Changing a flat tyre is one of the most important things a driver should know, especially if you are preparing to travel on a long journey and while you are away from any garages. Many people can fall back on what roadside coverage they have in the hope that a recovery vehicle can come and collect them in a short period of time, but what if are miles away from civilisation and you are stranded? Fortunately, knowing how to change a tyre is not hard to master and it’s actually quite simple if you follow the right steps and you have the necessary equipment.
For starters, you are going to need the correct equipment to change a tyre and this would usually consist of the following:
· Ideally, you would have a spare tyre in the car
· In order for you to change the tyre you will need a tyre iron that matches the lug nuts on your wheels. This will then enable you to attach and undo the lugs that are holding the wheel in place
· A must-have item is a jack, because without one you would be unable to remove the tyre and it is very unlikely that you would be able to lift a car by yourself and then attach a wheel
You need to start by placing the jack under the car (just behind the wheel which you need to work on) and begin to lift the car. If you don’t do this you will have a difficult time trying to remove the damaged tyre and you will be stranded, so make sure you get this part correct. Make sure that the jack is placed under a solid section of the car otherwise it could fall and result in an accident or cause damage to your car – instructions for this will be in your drivers manual.
Once the car is lifted a few inches off the ground you will then be able to remove the wheel with relative ease. As soon as you have done this, place the new tyre in place until it is dead centre and you are comfortable with the positioning, before attaching the lugs back on to give it a secure fit. A useful tip to remember when putting lugs back on is that you should attach them adjacently to the previous lug you have used, because it will ensure that the tyre isn’t off balance and is fully secured. After the wheel is on, you can then proceed to tighten the nuts fully to guarantee it is correctly attached and safe, then once this is done you can lower the car and remove the jack and you are all set to go.