Getting a flat tire in the middle of nowhere can be a frightening experience. Contrary to belief, changing a flat tire isn’t as scary and complicated as you think it is. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to change your flat tire with a spare one.
Step 1: Pull Over Somewhere Safe
If you realize your tire is starting to run flat while driving, quickly turn on your hazard lights or signal indicators and slowly move your vehicle to the side of the road – getting your car out of the way should be your top priority. Make sure to watch out for oncoming traffic.
Step 2: Making Sure the Car Stays in Place Before Changing Out the Flat Tire
Once your car is safely parked at the side of the road, put your gears into Park (P) or Neutral (N), then engage the handbrake. Most cars should have their spare tire and tools at the boot of the vehicle underneath the tarp. Your car should have the following items:
- spare tire;
- wheel jack;
- wheel chocks; and
- a lug wrench or breaker bar.
On certain car models, you may have a set of instructions imprinted somewhere within on how to replace a flat tire. If not, it’s okay – we’ll list down the steps on how to change it yourself.
Now, get the wheel chocks. They should look like door wedges but for car tires. Wedge these wheel chocks at the front wheels of your car first to prevent it from rolling away.
Step 3: Loosen the Lugnuts
If your car has any hubcaps, your vehicle should come with a removal tool to lift the piece off. Then, loosen the lug nuts with the breaker bar or lug wrench before lifting the car first because you might accidentally move the whole car while it’s on the jack. Don’t remove the lugnuts yet!
Take your time during this process. You don’t need to rush this like a Formula 1 Pit Crew. Also, pay no attention to the busybodies of Malaysian traffic that slowed down just to have a look.
Step 4: Jack & Lift the Wheel
Find a jacking point. It’s usually located at the lower side of the vehicle, in between the wheel arches and doors. Usually, it’ll have a small wedge or some form of mounting slot. Insert the wheel jack in and lift it up. Make sure it’s high enough for the wheel to be lifted above the tarmac before removing the wheel entirely.
Remove the lug nuts that you have loosened earlier once this step is completed.
Step 5: Remove the Old Wheel & Bring in the New
Remove the wheel once all the lug nuts are removed. Grab the new wheel from the trunk, and align the screw holes on the wheels with the lug bolts. Make sure the new wheel sits all the way in on the lug bolts before tightening the lug nuts back on clockwise. Screw in the lug nuts tightly otherwise that spare wheel might come off during your drives.
Step 6: Viola! You’re Done
Once the wheel sits firm, and all the lug nuts are tightened, you should be all set! Now pack up your tools back in your trunk and it’s time to head to the nearest workshop to get your proper wheel changed. If that is not an option at the moment, do stop and check your mounted spare wheel approximately every 50km or so to make sure it’s still mounted properly.
Read more: Looking for New Wheels? Here’s a Guide on Run-flat Tires
How to Perform Maintenance on Your Tires at Home
To ensure your tires remain in tip-top condition, one should do some maintenance and check-up from time to time on your wheels. A simple tire pressure check during your next trip to the petrol station goes a long way. In addition, when your car is parked, take note of any foreign objects or debris such as rocks, dirt, or sometimes even nails wedged in between the threads. You can use a metal wire or a small screwdriver to remove them.
Read More: What You Need to Know About Car Tires
At CARSOME, we always make sure our vehicles go through a rigorous 175-point inspection to ensure all our cars are free from major accidents and flood damage. In addition to that, our tires are also checked attentively during our CARSOME Certified Refurbishment Process at our CARSOME Certified Labs to prevent any run-flat accidents on the road.
Read More: Here’s How CARSOME Refurbishes Cars
