Buying a car is only the beginning, as so much process follows. Maintenance is a big part of owning a car and changing tyres is a big part of maintenance, if you have a flat. While most modern cars don’t pick up a puncture that often, flat tyres on occasions can be a mood spoiler. However, changing a tyre is not rocket science and here are five simple steps to change a flat tyre.
How to change a flat tyre in 5 simple steps?
Park in a safe place
The first and foremost step is to pull over in a safe place, away from traffic. Driving a kilometre or so on a flat tyre will cause no harm, so slow down, look for a safe place to park, and assess the situation. Also, look for level grounds to park. Now, get the required tools out for the next step.
Loosen wheel nuts
With the wheel spanner, loosen the wheel nuts — loosen the lugs, not remove them. The wheel nuts can be tight and could require some muscle power, and the easy way to deal with it is to use your leg and put your weight on it if the lugs are really stuck. Remember to loosen the wheel nuts in a diagonally opposite pattern, and not one after the other.
Jack up the car
This is an important step. Read the owner’s manual to find out what kind of a jack is in the vehicle, how to operate it, and where the jacking points are. This is not a complicated process at all, but is an extremely crucial part of the entire wheel-changing process.
Before jacking up the car, ensure that the vehicle is in gear with the hand brakes engaged in a manual. In an automatic, put it in park with the hand brake engaged again. Remember, jack up the car just enough for the wheel to lift off the ground, and another few inches more. Not any more.
Replacing the wheel
Once the car is jacked up, loosen the wheel nuts completely and keep them in a safe place, not on the ground. Carefully remove the flat tyre and replace it with the spare. Now, put back the wheel nuts and hand tighten them. Next, use the wheel spanner and tighten it a bit more — do not lock it.
Secure the wheel properly
Slowly lower the jack and put it away. Now, using the wheel spanner, lock the wheel nuts in place in a diagonally opposite pattern again. Once the wheel nuts are secure and locked, put away the jack, the spare wheel, and the tools used — now you’re good to go. Flat tyre changed in five easy steps.