How To Change A Tire On A Car

How To Change A Car Tire

Tips to make an unpleasant roadside task safe and easy

Many drivers dread being stuck on the side of a road with a flat tire. It can leave them stuck in a dangerous spot or a remote location where help isnt readily available. Here, we explain what to do if you experience this common problem.

For most people, the best response is to contact a roadside-assistance service such as AAA or the service provided by the cars manufacturer. And many drivers do just that. AAA said it responded to 3.5 million calls about flat tires in the past 12 months , underscoring how common flats are.

Changing a tire is a straightforward task in perfect conditions, says Ryan Pszczolkowski, CRs project leader for tire testing. But often the location is dangerous, such as a busy roadway, or theres a wrinkle, such as when you find out your car doesnt have a working spare tire. Its wise to know how to change a tire, but its just as important to know when to summon help and who to call.

Become familiar with how to use the tools youll need by reading your owners manual. Follow the instructions precisely failure to do so could result in injury to you or damage to your car. Practice at least once on each of the cars you drive in your own driveway.

The tips below outline how to deal with a flat and how to reduce the likelihood of getting one in the first place.

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Things That Make Changing A Flat Tire Easier And Safer

In addition to the essentials outlined above, there are a few things SafeWise recommends having on hand to make changing a tire easier and less dangerous. Pack these itemsalong with a first aid kit, bottled water, and other safety itemsin a durable bag and stow them in your car. Or purchase a roadside emergency kit that contains most, or all, of these things.

• Emergency flares or reflective triangles to alert motorists to your disabled vehicle.
• Tire blocks or wedges to help prevent the car from rolling.
• Tire-changing mat or towel to kneel on.
• Lubricant to loosen tight lug nuts.
• Headlamp flashlight, with working batteries, for changing a tire in the dark.
• Tire pressure gauge to check the spare tires air pressure.
• Heavy duty wipes to clean up after changing the tire.
• Rain jacketor poncho to help keep dry or protect you from the sun.

Swap Your Wheels Like The Professionals

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Whether youre currently stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire, prepping for the inevitable, or swapping a new set of stylish wheels onto your vehicle, knowing how to change a tire will come in handy. Many people pay shops or towing services when they need to change a tire, but you can do it yourself with just a few simple tools and by following this quick tutorial:

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Lower The Vehicle And Tighten The Lug Nuts

• Lower the car so that the spare tire is resting on the ground the full weight of the car should not yet be on it.
• Use the lug wrench to tighten the nuts, following the same star pattern as before. Push down on the wrench with your full body weight to be sure the lug nuts are very tight.
• Replace the wheel cover. Lower the jack and remove it.

When To Change A Tire

Getting a flat is the most common and obvious reason you might need to change a tire. But there are also a few other reasons to swap out an old tire for a new one. The wear and tear of the road on tires will gradually grind down the depth of their treads, leaving the tire with a lessened ability to grip the road . The commonly held belief is that once the tread of a tire is worn down past 4/32-in., slipping on wet or icy roads or even hydroplaning is much more likely to occur. At this point, the tread will just not be enough to adequately grip the road. Swapping out your most worn-out tires can go a long way towards staying safe on the road.

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Raise The Car With The Jack

Consult your owner’s manual in the section of tools to change a tire for the proper placement of the jack and how to operate it.

• Place the jack under the vehicle frame next to the tire that is flat.
• Raise the car with the jack until the flat tire has a 6-inch clearance from the ground. Do not place any part of your body under the car while you are changing the tire.

The Importance Of Knowing How To Change A Car Tire

Whether you’re a hard-working professional, a homemaker, or a retiree, your vehicle is one of your most valuable and most important assets. Subsequently, it can be a huge problem when it lets you down with something like a popped tire. This is why it’s so important to always be prepared, and knowing how to change a tire is one of the most basic and essential skills you need to master. However, there is more to it than simply knowing how to properly change a flat tire you also need to ensure that you have the right tools on hand to do so. You won’t always have the luxury of doing it in the comfort of your garage, after all, since most flats occur when you least expect it.

