6 Major Steps to Follow on How to Change The Tires
You probably have been stuck on the road before with a flat tire. When such a thing happens as usual if you don’t know how to change a tire, the experience can be traumatizing. The good news, however, is that changing a tire is a pretty much simple task that needs some few insights and you will be better placed to perform the task by yourself.
All it takes is some little effort and you will be a few steps towards changing your tire. Here are some steps for you that will help you get to change your tire with ease.
Flat surface
When a vehicle has a flat tire the one thing that happens is that it can easily roll. Therefore the best thing to do is find a flat, stable surface. Most times if your car has stalled on a hilly place if possible try getting it to a flat surface. Also if you have stalled in traffic, this can pause as danger more so from the oncoming vehicles.
Turn on the hazard lights as this will let the oncoming traffic know that you are in distress. Soft grounds and hilly grounds tend to make it difficult for changing a tire and this is the reason why flat surfaces away from traffic are the most recommended.
Park the car
You will note that if your tire bursts in public and you are forced to change the tire there and then. The best thing you need to do is put the car in a parking position. A car that is in the park will not move. This will assure you that you won’t start changing the tire and then the vehicle starts moving. Most people who don’t put the car in the park and proceed to change the tire usually risk avoidable injuries.
Place a heavy object in front of the back and front tires
This is something you have probably seen most people do. When a tire bursts and the vehicle stalls, this doesn’t mean that the vehicle won’t move. For example, if there is no flat surface around, it is easy for the vehicle to roll downhill. Placing a heavy stone or brick on both the front and back tires will help avoid such scenarios. This way your vehicle will have enough stability to give you an easy time as you change the tire.
Remove your jack and spare tire
One thing that every vehicle owner should at least have is a spare tire and a jack. The jack is usually to help hold the vehicle in place as you remove the burst tire. Always make sure that the jack is in contact with the metallic part of the vehicle. This is because some vehicles have moulded plastic on the bottom part of their vehicles. If a jack comes into contact with the plastic part, it will break and this is something that you don’t want to happen. If you have your car’s user manual, then it is time to put it into action.
Another thing you need to note is that the jack should just support but not raise the car. Also, at this juncture, if you don’t have a spare tire you can always buy tyres online. This is the best step to take because if your car just burst its tire in the middle of nowhere, most online stores are very responsive and they will deliver the tire as soon as possible.
Remove the hubcap on the tire and then remove the nuts by making counterclockwise turns
The intent of this is to break what is known as resistance. Also, the other intent is to turn the nuts and not the wheel. You should then be able to pump up the jack so as you can remove the tire. As the jack goes up, ensure that the vehicle is stable. If at all it is tilting towards any other direction, make sure that you have a spare jack in the event the one you are using fails. Then from here, you can proceed to remove the nuts completely.
Remember the motion that you need to apply is counterclockwise. After removing all the nuts you can now proceed to hold onto the tire and carefully remove it. Since the nuts are all off, the tire will easily come off too. Place the bad tire just under the vehicle so that it can act as support in case the jack comes off.
Replace spare tire by placing it on the hub
Ensure the bolts of the wheel and the rim of the spare tire are correctly aligned. At this juncture, you can now use your hands to tighten the nuts. If you are scared of the dirt, always have some gloves around in your car for this function. Then you can proceed to lower the car and tighten the nuts as much as possible.
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