Having
a flat tire and not knowing how to change it can make you feel
helpless. Changing a tire is easy enough to do, and everyone should have
a general idea of what's involved:
Secure the vehicle so that it won't roll; and roll the spare tire to the scene of the action.
Never change a tire on an incline or hill; always seek a flat surface,
even if it means driving on a flat tire. Use bricks, wooden wedges, or
metal wheel chocks to block the wheels at the opposite end of the car
from the end that is to be raised.
You can use a screwdriver to pry the wheel cover off. Just insert the
point of the tool where the edge of the cover meets the wheel, and apply
a little leverage. The cap should pop off. You may have to do this in a
couple of places, as if you were prying the lid off a can of paint.
Loosen the lug nuts.
You might know this as breaking the
lug nuts. Whatever you call it, find the end of the wrench that fits
the lug nuts on your vehicle, and fit it onto the first nut. Apply all
your weight to the bar on the left. This starts turning the nut counterclockwise, which loosens it. Don't remove the lug nuts completely; just get them loose enough to remove by hand after you jack up the vehicle. A hollow pipe and a cross-shaft wrench can loosen the tightest lug nuts.
If you have alloy wheels that are held on by lug nuts with delicate
finishes, the delicate aluminum or chrome-plated lug nuts need careful
handling. They should never be loosened or replaced with power tools
that can scratch the delicate finish.
Jack up the vehicle about 6 inches off the ground.
Place the jack securely under the edge of the car. Proper locations may
vary among vehicle models, so consult the owner's manual for the right
places to put the jack.
If you have a scissor jack (image a), insert the rod or wrench over the
knob, and then crank. If you have a hydraulic jack (image b), place the
handle into the appropriate location and pump up and down. Use nice,
even strokes, taking the jack handle from its lowest point to its
highest point on each stroke to cut down on the labor involved.
Remove the flat tire.
Take the lug nuts completely off by hand and put them in a safe place —
inside the wheel cover or hub cap works well. Grasp the flat tire with
both hands and pull it straight toward you. As you pull the flat off, it
should slide along the bolts until it clears the end of the bolts and
you find yourself supporting its full weight. Roll the flat along the
ground to the rear of the vehicle to get it out of the way.
Lift the spare onto the lug bolts.
Because tires are heavy, you may have a little trouble lifting the spare
into place — especially if you're not accustomed to lifting heavy
things.
Replace the lug nuts and tighten them by hand.
Give each lug nut a jolt with the wrench to get it firmly into place,
but wait until the car is on the ground before you really try to tighten
the lug nuts.
Lower the vehicle and tighten the lugnuts.
After the vehicle is resting on the ground, use the lug wrench to tighten the lug nuts as much as you can.
Replace the wheel cover or hubcap.
If your car has wheel covers with a delicate finish, the owner's manual
should provide instructions for replacing it. If your car has hubcaps,
place the hubcap against the wheel and whack it into place with the heel
of your hand. Cushion your hand with a soft rag first so that you won't
hurt it. And don't hit the hubcap with a wrench or hammer — you'll dent
it.
(Courtesy of Dummies.com)
