How to Change a Car Tire

Being a safe driver is essential to being safe. Along with this should be the ability to do certain things in emergency situations. One of these is the ability to change a car tire.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Spare tire, Jack, lug wrench

How to Change a Car Tire

1. Pull over to a safe area to change your tire. Locate the spare tire, lug wrench and tire jack.
2. Engage your parking brake to keep the car from moving when you are changing the tire.
3. Remove the cover to the rim if there is one and loosen the lugs in a star motion. Do not completely remove the lugs, just loosen them to the point where you can easily twist them off.
4. Locate the area that you can safely place the jack and elevate the car so there is enough room to remove and replace the tire. Once elevated, twist and remove lugs.
5. Remove flat tire and place spare tire on. You can now hand tighten the lugs onto the rim. Tighten enough so the tire is on as evenly possible.
6. Lower the car by releasing the jack.
7. Tighten lugs as tight as possible in a star formation. Place all items into your vehicle.

Tips & Warnings

• Getting help from a fellow passenger will make things easier.
• Park in a safe area to change the tire.
• If at all possible and you get a flat on the freeway, try to drive to the closest exit as changing a tire on the freeway can be extremely dangerous.