How to Change A Flat Tire?
Imagine the scenario – you’re in your best dress or suit, raring to go to a job interview. You go into the driveway, get into your car and start to drive. After 5 minutes – POP! The car shudders; you pull over and realize you have a flat tire.
What do you do?
If you have a spare in your trunk, first of all congratulations! The good news is that, by following our step-by-step guide and with the use of a couple simple tools, you can have that flat tire changed in no time.
- Park off the road onto a surface that is level. Make sure you are far from traffic
- Turn on your hazard lights
- Put on the parking brake
- For Automatic transmission, put gearshift in P (Park), or R (Reverse) for manual transmission
- Turn off the engine
- Block the front and back part of the wheel that is located diagonally opposite to the flat. This will help keep your vehicle from rolling
- Get ready your spare tire, jack and lug wrench
- Pry off the hub cab/center ornament with the tapered end of the lug wrench.
- Turn each wheel lug nut one-half of a turn counterclockwise – this will loosen them. Do not remove them totally until the wheel is raised off the ground
- Firmly place the spare tire on the wheel hub. Ensure that the nozzle you put air into (valve stem) is facing outwards
- Replace the lug nuts until the wheel is snugly secured against the hub. Don’t fully tighten the lug nuts until the wheel has been lowered
- Lower the wheel by turning the jack handle counterclockwise
- Take away the jack and fully tighten the lug nuts by starting at the top of the tire and alternately tightening every other nut until they are all fully tightened
- Put away your tools and the flat tire
- Unblock the wheels
- Stop by The Auto Towing as soon as you can to replace that spare tire!
