Imagine this scenario … You are driving down the highway on your way to an important meeting dressed for success when all of a sudden you hear a soft “thump, thump” sound. You tell yourself it’s just the potholes in the road, but then it starts to get stronger and stronger. You know you have a flat tire, but you are miles from the next exit. What are you going to do?
Reluctantly, he pulls to the side of the road and goes out to inspect the damage. Yes, it’s just as I suspected, the front passenger tire is flatter than a pancake. Then what do you do? You can’t make it to the exit, and someone will take too long to help. Sounds like the situation we all fear, right? Well, why don’t you change the tire yourself? You are a capable person, and you can certainly change that tire on your own. Is not difficult; You can even do it with your skirt and high heels. Just follow these simple steps and you won’t be caught in that situation ever again.
First, make sure that you have thrown it on a stable and flat surface. If you stopped on a hill or even soft ground, slowly move to a new flat location. Also, if you are caught parked on the side of the road, make sure you are as far away from traffic as possible with your hazard lights on. Make sure to park your car and apply the parking brake to make sure your car cannot roll. It is also a good idea to block the wheels with a large stone or whatever else you can find. Block a front tire if you are changing a rear tire and vice versa.
Then roll up your sleeves and head to your trunk to get out your spare tire and your jack. Place the jack under the frame near the tire to be changed. Make sure to place it where it will meet the metal part of the frame. If you are not sure where exactly to place the jack, consult your owner’s manual. However, for most modern cars, there is a small notch or mark just behind the front wheel wells or in front of the rear wheel wells where the jack is intended to be placed.
Next, raise the jack until it supports but does not lift the car. Now is the time to remove the hubcap and begin loosening the lug nuts with the wrench that came with your car. Place the correct size wrench on the nut. The correct size is the one that slides easily over the nut but is quiet. Once the lug nuts are loose, pump or spin the jack to lift the tire off the ground enough so that you can remove the tire and put the spare on. Make sure to lift the car up and down. Now remove the lug nuts the rest of the way and lift the flat tire. Place the flat tire under the vehicle so that in the event of jack failure, the vehicle will fall on the old wheel and hopefully avoid injury.
Now is the time to put the spare tire on the hub. Be sure to carefully align the spare tire rim with the wheel studs. Now, put the nuts in the right place and start tightening them by hand. Next, tighten the lug nuts, but to make sure the rim is balanced, do not fully tighten the lug nuts one at a time. Making a star pattern around the rim, one nut facing the other, give each one a full turn until equally tight. Now you can start lowering the car to the ground. However, don’t put all the weight on it just yet. First, finish tightening the nuts as much as possible. Once you have retightened the nuts, finish lowering the car and remove the jack. Tighten the nuts one last time before replacing the hub cap. Put the flat tire, jack and key back in the trunk. Pat yourself on the back; You just changed a flat tire yourself!
Always remember that most spare tires (undersized “donut” tires) are not rated for more than 50 MPH or long distances. Exceeding this speed can cause problems, including spare tire failure. Drive slowly and carefully to a shop and have your tire repaired or replaced. Practice makes perfect too. Try to familiarize yourself with the steps before you flatten a tire, so that you don’t have to learn the side of the road on your own in the dark or in the rain for the first time.