How to change a flat tyre
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To try and create some sort of structure around here I have decided to start a category called ‘Back to Basics’ which will contain tutorials on changing tyres, replacing bulbs and fuses, basic tune-up info, that sort of thing and slowly work up into the more complex stuff. The old tutorials are still here and won’t be getting replaced, just added to. So here we go with the first installment, I hope you find them useful.
How to change a flat tyre.
(and yes, I know the tyre in the picture isn’t flat, just work with me on this one okay!)
First and foremost, NEVER EVER get under a car that is supported by the jack alone. If something goes wrong you’re a gonner.
Okay now that is out of the way, make sure that the car is on firm, flat ground, and ensure that the handbrake is firmly applied and the car is in Park(Auto) or First or Reverse gear(Manual).
Remove the jack and spare wheel from the car. This is where you usually find out why checking the pressure in your spare is so important! If you car has hubcaps, remove the hubcap using the end of the wheel brace. Place the jack underneath the vehicles sill panel(see picture). There will be cut-out’s or marks in the panel(arrows in the picture) where it is it’s strongest and that is where we want the head of the jack to go.
Before we start to lift the car we need to loosen the wheel nuts, half to one turn is all that is needed. The majority of vehicles have right hand thread wheel nuts which means the nut has to go in a anti-clockwise direction to loosen. Some Mazda and Ford vans had left hand thread wheel nuts only on the left hand side of the vehicle, but other than them I can’t think of any other’s with left hand thread.
Once the wheel nuts are loose we can begin winding the jack and lifting the car. Watch what is happening as you are lifting the car and if the jack is slewing sideways or anything like that stop and wind down the jack and reposition it so it lifts straight up and down.
Okay, when the wheel is off the ground remove the wheel nuts, lift off the wheel and place it underneath the car near as possible to the jack. Doing this reduces the risk of a major drama if the jack fails.
Fit the spare tyre to the wheel studs, with some wheels this can be an art in itself but keep trying and you will succeed. Wind the wheel nuts on in a clockwise direction and nip them up with the wheel brace. No need to get them tight as we will do this when the car is on the ground.
Wind the jack down and before you do anything else, tighten the wheel nuts with the wheel brace. There is no need to put all your energy reserves into tightening the wheel nuts and risk bursting something, they only need to be tight, not over-tightened.
Put the flat tyre, jack and wheel brace back into the car, fit the hubcap and you’re done. A note on fitting hubcaps - there is often a cut-out in the hubcap which has to line up with valve stem for the hubcap to go on properly.(see pictures below)
Take care and be safe on the roads.
Craig
