How to Change a Tyre on Your Car: A comprehensive guide to safely changing a flat tyre on your car. Learn the necessary steps and tools.

How to Change a Tyre on Your Car

Gathering Your Supplies and Ensuring Safety

Before you even think about touching the flat tyre, you need to make sure you have everything you need and that you’re working in a safe environment. This isn’t just about getting the job done; it’s about protecting yourself and others.

• Locate your spare tyre. This is usually in the boot, sometimes under the floor panel, or occasionally mounted underneath the vehicle.
• Find your car jack. This is almost always stored near the spare tyre.
• Locate your wheel wrench (also known as a lug wrench or spider wrench).
• Consult your car’s owner’s manual. This will provide specific instructions for your vehicle model, including the location of jacking points.
• Grab your warning triangle or flares to alert other drivers.
• Consider wearing gloves to keep your hands clean and protected.
• Find a solid, level surface away from traffic. If possible, move the car entirely off the road onto a hard shoulder or a parking area.
• Put on your hazard lights to warn oncoming traffic.
• Apply the handbrake firmly to prevent the car from rolling.
• Place the warning triangle a safe distance behind your car (usually around 45 metres or 150 feet) to give approaching drivers adequate warning.

Loosening the Wheel Nuts

This step is crucial and must be done before you lift the car. Trying to loosen the nuts while the car is jacked up is dangerous.

• Locate the wheel nuts on the flat tyre.
• Using the wheel wrench, loosen the nuts. Turn them counterclockwise.
• Don’t remove them completely yet. Just loosen them enough so they turn with some resistance. You’ll need to apply considerable force, so use your foot if necessary.
• Loosen each nut in a star pattern (e.g., if you have five nuts, loosen the top one, then the bottom one, then the left one, then the right one, and finally the remaining one). This ensures even pressure.

Jacking Up the Car

Now it’s time to lift the car. This is where you need to be very careful and follow the instructions in your car’s owner’s manual.

• Consult your owner’s manual to identify the correct jacking points. These are reinforced areas of the car’s frame designed to support the weight of the vehicle.
• Position the jack securely under the designated jacking point.
• Slowly and steadily raise the car until the flat tyre is completely off the ground. You need enough clearance to remove the flat tyre and install the inflated spare tyre.

Removing the Flat Tyre and Installing the Spare

With the car safely jacked up, you can now remove the flat tyre and install the spare.

• Completely unscrew the wheel nuts and keep them together in a safe place.
• Carefully remove the flat tyre. It might be a bit stuck, so you may need to wiggle it gently.
• Align the spare tyre with the wheel studs and push it onto the hub.
• Hand-tighten the wheel nuts in a star pattern.
• Lower the car slowly until the spare tyre touches the ground but still has some weight on the jack.

Tightening the Wheel Nuts

This is a vital step for ensuring the wheel is securely attached.

• Using the wheel wrench, tighten the wheel nuts in a star pattern.
• Tighten them as much as you can. Again, you may need to use your foot for leverage.
• Lower the car completely to the ground.

Final Tightening and Clean Up

Once the car is fully on the ground, give the wheel nuts one last tightening.

• Give the wheel nuts a final, very tight turn in a star pattern.
• Remove the jack and the warning triangle.
• Store the flat tyre, jack, and tools in their designated locations.
• Check the pressure of the spare tyre as soon as possible and inflate it to the correct pressure (refer to your owner’s manual or the sticker on the driver’s side doorjamb).
• Get your flat tyre repaired or replaced as soon as possible. Spare tyres are often not designed for extended use or high speeds.

Post-Tyre Change Checks

• After driving a short distance (around 50-100 miles), re-check the tightness of the wheel nuts.
• Schedule a professional tyre check to ensure the spare tyre is in good condition and properly aligned.

FAQ:

Q: How long can I drive on a spare tyre?

A: Most temporary spare tyres have a speed limit of 50 mph (80 km/h) and should only be used for a short distance (under 50 miles or 80 km) until you can get your flat tyre repaired or replaced.

Q: What if I can’t loosen the wheel nuts?

A: Try using a longer wrench for more leverage. If that doesn’t work, you can try applying penetrating oil to the nuts and letting it sit for a few minutes. As a last resort, you may need to call a roadside assistance service.

Q: Where can I find the correct tyre pressure for my car?

A: The recommended tyre pressure is usually found on a sticker on the driver’s side doorjamb or in your car’s owner’s manual.

external_links:

• https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/tyres/how-to-change-a-car-tyre/ – RAC guide on changing a car tyre.
• https://www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/advice/changing-a-car-tyre – The AA’s advice on changing a car tyre.