How to change a Flat Tire on a car step by step

Were you ever stranded out in the night because of a flat tyre and had to wait for hours for a repair truck to rescue you because you didn't know how to change a tire on a car? Then, after they were finished they charged you a hefty sum? Wouldn't it be better if you could replace a tyre yourself quickly and safely? Well you can! In this article I will discuss how to change a flat tyre. From the the tools needed to change a tire to the simple instructions on how to change a flat tire step by step.

When changing tyres one should be very careful, as anything can happen even though it might not be your fault. It is simply best to try to avoid these things from the beginning by taking the necessary precautions. This and other tire changing safety tips I will explain in this article. So educate yourselves, read and enjoy!

Remember to read you owners manual before changing a flat tire on a car since all cars are a bit different

Tools to change a tire:

1. Of course the spare tire.
2. A car jack
3. A wheel brace.
4. A flat bit screw driver or a utility blade.
5. Some gloves.
6. A reflective jacket and a reflective triangle or cone.
7. A Torch light.
8. Some common sense.
9. And a little dexterity.

Where do you find the equipment to change a flat tire? These items should be kept in your car at all times. The wheel brace (the L or X shaped tool that has a head shaped like a hexagon), the car jack and the spare tire are all found in the trunk under the padding or carpet (in jeeps sometimes the spare is on the outside of the back door).

Always remember safety first!

Firstly look for a level, flat and hard area. This is crucial because you don't want your car to start moving with your hands under it!

If you are near a highway or on any road, move your car as close to the side as possible by slowly pushing it (preferred) or driving it . This is very important. Imagine you are happily changing you tire when you hear the screeching sound of breaks and BRAMM! Someone took it upon themselves to write you and your car off the road! And when you wake up, you find yourself in the hospital with relatives swarming all around! In a worse case scenario you might not even get up! As far fetched as this may sound to some, this is the fate of some individuals who fail to properly remove their vehicle's from the road when performing vehicular maintenance. Also remember to turn on your hazard lights especially if it is dark. Put on a reflective jacket and place you reflective triangle or cone about 15 - 30 meters behind the car.

If the flattened tire is on the side of your vehicle which is facing the road, turn your vehicle to the opposite side. Do this because even thought your car may be off the road, it is still possible that someone can lose control and hit your vehicle or worse, you!

When changing a flat tire on a car, ALWAYS, remember to put your car in park or 1st gear, and also to pull the handbrake. As mentioned before, you don't want to give your car the decision to move while your hands are under it, as this can very easily break you hand! If you can find a cement block or any size-able rock or even a piece wood (you can keep this inside your trunk), place it behind and infront the other three good wheels.

Put on your gloves since tyres are very dirty. Get your spare and remember to place it flat on the ground to prevent it from rolling away.

Next use the wheel brace to, 'crack' all of the nuts. If you car has on wheel cabs these can easily be removed even if they are secured by cable ties. Simply cut the cable ties using a utility knife. Then, using a flat bit screwdriver or the same utility knife, push either of their edges into the side of the wheel caps and pop off the caps. This will now expose the nuts. Be sure to stand with a straight back and straight arms and to push the wheel brace in anticlockwise direction, try to keep the wheel brace parallel to the ground as sometimes only body weight is necessary to crack the nuts. Do not crack the middle nut only the ones around it. Do not totally remove the nuts, only untighten them enough to allow them to be totally removed using only fingers.

Where to put the jack when changing a tire?

Search under you car for the 'jack spot'. This is normally a descent, hump or slots located on a reinforced metal beam under the car. It is normally found just behind the front wheel or infront of the rear wheel on both sides of the car. Look at the bottom or top of your jack for the exact location of the 'jack spot' and also for other instructions.

Place the jack right side up, on a level surface, directly under this spot after you have acquired it. Crank until the 'jack spot' and the jack are fixed snugly together. Now its time to really start cranking! That is, if you don't own an electric jack. Crank until the tire is about one inch off the ground. Any higher than this will cause to car to become unstable because of too much weight on the jack. If you are cranking and the jack isn't lifting the car off the ground even thought it is fully extended, simply place a flat piece of wood under the jack to provide more height.

When finished jacking, remove the nuts totally from their bolts, or, in some cases the nuts are as long as bolts so don't be alarmed by this (put in a place where they cannot be lost or roll away).

Remove the tire by pulling it in the direction of the now exposed bolts. If you wheel used the long nuts, the wheel will come off when you remove the last nut. DO NOT twist or shake the wheel too roughly. If the wheel refuses to move give it a good kick. But don't overdo it as this can damage the straightness of the bolts and or cause the jack to become unsteady! After removing the flat, place it under the car near the jack. In the case that the jack fails, this tyre will stop the car from dropping directly down onto its hub and damaging it.

Before installing your spare be aware that in some spare tires there are readings on the inside. Remember to read these properly as they can provide very important information, such as the maximum permissible speed and the bolt or nut type the spare was designed for. If the spare is the original one which came with the car, the bolts or nuts that came off of the flat can be reused.

Line up the bolts or holes of the car hub with the holes located on the spare tire and push the wheel onto the hub. Finger tighten the nuts in a clockwise direction onto the hub using the cat and corner method (this means tighten the bolt that is furthest away from the first one tightened, or tighten one nut then the opposing nut). This is done to maintain even pressure across the wheel so that the wheel would be flush on the hub without any tension.

When finished, remove the flat tyre from under the car and unwind or press release on a hydrolic jack to let down the jack until it can be removed. Use the wheel brace to fully tighten the nuts using the same 'cat and corner' method as mentioned above. Place the flat in the trunk where the spare was taken from and replace all of the other items used. Drive to the nearest tire repair garage you can find to replace the flat tire because you only have one spare! It is called spare for a reason, and should not to be used as often as an original tyre. This is because most of the time it is not as strong, as the original tyre, that is why limitations are place on the spare tyre! Therefore, get the flat patched or buy a new tyre if you can afford it. Also get your other tires checked to see if they are worn down and need replacing. Do not wait until you get another flat. Remember we are trying to avoid having to change a flat tire on the road because the tire changing process can be risky (remember our above illustration). If you chose to buy a new tire or wheel take the flat to the nearest recycling factory.

Now you know how to change a tire on a car! Not sure if you can get all of the stuff listed here done in an emergency? Try it at Home. Yip, simply practice removing and replacing you tyre from in your garage step by step, remember to imply all safety methods listed above. I hope this article clearly explains the process of tyre changing. If you have any questions, feel free to add a comment below.