Aspire to change a tire

Few life skills are more useful than being able to change a flat tire when you are all alone on a Sunday morning stranded out on an isolated country road. If you have ever experienced the misfortune of a “blow out”, you know how daunting it can be to change your first tire. 

Before you remove a single lug bolt, locate your owner’s manual and review the safety considerations prior to beginning the process. Trust me, you want to do this. Not only can you cause more damage to your car by placing the jack in the wrong place, but you can seriously injure yourself. So please, check the manual! 

Make sure that your car is safely and completely off the road and that you have applied the parking break. Looking at your owner’s manual has already paid off – and has told you where to look for your spare tire and all the other necessary tools you will need. The spare tire is hopefully located in the trunk of your car. If not, you have serious problems! The lug wrench, which is the tool needed to loosen the lugs (which are the screws that hold the tire to your car), and car jack should also be along side the spare tire.. 

Once you have found all you need, start by removing the hubcap of the tire you wish to remove. I know, I know – this is where things begin getting tricky – there are a number of types of hubcaps. Some you unscrew, some pop off using a screwdriver or the end of the lug wrench. You guessed it – owner’s manual! 

Next step: Loosen the lug nuts with only one turn, (say a little prayer that you will be able to undo the lug nuts!!) Do not completely loosen them until you have raised the car off the road. Breathe – you’re doing great!! 

Now it is time to place the jack under the car. If you do not know how to do this, you can find instructions ….. in your owner's manual. The manual will also tell you where to place the jack. This is kind of important if you don’t want to damage the frame of your car. The manual also shows how to assemble and use the jack. 

Raise the car until the flat tire you are changing is a few inches off the ground. You won’t be able to get the tire off if you don’t jack up the car. So you cannot skip this step!! 

Finish removing the lug nuts (place them in the hubcap or somewhere you will find them and they won’t roll around on the road) Lift the flat tire off. Once you have removed the old tire, take the spare (which is not flat, because your reliable mechanic checked it at your last service) and lift it onto the correct place by aligning the bolts. Screw on the lug nuts (which you found easily because you took care where you put them) and tighten the nuts until they feel secure. 

Well, you’re nearly done and it was not that bad, right!? Lower the car to the ground and remove the jack. Put the flat where the spare had been kept. You should have the flat tire repaired by your reliable and friendly mechanic and remounted onto your car. It’s got to do with even ware of the tires and usually the spare is best when used for exactly that purpose – as spare! 

Alternatively, you can dial CAA or pray for someone to come by and help. But you know what, changing a tire is easier than you realize – and I know you can do it!!

Tell us about the first tire you changed! How did it go? What advise can you offer to “first-timers?”