Things To Do When Changing A Tire
There are just some things you can’t really anticipate. Having to change your car tire in the middle of a dusty highway could easily be one of them. Among other skills that young drivers should learn upon receiving drivers’ education, information on how to change a car tire is one of the most important. However, the truth of the matter is that very few people actually receive this education that they so desperately need for those times of unexpected flat tires. To help those people who do not yet know how to change a car tire, we have provided the following helpful information.
The first thing that will probably prove to be helpful is determining where the spare tire is kept in your car. Some people find it easily, as it is sometimes attached to the back of a vehicle. In other circumstances, however, it may be found hanging underneath the body of the car, or found under a panel in the trunk of the vehicle. Take some time to locate the spare tire in your car, so that you always know where to go to find it.
The next thing to do is make sure that you have all the tools that you will need to change the tire. Some of these items may actually be listed in the owners’ manual, located often in the glove box of the car. Most often, these tools will include things like a jack, a wrench, tire irons, a wheel block, and gloves. Changing a tire can sometimes be a messy process, and it may be helpful to have extra clothing to cover your own, to avoid damaging them with oil or dirt.
In order to effectively change a car tire, the vehicle must be parked in a place where it is in no danger of rolling or changing position, such as a hill or uneven surface. Find some place that is flat and out of the way of other traffic, so that you can safely make the change as needed.
Apply the parking brake in your car, and then place whatever blocks or wheel bricks on the wheel that is positioned diagonally opposite to the one that is experiencing the flat. These precautions are mostly for your safety, as they serve to add extra stability to the car, preventing it from moving during the process of changing the car.
In order to change the wheel, you must first remove the damaged one. You may need to first pry off any separate wheel covers, or simply unscrew the bolts that are holding the tire onto the frame. This may be difficult, as they are usually screwed on fairly tightly.
You will then need to use the car jack to raise the vehicle to the point where the tire is barely making contact with the ground, and all pressure is off of the tire itself. This will allow you to remove the existing wheel, and replace it with the spare that you have in your trunk or on the back of your car. This wheel will then need to be screwed in place.