Most people might be able to figure this out on their own, but the last thing that anyone wants to experience is being stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire and no cell phone service. After all, who picks up hitchhikers anymore? And even if they did, is it really safe to get in the car with someone you don’t know? So, everyone should know how to change a tire. Preparation is key for this feat – you don’t want to have the know how without having the stuff. So you need to make sure you have a donut tire full of air, a car jack and a tire iron. If you have all that (and the flat tire of course) you are ready to change your tire in four easy steps.
Step 1: Place the car jack under the axle or chassis of the car (you need to make sure it is going to make the car support itself with something that is not going to move). Then, jack it up. Lots of jacks have instructions or a visual diagram of how to use it. You need to get the car up high enough so that the wheel you are working on does not touch the ground.
Step 2: Start removing the lug nuts one by one in a star pattern with the tire iron. Remember, righty-tighty, lefty-loosey! Once you have removed all of the lug nuts the wheel is free. Place this in the trunk or back of your car.
Step 3: Line up the lug holes in the donut and screw on the lug nuts in the same star pattern. The trick to this is to tighten all of the lugs halfway on the first go-round and then finish them up on the second. This way you can get a more level donut.
Step 4: Release the car jack. You’re all set.
A few notes that must be remembered:
– Do not drive over 50 mph with a donut on your car.
– Drive directly to a mechanic or home if you plan to have the car towed or fixed there.
– Always put the donut on the rear of the car, they are not designed to be on a driving axle.
Other than that, good luck and happy tire changing!
