Changing Your Tyres – The Basics
by Brian, under Cars, Safety & Advice.
1. Finding a suitable environment
Choose a suitable location for changing your tyres. During the day, search for a shady location and during the night, search for somewhere bright. Remember to turn your hazard lights on to alert follow road users.
2. Preparing your tools
Take your tools and the spare tyre out of your car boot. Use the angled spanner to unlock the wheel. If its rims are locked due to the presence of adapter nuts or lock nuts, they can be unlocked using the appropriate type of key or adapter.
3. Unlocking the wheel
Position the spanner at an angle which enables you to stomp on it with one foot to loosen the nuts. Never forget to unlock your wheels before jacking up your car otherwise you will experience problems when trying to unlock them when the wheels have been suspended. Loosen the nuts but do not take them off the wheel.
4. Hoisting up the car
Using your hand, detect the solid frame located underneath the car. Place a jack under the solid frame and adjust with the intention of aiming for the strongest point. At the very end of the tool there is a knob. Turn this knob to expand the tool then lock in place. Turn the knob with the jack extender and your car will slowly be hoisted up. If your car features sideskirts, take care not to cause them damage.
5. Changing wheels
Once the tyre is hanging securely above ground level, unscrew the nuts, then remove the wheel. Position the spare tyre correctly then use your hands to tighten the nuts before using your spanner.
6. Descending the car
Turn the knob found on the jack in the other direction with the use of the jack extender. This will slowly lower the car. Once the vehicle has been lowered, ensure you move the jack from underneath it. Further tighten the wheel’s nuts by stomping on the spanner whilst it is in its position.
7. House keeping
Do not forget to collect up all your tools from the floor and put them back in their correct position along with your flat tyre. Remember to purchase a replacement tyre. Cheap car tyres will do the trick.
If you experience “sticky tyres” cover the surrounding ground with newspaper and let the automobile roll over, placing your flat tyre on all the newspapers. Jack up and proceed with the removal and replacement of the tyre.