How to Change a Flat Tire ~For Women~

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By Melody
eHow Community Member

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Despite all our best efforts to be equipped with cell phone, AAA, and even OnStar, a woman may find herself stranded on the side of the road with a flat tire. The first occasion this happened to me, I thought to myself, “I’m an independent woman. I can handle this.” It ended with me trekking to the nearest house after jumping up and down on the short little lug wrench and wondering if I was just tightening the damn thing.

But never fear, ladies!!! Armed with the mantra “Rightie Tightie, Lefty Loosey” and those marvelous simple tools we learned about in grade school – the lever and the screw, you’ll be a strong contender for a Nascar pit crew! Or at the very least, you’ll be able to change a tire without a man around.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Car manual
Spare tire
Jack
Tire tool
2-3 foot pipe
Gloves

Step 1

Before you ever have a flat, it is crucial to familiarize yourself with your car. Dig the car manual out from under the stash of ketchup packets, napkins, and tampons in the glove compartment and read the instructions to change a tire. Locate your spare, jack, and tire tool and make sure access is not obstructed. Let’s keep that trunk cleaned out so you can get to these items quickly and easily. Work the jack and find the correct placement according to your manual. I also recommend adding to the trunk work gloves, a pair of wheel chocks, and a 2 or 3-foot metal pipe that will fit snugly over the end of your tire tool. By the way, if you’re concerned about protecting your clothes from the filthy, dirty tire, you can add disposable paper coveralls found at a paint store.
Step 2

At the point you think you might have a flat, drive to where the ground is *level and firm* and you can safely pull several feet off the side of the road. Put your car into park, engage the parking break, and put on your hazard lights.
Step 3

Get out your equipment: spare, jack, tire tool, pipe, wheel chocks, and gloves. Put on coveralls and gloves if you have them. Place the wheel chocks on both sides of the tire diagonally opposite from the flat. For example, if your rear driver-side tire is flat, secure the front passenger-side tire, and vice versa.
Step 4

I learned this one the hard way … take off the hubcap and loosen lug nuts *before* jacking up the car, duh! If your car is raised, the tire will spin when you try to loosen the nuts. Shops use pneumatic tools that tighten nuts and make them difficult to remove by hand, but by adding a pipe over the end of the tire tool for leverage, any girl can work those nuts off. Remember the handy phrase: Rightie tightie, lefty loosey. Loosen the nuts, skipping every other one until you’ve worked your way around the wheel.
Step 5

Now it is time to jack up the car. Your car manual shows the proper positioning of the jack. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to lift the car… jacks employ either a screw or a lever mechanism that makes the job almost effortless for even the girliest girls. Raise the car enough to get the flat off and accommodate the spare tire.
Step 6

Completely remove the lug nuts and store in a safe place, then remove the flat.
Step 7

Put the spare tire on with the air valve facing out and screw on the lug nuts, again alternating until you’ve finished the wheel.
Step 8

Lower the car and re-tighten the lug nuts using your pipe for leverage.
Step 9

Put your tools, hubcap and the flat in your trunk. If the flat is too heavy to get in your trunk, you may have to drag it further off the road and come back for it later with help. You will need the rim, so don’t forget where you leave the tire!

Comments

starlet67 said

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on 4/10/2009 Great article with very helpful info! Love the title photo!5*

SchoolOfLife said

on 3/14/2009 This was an enjoyable article. Look forward to reading more from you. :)

harvard said

on 3/13/2009 Wow. Dang! Great article- one minor MINOR flaw- any "reputable" shop will not overtighten the lug nuts even when a pneumatic wrench is used. They're aware of flat tires and the laws of prbability. I know many guys that don't know this stuff. Thank You!