In the unfortunate event that you find yourself with a flat tire, it’s always a good thing to be prepared. If you have never learned how to put on a spare tire, never fear–read on to learn more! When you can’t call AAA and are in a fix, knowing how to change a tire is sure to come in handy.
- Turn your car off. Once you realize you have a flat tire, pull off to the shoulder or the side of the road and turn your car off. Additionally, turn your hazard lights on. This ensures that you can safely get out of your car and assess the damage while letting other drivers know that something is wrong and your car isn’t going anywhere.
- Jack it up or slide a rock under the axle close to the spare tire. If you have a tire jack in your car, this is the time to use it! Jack up your car so you have easy access to the flat tire. If you don’t have a tire jack, look for a rock or a log nearby that you can slide under the axle close to the spare tire in an attempt to prop the flat tire off the ground so it can easily come off.
- Remove your spare tire and your tire iron from your vehicle. Your vehicle should have a spare tire in the trunk or perhaps on its exterior. After jacking up your car, remove the spare tire and the tire iron from your vehicle so you can replace your flat tire with the new one.
- Loosen the flat tire and remove it. Using the tire iron, loosen the lug nut studs on your tire and remove them once they are loose enough. Once all the lugs are removed, carefully pull your flat tire from the axle and remove it.
- Replace the tire. Finally, now that your flat tire is off the axle, slide your spare tire onto the bare axle and use the tire iron to tighten the lug nut studs onto the spare tire to secure it to your vehicle.
It only takes five simple steps for you to change a tire and get back on the road to drive home or to the nearest garage or mechanic. File these steps away in the back of your mind so you can call upon them in the event you experience a flat tire!
When you experience car trouble on the road, call Tow Pro at 888.695.1555 for a lift to the nearest garage! We specialize in taking care of roadside emergencies, and we’re always ready and willing to give you a tow when you need one!