How to Remove a Tire From Vehicles

by Contributing WriterUpdated June 12, 2017

Vehicles are used to keep Vehicles from getting stolen by thieves. These Vehicles require a special key to remove the Vehicles. The key fits on one end to the Vehicles and on the other is a hex head Vehicles attaching a tire iron. There are occasions, however, when you may have lost the Vehicles key or you may not have it when you need it, making the Vehicles difficult.

Under The Hood:

 How to Remove a Tire From a Mazda

Park the Mazda on a flat, paved surface. Apply the parking brake.

Remove the hub cap first unless the hub cap is affixed to the rim by washers on the lug nuts. Different years, makes and models of Mazdas may offer a variation of hub cap styles.

Break the lug nuts loose on the tire you want to remove. Loosen the lug nuts slightly and don't remove them or over-loosen them.

Lift the vehicle using the bottle jack in the location of the tire you're removing. If it's a Mazda car, you could place the bottle jack beneath the rocker panel on the side by the tire you're removing. Or if it's a truck or SUV, you could place it under the axle. Refer to the owner's manual of the Mazda for any other possible recommended safe lift points specified for your Mazda.

Remove the lug nuts and remove the tire. In the event the tire hub is stuck to the hub of the vehicle (sometimes rust buildup may fuse the two together), strike the sidewall of the tire with your hand or heavy object to break it free. Be careful not to knock the vehicle off the bottle jack and sustain damage or bodily injury. Reverse the procedure to replace the tire, but it's recommended to torque the lug nuts to 80 foot pounds. Under-torquing could allow the lug nuts to loosen and come free. Over-torquing could cause damage to the wheel hub.

Items you will need

  • Bottle jack (equipped)

  • Lug wrench (equipped)

 How to Remove a Tire With a Wheel Lock Nut

Key Available

Lift up the car with the jack. Set it down on jack stands so the car is properly supported.

Set the wheel lock key onto the wheel lock nut and twist it until the key locks onto the lock nut, making it ready to unscrew.

Put the tire iron onto the lock nut. Turn the tire iron counter-clockwise to remove the lock nut. Repeat steps 2-3 for any other locking nuts on the wheel.

Place the tire iron on the non-locking nuts and turn counter-clockwise to remove the remaining lock nuts. Take the tire and wheel off the car using both hands.

Missing Key

Lift up the car with the jack. Set it down on jack stands so the car is properly supported.

Place a socket from your 1/2-inch socket set onto the locking nut. Find a socket smaller than the locking nut itself but large enough to force-fitted with a hammer.

Hold the socket over the lock nut and hammer it onto the lock nut using the dead-blow hammer. The dead blow hammer is better than a traditional hammer because the head of the hammer is filled with sand, which minimizes rebound from the impacted surface. Then place the 1/2-inch breaker bar on the socket and turn it counter-clockwise to remove the locking nut. A breaker bar is a long bar---12 inches and longer---that has an attachment on one end for a socket. The breaker bar provides more leverage than most ratchets. Discard the locking nut and socket, as they will not be reusable.

Remove the remaining wheel nuts on the wheel using the tire iron. Pull the wheel off the car with both hands.

Items you will need

  • Jack

  • 2 Jack stands

  • Tire iron

  • Wheel key

  • Dead-blow hammer

  • 1/2-inch socket set

  • 1/2-inch breaker bar

 How to Remove a Tire From a Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic

Remove the Front Wheel

Jack the Ultra Classic up with a motorcycle lift so the front tire is off of the ground.

Loosen both mounting fasteners on the front brake caliper with a hex wrench. Take out these fasteners and pull the caliper up and off the brake rotor. Allow the caliper to carefully hang by its hydraulic hose line.

Loosen and remove the front axle nut with a large SAE ratchet wrench. Tap out the axle with a rubber mallet and place the axle in a clean, dry place.

Remove the wheel from between the front forks. You might have to let air out of the tire in order to accomplish this.

Remove the Rear Wheel

Jack the Ultra Classic's rear end up with a motorcycle lift. Release and remove the right saddlebag by turning the inner bail fasteners a quarter-turn counterclockwise. Move this saddlebag away from the work area.

Loosen and remove the rear axle nut with a ratchet wrench. Tap out the rear axle with a rubber mallet. Place the axle in a clean, dry place.

Pull the wheel to free it from the rear brake caliper. Allow the wheel to fall forward within the rear swing arm toward the front of the motorcycle. Slip the drive belt off its pulley.

Remove the wheel from inside the swing arm.

Items you will need

  • Motorcycle jack

  • Hex wrench set

  • SAE ratchet wrench set

  • Rubber mallet

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