CHANGING A FLAT TIRE

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Take out the spare tire and the jack. Place the jack under the frame near the tire that you are going to change. Ensure that the jack is in contact with the metal portion of your car's frame Many cars have molded plastic along the bottom. If you don't place the jack in the right spot, it will crack the plastic when you start lifting. If you're not sure about the right place to put the jack, read your owner's manual. For most modern uni-body cars, there is a small notch or mark just behind the front wheel wells, or in front of the rear wheel wells where the jack is intended to be placed.

For most trucks or older cars that have a frame, look to place the jack on one of the beams of the frame just behind the front tire or in front of the rear tire. Raise the jack until it is supporting the car. Raise the jack until it is supporting but not lifting the car. The jack should be firmly in place against the underside of the vehicle.

Check to make sure that the jack is perpendicular to the ground. Remove the hubcap and loosen. Remove the hubcap and loosen the nuts by turning counterclockwise. Don't take them all the way off; just break the resistance.

Tools You Need to Change a Tire

By keeping the wheel on the ground when you first loosen the nuts, you'll make sure that you're turning the nuts instead of the wheel. Use the wrench that came with your car or a standard cross wrench. Your wrench may have different sizes of openings on different ends. A correctly-sized wrench will slip easily over the nut, but will not rattle.

Try to prepare for any unforeseen tire changes by keeping the exact socket size for your lug nuts as well as a breaker bar handy in the trunk. It can take quite a lot of force to break your lug nuts free. If all else fails, you can use your body weight or stomp on the wrench be absolutely certain you are turning it the correct way - counterclockwise. However, using your body weight or stomping means you run the risk of stripping the lug nuts, as it is difficult to maintain full contact.

Pump or crank the jack to lift the tire off the ground. You need to lift it high enough to remove the flat tire and replace it with a spare.

Shop for Tires

As you lift, make sure that the car is stable. If you notice any instability, lower the jack and fix the problem before fully lifting the car. If you notice the jack lifting at an angle or leaning, lower and reposition it so that it can lift straight up. It is always a good idea to keep a small jack stand handy in the vehicle as well, in case the jack gives out during the tire change. Using both the small jack and the normal jack will keep you safe in the event of a jack failure. Remove the nuts the rest of the way.

Turn them counterclockwise until they are loose. Repeat with all lug nuts, then remove the nuts completely.

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Although rare, some vehicles actually have reverse threaded lug nuts. These are usually much older cars from Chrysler and GM. Place the flat tire under the vehicle so in the event of a jack failure the vehicle will fall on the old wheel, hopefully preventing injury.

If the jack is placed on a flat, solid base, you shouldn't have any problems. The tire might stick due to rust. You could try hitting the inside half of the tire with a rubber mallet to loosen the tire, or use the spare tire to hit the outside half. Place the spare tire on the hub.

How to Change Tires: 5-Step Guide to Survive a Flat Tire

Take care to align the rim of the spare tire with the wheel bolts, then put on the lug nuts. Be sure to install the spare tire the correct way and not backwards. The valve stem of a doughnut tire should face outwards, away from the vehicle. If your vehicle uses acorn-style lug nuts, it is easy to put those on backwards as well. Be sure the tapered part of the nut faces the wheel when tightening it down. Tighten the nuts by hand until they are all snug.

They should turn easily at first. Using the wrench, tighten the nuts as much as possible using a star pattern. To ensure the tire is balanced, don't completely tighten the nuts one at a time. Going in a star pattern around the tire, one nut across from another, give each nut a full turn until they are equally tight.

Avoid using so much force that you risk upsetting the jack. You will tighten the lug nuts again once the car is down and there is no risk of it falling. Lower the car without. Lower the car without applying full weight on the tire. Tighten the nuts as much as possible. Finish tightening the nuts and replace the hubcap. Lower the car to the ground fully and remove the jack. Put the old tire in your trunk and. Put the old tire in your trunk and take it to a mechanic. Once stopped, always use the parking brake when preparing to replace a flat tire.

This will minimize the possibility of your vehicle rolling. If your flat tire is at the front, put the wheel wedges behind the rear tires. If your lug nuts are exposed, you can skip ahead to Step 6. Use the flat end of your lug wrench to remove the hubcap. This will work for most vehicles, but some hubcaps need a different tool to come off. Using the lug wrench, turn the lug nuts counterclockwise until you break their resistance. Use your foot or all of your body weight if necessary. Many vehicle frames have molded plastic on the bottom with a cleared area of exposed metal specifically for the jack.

This tactic is especially helpful on asphalt. With the jack properly positioned, raise the vehicle until the flat tire is about six inches above the ground. Never put any part of your body under the vehicle during or after raising the vehicle with the jack. Since you've already loosened them, you should be able to unscrew them mostly by hand.

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 lug nuts back on the lug bolts and tighten them all the way by hand. Once they are all on, check each one again, tightening as much as possible.

How To Change a Tire

You will tighten them with the wrench after lowering the vehicle to the ground. At this point, you should tighten the lug nuts with the wrench, turning clockwise, as much as you can. Push down on the lug wrench with the full weight of your body. Bring the vehicle all the way to the ground and remove the jack. If the hubcap you took from the flat tire will fit your spare, put it in place the same way you removed it initially. You have before you a jack, a lug wrench, wheel wedges, your flat tire, and possibly a hubcap. You should check the tire pressure of the spare tire to make sure that it is safe to drive on.

If the tire needs pressure, drive slowly to a service station immediately. Once you have tightened the lug nuts by hand, use the lug wrench to make sure each lug nut is secure. Finally, lower the vehicle off of the jack by turning the handle in a counter clockwise fashion. Remove the jack once the spare tire is securely on the ground.

After the jack is removed, use the lug wrench to tighten the lug nuts on the spare tire to ensure that it is secure enough to be drivable. After the spare is completely installed, place the jack, lug wrench, hub cap, and flat tire back into the trunk of your vehicle. Drive carefully when your spare tire is being used!

Get your flat tire repaired and reinstalled as soon as possible. Updated July 10, How To Change Tires 1. How would you rate your driving? Take a free quiz. Automobile insurance and routine maintenance are no brainers when it comes to protecting your ride.

Find a Safe Spot

However, these means of protection are not immediately helpful when the unexpected happens. Each of the 5 tools Most cars have plenty of room to store a few small items that will make an unpredicted emergency less stressful.

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