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How To Change A Car Tire The Right Way

Did you know that around 22% of Americans have no idea how to change a flat tire? If you have never changed a flat tire, you are not alone.

While many people dont know how to change a flat tire, it is a useful skill that can save you from being stranded on the side of the road. Knowing how to change a tire can save you time, money and improve your safety.

Do you want to learn how to change a car tire? If so, keep reading to learn all about changing a flat tire.

Have the Right Tools

Before you end up with a flat tire, you should make sure you have all the tools. If you dont, changing your flat tire will be difficult, if not impossible.

To change a flat tire, you should have a wrench, jack, spare tire, and your vehicle owners manual. It is helpful to have a flashlight, gloves, and tire gauge.

Safety First

As soon as you realize you have a flat tire, pull over onto the side of the road. Look for the safest spot possible to change your tire. If you find yourself on a busy highway, get as far away from traffic as possible.

Be sure to turn on hazard lights so that other drivers can see you. If you get a flat tire at night, try to find an area with good lighting.

Remove the Flat Tire

Once you have pulled over safely onto the side of the road, it is time to start the process of changing your tire. The first thing you will need to do is remove the flat tire.

Put On the Spare Tire

Repair/Replace Your Tire

Now You Know How to Change a Car Tire

Changing A Tire Lesson Plan

1-Call state police 711 non emergency2-Hazard Lights3-Get as far off road as possible4-Emergency Brake

To properly change a tire on a car using proper tire changing tools.

1. Elevate a car using a jack.2. Removal of a flat tire from a vehicle.3. Replace the flat tire with a spare tire.

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Tools To Change A Tire

You need specific tools to change a tire. They should have come with your vehicle, but it helps to check if any items are missing or in need of replacement. At minimum, your trunk should have these:

• A manual car jack designed to raise your vehicle high enough to remove the flat tire.
• A spare tire. Most vehicles are equipped with a donut tire, a spare that is smaller in diameter than a regular tire.
• A lug wrench or torque wrench. This wrench is designed to remove the nuts attaching the wheel to the rotor.
• Wheel wedges. Also known as wheel chocks, these are placed against the wheels to immobilize the vehicle.
• A tire gauge to read the recommended tire pressure.

Things You’ll Need To Fix A Flat Tire:

Locate the following things. They should have all come with your vehicle.

• Fully inflated spare tire
• Car jack
• Lug wrench
• Your vehicle owners manual

Most of the time, you’ll find your spare tire and jack in the trunk of your vehicle. Most models store these two items in a compartment underneath the floor of the trunk. Carefully lift the spare tire and place it on the ground in close proximity to the flat tire.

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A Few More Tips On Changing Tires

Knowing how to fix a flat tire is great, but regular tire maintenance is even more important. In addition to reviewing this guide regularly, remember to do the following:

Keep your tires properly inflated

Rotate your tires according to the manufacturerâs guidelines

All of these precautions will extend the life of your tires and reduce the likelihood of a flat. While thereâs no way to prevent flat tires completely, proper care can improve performance and ensure your tires last as long as possible.

Get All The Supplies To Change A Tire At Toyota Of Orlandos Parts Center

First of all, make sure you have all the tools you need in your vehicle. You can easily store them in the trunk, and our Toyota Service Center can help you find the right ones. You should always carry:

• A spare tire
• A jack
• A lug wrench

You might also want to consider keeping items like gloves, a flashlight , a tire gauge, a towel or mat to sit or kneel on, and the aforementioned Fix-A-Flat. If you have a huge puncture or blowout spot, it may not help, but it can come in handy in a pinch. Our techs dont recommend relying on it long-term, though.

Once youve ticked off everything on this checklist, youre ready to change a flat car tire and were ready to help. Here are the step-by-step instructions that you may want to print out and keep in your glove compartment.

