How to Change a Flat Tire on a Car
If you've been driving long enough, you will eventually experience a flat tire. While there is nothing fun about changing a flat, knowing how to do this task will put your mind at ease when it does eventually happen. You will also have the ability to help others who are stranded, if you so desire.
Below are the basic steps to changing a flat tire.
Assess the flat tire. If your car drives strangely, you may have a flat. Pull over to a level and safe location to assess the situation. Don't drive too far; you can damage a flat tire. If you can't find such a location, call for help. Put on the emergency brake and emergency lights. Get your passengers out of the car to a safe place
Open your trunk. Remove anything blocking your spare and your tools. The spare is held in place by a bolt and a large wing nut. Use a tool to remove it.
Check the spare tire. A full-size tire must be inflated. Emergency tires come with a can of compressed air. If your spare is flat and can't be inflated, call for help. Place your spare next to the flat tire.
The jack has a stand, a post with notches on its sides, and a lifting device. Set the stand on the ground and put the post into the stand. Fit the lifting device onto the post so that its handle points downwards. Practice moving the lifting device up and down the post by rocking its handle up and down. Opposite the handle, a piece of solid metal protrudes away from the post. It will fit either into a hollow metal post on the side of the car or into a spot on the underside of the car, near the flat tire. Move the jack into a lifting position by raising and lowering the handle and adjusting the location of the stand.
The tire iron has a flat pointed end, a bent arm, and a wrench end. Pry the hub cap off the flat tire with the pointed end. Use the wrench end to loosen the nuts that hold the tire on.
Stick the pointed end of the tire iron into the jack handle, and move it up and down to raise the lifting device on the jack and raise the flat tire about a hand's width off the ground. Use the tire iron to remove the nuts from the flat tire. Remove the flat tire and put on the spare.
Tighten all the nuts firmly by hand. Now use the tire iron to tighten the nuts a little bit at a time on opposite sides of each other to evenly and tightly attach them.
Follow the directions on the can to inflate an emergency tire. Put the hub cap on, or just put it into the trunk. Put the tire iron back into the jack handle to lower the car. Once down, remove and dissemble the jack. Put everything back and you are ready to go.
Though you might think the task of changing a flat tire is beyond your abilities, there isn't any reason why you can't get it done by following this list of steps. The next time you find yourself with a flat, you won't have to call the automobile company and ask for a tow.