How to Change a Flat Tyre

Maybe you’ve already experienced that dreaded moment when you realise one of your tyres is completely flat but you were lucky enough to find someone that knew how to change the tyre. What if you weren’t so fortunate to have a handy jack of all trades in the near vicinity and you had to deal with the problem on your own? Would that be the end? Or, would you come out triumphant and tell everyone of your heroic tale? Well, I hope it would be the latter, if you don’t already know how to change a flat tyre, fear not! Changing a flat tyre is not difficult and this article will help you step by step.

Changing a tyre/tire, is easier than tiling a bathroom or explaining to your mother where your student loan went. All it takes is a little bit of common sense, muscle and a good step-by-step how-to guide. This one from PassSmart will do the trick!

9 Steps on How to Change a Flat Tyre:

Photo by Jencu

You need to be parked in a safe, secure and legal place. You should remember what a safe and legal parking space looks like from your driving lessons. Take heed of what you learned and find a safe spot. You may have to drive (crawl) the car into a safer spot.

2. Find Your Spare Tyre

It is probably in the boot or attached under the car. You need to find and release the wheel. You should also find the jack and associated repair kits that you are meant to carry with you.

3. Remove the Wheel Trims

You may know these as the hubcaps. They are the bits of plastic or metal that cover the nuts on the wheels. If you have alloy wheels then you should already be able to see the nuts.

4. Find the Locking Nut

Somewhere in your bag of tricks is a special device for removing the locking nut from your car wheel. You need to find this device and keep it near you at all times. You do not want to lose this piece.

5. Jack up the Car

Do it following the instructions in your car manual. You have to make sure that you are jacking your car up using the correct section of your car. There is a piece of metal under your car that the jack is supposed to be aligned to.

6. Raise up the Car

Make sure it is raised high enough so that the wheel is off the ground, but so that a bit of rubber is still touching the ground. This will create a little bit of counter resistance when you are unbolting the nuts.

7. Unscrew the Nuts

There should be all the equipment you need to unscrew the nuts. You should unscrew the locking nut first, using the tool that was mentioned earlier. Then unscrew the nuts a little bit at a time to make the whole process a little easier.

8. Replace the Tyre

Take off the old one and put on the new one. It’ll be heavy so be careful!

9. Screw the Nuts Back on

Again you should start with the locking nut, but do not fully tighten it. Put on all the nuts and tighten each one a bit at a time. When they are all firmly in place, you should tighten each one as much as you can. Lower the car back to the ground, replace the hubcaps, and you are done. Remember to repack all your tools.

PassSmart.com provided this step-by-step guide to changing a tyre to help keep you on the road!

Author: Isabelle Gaurella
Edited By: CampTrip.com