If you drive often, you will probably get a flat tire at some point. Fortunately, most people can rely on roadside assistance in the event of a flat. All they need to do is safely pull over and call for help. However, there may be instances when you cannot call roadside assistance and are left on your own. In these cases, it will be critical to have a spare tire and know how to install it in place of your old one.
(Pixabay / stux)
Essential tools
Make sure that you have the following tire-changing tools in your car every time you drive:
If your tire blows out or if you feel it getting flat, slow down and put your hazard lights on. Pull over to a safe place as far away from traffic as possible. A parking lot is optimal, but you can change your tire on a quiet side street, on the road shoulder or off-ramp, or on a long, straight road where you can easily be seen by other road users. If you must change your tire on the road, make sure it is a flat road. Inclines should be avoided.
Changing your tire
Once you’ve pulled over to a safe place, get your tools and spare tire out. Position your reflective triangles or flares behind your car, and place the wheel wedges against the non-flat tire of your car.
Next, check to see if your lug nuts are exposed. If they aren’t, you will need to remove the wheel cover or hub cap. Once you can see your lug nuts, loosen them with a wrench, but do not remove them yet.
Place your jack beneath your car. Expand the jack to bring the flat tire about six inches above the ground. At this point, you can remove the lug nuts from the tire and take the flat tire off of the hub. Align the spare tire with the exposed lug bolts and press it into place. Restore the lug nuts and tighten them with your hand. Lower your jack carefully until the tire touches the ground. Remove the jack from beneath your car. Tighten the nuts using the wrench, and replace the wheel cover if you removed it. Next, check the pressure of your spare tire.
Once your car is ready to drive again, take the flat tire for repair. Do not drive at high speed or for long distances with your spare tire. Replace your tire as soon as you can.
Surely, everybody wanted to survive in a situation where you have nothing to run to but yourself. In times like these, you need to be tough and do the task that is usually done by men. Even flat changing is possible to be accomplished by both men and women if the situation requires them to. Check this infographic that provides tips how to change flat tires.
![How to Change Tires Alone [infographic]](https://burtbrothers.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/How-to-Change-Tires-Alone.jpg "How to Change Tires Alone [infographic]")
Schedule a zero-commitment appointment
to get the help you need, fast.
Engine failure, especially out of the blue, can be scary. It can put a wrench in your plans if driving somewhere important and depending on the problem, can be expensive to fix. Thankfully, there are lots of warning signs that can signal you when your engine is about to fail.
If you begin to notice some electrical problems in your vehicle, such as the dome light failing to turn on when you open the doors or the radio shutting off, you may need to check the fuses.
The outer tie rod ends are one of the more important parts of your vehicle’s steering system. While you may not choose to replace the outer tie rod ends yourself, it is good to be able to recognize what they are and see if they need replacing.
Have you noticed an increase in flat tires during the frigid winter months? There’s a reason for it. Keep reading for some simple explanations as to why tires seem to go flat when temperatures drop.
When your vehicle is functioning properly, it’s easy to forget how dangerous driving can be. However, it only takes a moment for an important component to malfunction. Suddenly your car has your full attention. One of the worst situations to find yourself in as a driver is to press the brake pedal only to realize that it is not working.
