Do-it-yourself: How to change a flat tyre

Flat tyres can happen anywhere, and knowing how to change a tyre is a necessary skill for all drivers. Thankfully, changing a tyre isn’t all that hard. Items you will need to fix a flat tyre: Jack, lug wrench, fully inflated spare tyre, and vehicle owner’s manual. If your does not come with these items, you should purchase new ones right away.

As soon as you realise you have a flat tyre, do not abruptly brake or turn. Slowly reduce speed and scan your surroundings. An empty parking lot would be an ideal place. Once stopped, always use the parking brake when preparing to replace a flat tyre. This will minimise the possibility of your vehicle rolling.

Remove hubcap or wheel cover
If your vehicle has a hubcap covering the lug nuts, it’s easier to remove the hubcap before lifting the vehicle with the jack. Use the flat end of your lug wrench to remove the hubcap. Using the lug wrench, turn the lug nuts counterclockwise until you break their resistance. You may have to use force. The right place for the jack is usually beneath the vehicle frame alongside the tyre that’s flat. Many vehicle frames have moulded plastic on the bottom with a cleared area of exposed metal specifically for the jack. With the jack properly positioned, raise the vehicle until the flat tyre is about six inches above the ground. Once this is finished, remove the wheel lugs completely.

Install the spare tyre
Next, remove the flat tyre and set it aside in a secure location. Position the spare tyre over the wheel studs. This is the most physically challenging part of the whole process. You’ll have to hold up the tyre and try to line up the holes in the wheel with the protruding wheel studs located on the brake hub. You may have to jack the car a little higher than you had it in order to fit the new tyre on, since the flat tyre will have been lower than a fully inflated one. After you have the spare tyre hanging on the wheel studs, screw each of the wheel lugs back on. Once the spare tyre is on, carefully lower the jack. Pull the jack away from the vehicle. The final step is to tighten down the lugs completely. The reason you tighten the lugs now is because the tyre is on the ground and it won’t rotate around as it would if it were still hanging in the air. Remember to check pressure every month and before long trips or carrying extra load. This will avoid your tyre getting flat.
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