It is really annoying if out of sudden your car tires go flat when you are on your way to work and it is already late or when you are heading some place urgently. Though you may carry a spare in your boot, it is really tiresome and dangerous at times to alight from your vehicle and change it. A dark place without streetlamps is one place where you do not want to be alone when the tire runs flat, especially if you are a girl. But it is not hard if you follow these tips on how to change a car tires.
Do not panic when your tire go bust. Hold the steering wheel firmly and steer the car towards a safe location, away from moving vehicles. Do not accelerate as this might damage your tires side wall. Instead, just allow your vehicle to roll until it comes to a complete standstill.
Activate the hazard lamps to enable other road users to notice your vehicle. By doing so, it may prompt kind Samaritans to stop by to offer a helping hand. Then, turn off the engine.
Ensure that your gear is shifted in park mode for automatic transmission and your handbrakes pulled properly. You would not want your vehicle to suddenly roll away while you work on your tire at any time. It is best to stick a solid object like a rock or a piece of wood between your other front and rear tires and the road, just to keep the car stationery.
Take out spare tire (TyreShopper has great cheap ones), jack and wrench from your boot. Proceed to remove your hub cab if your car has one. Then, loosen all four nuts which are holding the rims but do not remove them completely. It will be easier removing the tire when the car is being jacked up.
Look for the jack point beneath your undercarriage. It is normally located on the chassis. Remember to mount the jack directed beneath the jack point so as to not damage other component caused by the car’s weight. Jack the car until the tire is lifted from the ground so that you will have enough space to take the old one out and install the spare. Take out the nuts and put them in a safe place so that they are not misplaced.
Take out the old tire from the stud and install the spare. Now you can install all nuts and tighten them so that they do not fall off. Lower the car to the ground and retract the jack from underneath the car. Replace the rim hub to original position and you are good to go.
By following these simple tips, you can save a lot of hassle when your tire runs flat.
