on this small piece could cause your tire to lose air until it’s completely flat.
In the event of full pressure loss, limited mobility (no sudden driving maneuver) it is possible to drive for a distance of 50 miles, at a maximum speed of 50 miles per hour. The run-flat distance will be influenced by driving style, speed, type of road, weather conditions, tire condition, and vehicle load.
DON’T leave the car in neutral. You’ll obviously want to leave the engine off before you start the tire change, but the gearstick should be left in either first or reverse gear. The reason you want to do this is that the handbrake only operates on two wheels, usually the rear wheels to be exact.
Still, the recommendation for checking tire pressure is still once a month. A good rule of thumb to remember is that your tires lose about one PSI every month after you fill them, so checking every month can help you to ensure that they are always inflated to the proper pressure.
A tire can be easily deflated without slashing it. Car tires have valves located in them that control the airflow in and out of the tire. Use a car valve tool or long needle-nose pliers to twist and open the valve stem. Once the stem is removed, you will hear and feel the air rushing out from the tire.
