How to change a Flat Tire

2 Feb 2008

Every motor driver should know the basic skill of changing the tire. You should practise it once before you get your tire flat on the road.

Before you start learning or trying a precautionary measure - Never assume your jack to be perfect. Always assume that the something can go wrong with jack. So never go under the car. If possible, have additional supporting jack or something else, just in case, the jack fails. I emphasise again - try to answer - what if the jack fails...

Here's How to do it

1. Park the vehicle on a hard, level surface. This is importand, because, on an inclined road, the car may start sliding - a safety hazard.

2. Place the vehicle in the PARK position if it has an automatic transmission. Placer in REVERSE if it is a manual transmission.

3. Apply the parking brake and remove the key.

4. Place a brick, a big rock or a wheel diagonally opposite the wheel to be changed.

5. Use the pry bar to remove the safety covers from the wheels. Place the pry bar under the edge of the wheel cover and gently pry it up. Most of the covers are made up of raw iron and are brittle and may crack if you pry hard.

7. Try to crack the lug nuts loose. At this point you just want to crack them loose, not remove them. If a car is very old it may be difficult to loosen them because of the rust. Try using some oil on the nuts. Place the lug wrench on the lug nut so that it is as close to horizontal and as close to the ground as possible. Then stand at the end of the lug wrench and do a little jump. If that does not help try to find a person with 300 plus pound weight.

8. Now place the jack in position. This is usually under the body just behind the front wheels and just forward of the rear wheels.

9. Slowly and steadily raise the vehicle until the tire is just touching the ground. Using the lug wrench remove all the lug nuts and place them aside.

10. Raise the vehicle until the wheel clears the ground and remove the wheel.

11. Place the replacement wheel onto the wheel studs and start the lug nuts by hand as far as you can. Wiggling the wheel will help in doing this.

12. With the wheel on and secure, lower the vehicle until the wheel touches the ground. Use the lug wrench to tighten the lug nuts. There is a certain sequence you must follow. If you have four lug nuts, the sequence is tighten the first nut, then the opposite nut, then the one clockwise to the right and finally the one opposite.

13. Lower the vehicle completely and tighten the lug nuts completely.