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Things To Know About Your Cars Compact Spare Tire

While it is certainly important to know how to fix a flat tire, you also need to be aware of a few other things, especially if your spare is a compact tire. Firstly, because of their diminutive sizes and small contact patches, they usually have a very limited top speed and road life. The top speed limit will be displayed on the sidewall of the tire and in the owner’s manual. Remember that these are designed to be sufficient to get you to safety after a burst, not for long-term use. It’s also important to regularly check the pressure of your spare tire as it won’t do you much good to replace one flat tire with another. Lastly, different vehicles have different tire fitting requirements based on the size of the wheels, which is vital information if you need to shop for a new one. Below is a tire-fitting guide that could help:

How To Change A Flat Tire On A Carstep By Step

I’m an online writer and car enthusiast with years of car maintenance experience.

Spare tire in trunk

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

When changing tires 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 your owners manual before changing a flat tire on a car since all cars are a bit different

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How To Change A Tire

This article was co-authored by Andrew Quinn. Andrew Quinn is a Master Mechanic in Kansas City, Missouri. He is ASE certified and has over 9 years of experience working with companies such as Valvoline, Instant Oil Change, National Tire & Battery, and Tires Plus.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 85% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 2,091,112 times.

Have you ever been stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire? Do you want to be able to change a tire without having to ask for help? Fortunately, changing a tire is a pretty simple task, provided you’re prepared and willing to exert a little effort.

How To Change A Car Tire Quick Guide

If you notice a flat tire in the middle of nowhere, the most precious knowledge at that time will be how to change a tire on the car. Well, you probably won’t need to change the tire, but to mount the spare wheel that you apparently have in your trunk.

To mount the spare wheel, you can follow these quick guides:

1. Get your car to a safe place, turn the engine off and apply the parking brake. Also, make sure there’s enough room behind to move around easily with a spare wheel in hand. Ensure that you have all tools necessary for changing a tire on board before going out on the road.

2. Open the trunk and open the spare wheel compartment, get the wheel out and find all the needed instruments there, too.

3. With the spare wheel out of its temporary storage location, take it over to a clear spot somewhere near the damaged wheel.

4. Use the wrench to loosen the nut that holds the damaged wheel in place. You might need to press down on it with some pressure if you’re working on a loaded tire that’s still inflated. If necessary, use a special secret instrument that the manufacturer might provide as protection from wheel theft.

5. There are two types of nuts holding your tire in place: regular nuts and bolts. In your case, it doesn’t matter much – just loosen them a little to get the work done easier.

6. Jack up the car on the side of the damaged wheel using a hydraulic jack or something similar you have in your trunk.

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The Necessary Tools Required To Change A Flat Tire

New cars for sale in the US usually come standard with the tools required to change a flat tire. If you’re unsure that this is the case with your car, or if it is a second-hand purchase and you would like to confirm that you have the right tools, these are what you’ll need to look for:

• Unless your car is equipped with run-flat tires, you will need a repair kit and/or a spare tire.
• You will also need to make sure that you have a suitable lug wrench in your car.
• It’s important that you have a suitable car jack on hand. There are several different types – mechanical, pneumatic, or hydraulic.
• It helps to have a rag on hand in the event that you need to change a tire that is too hot to handle. It also helps to clean off your hands afterward.
• The owner’s manual will provide detailed instructions on how to properly use the equipment, where to find it, and offer cautionary information.

What To Do After You Change Your Tire

Changing your tire to a spare will get you to a tire shop or mechanic, so you can have the flat tire repaired or replaced.

If you have a donut spare a smaller tire that exists only for emergency flat tire replacement do not drive above 50 mph. If you’re driving more than a few miles, pull over after 10 minutes and double-check the tightness of the lug nuts. Use the wrench to tighten each one , again going in a star pattern.

Take the flat tire to a tire shop for repair or replacement. They will fix the tire and can usually install it back on your car for you. They will also return the donut spare and related hardware to the trunk so it’s ready for the next use. Be sure to check the inflation of the spare tire. You may also want to have all four tires inspected in case the flat was caused by wear or age.

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