Knowing how to replace a tire is a must-have skill for all drivers. If you rely on Car Servicing Near Me or a mobile phone to save you in an emergency on the road, there’s always the risk that you’ll forget to charge it, that it’ll be out of range, or that you’ll leave it at home.
Flat tires may happen anytime, and learning how to repair a flat tire is not something you can learn instantly.
Thankfully, changing a car tire isn’t difficult; all you have to do is follow the steps below to prepare for a flat tire along the way.
Pullover to a safe spot
If you can’t spot Car Servicing Near Me, you can drive your car to a safe location where you can finish the repair. If feasible, put your car in a parking area away from the traffic. Pullover to the side as far as possible if you’re on the road. Set up your triangle reflectors and turn on your danger lights.
Engage the parking brake
When preparing to repair a flat tire, always use the parking brake once you’ve stopped moving. This will reduce the chances of your car rolling.
Gather tools
Gather all of the tools you’ll need and place them beside the tire you’re replacing. This will give you easy access to everything you need just in case you are alone while changing your tires.
Stabilize the vehicle
Wheel wedges are placed in front of or behind the tires to keep the car from rolling while you work on the flat tire.
Actual wheel wedges such as bricks or huge stones will suffice. As advised by Car Servicing Near Me professionals, make sure they’re big enough to keep the car from rolling away.
Take off the hubcap
If a hubcap covers your car’s lug nuts, it’s quicker to remove them before using the jack to elevate the car. You can skip to Step 6 if your lug nuts are exposed.
Remove the hubcap with the flat end of your lug wrench. Most cars will operate with this method, although certain hubcaps will require a specialized tool to remove. Remove the hubcap or wheel cover according to your owner’s handbook instructions.
Loosen the lug nuts
Turn the lug wrench counterclockwise to loosen the lug nuts. You’re not removing the lug nuts; you’re merely loosening them up enough to remove them when the car has been raised.
Place the jack
For the ideal place for the jack, consult your owner’s handbook. The optimum spot is usually beneath the frame, near the tire you’re replacing.
Make sure the jack is in touch with the frame’s metal section. Many cars include a mark on the stand that indicates where the jack should be installed.
Raise the vehicle
Place a little piece of wood beneath the jack before attempting to elevate your car to avoid it from settling under the weight of your car and becoming unbalanced. On asphalt, this strategy is beneficial.
Raise the car using the jack until the tire is roughly six inches above the ground. However, do not place any part of your body beneath the car while raised with the jack or after it has been raised.
Remove the lug nuts
Hand-unscrew the lug nuts and set them aside in a secure location. You’ll need these lug nuts to secure the spare tire in a few minutes.
Take the tire off
Pull the tire slowly toward you, gripping the treads until it’s entirely free of the hub behind it. Place it on its side to prevent it from rolling away.
Position the spare tire
Place the spare tire on the lug bolts and align it. Gently push until the lug bolts are visible through the rim.
Screw the lug nuts
Remove the lug nuts and replace them. After lowering the car to the ground, tighten them with the wrench.
Lower the vehicle
Lower your car to the ground with care, but don’t put all your weight on the car tire. You can tighten the lug nuts as much as you can using the lug wrench.
Finish lowering the car
Complete the lowering procedure on your car. Remove the wheel chocks and jack and tighten the lug nuts.
Put hubcap on
If the hubcap you removed off the flat tire fits your spare, replace it the same way you took it off. Store it with the tire when you’re packing your gear if it doesn’t work.
Check tire pressure
Check the tire pressure to ensure that the spare tire is safe to drive on. If you check your tire pressure and are unsure if it’s right, you can go to Car Servicing Near Me to check.
Put tools away
Place the jack, lug wrench, flat tire, and any other items you used in a secure location. Before you go, don’t forget to load them all into your car. You might encounter a flat tire situation, and these tools come in handy.
Take your flat tire to a technician
Since temporary spare tires are not for long-distance travel or at high speeds, take caution until you see a tire professional. Car Servicing Near Me professionals should be able to tell you if your tire needs to be repaired or replaced.
Author’s Bio: Trent Parker, Travel Writer in SydneyTrent has been a travelling writer for the past 5 years, and comes to Castle Jackson to expand his writing skills. He has been roaming around Australia (when he’s able to) and writing on the road about all things.
His specialty is SEO copywriting and helping website’s meet their On-Site SEO goals with well crafted and engaging copy that performs well for Google and for users on the web.
