Nobody expects – when they’re driving off road, pushing their vehicle to the absolute limit – to hear the dreadful bang of the car tyre. You may be in the middle of nowhere, your driving buddies racing off ahead of you while you’re left with the dilemma of how to change a flat tyre and no way to call for help. So what do you do?
At Propshaft Repairs, we’re used to hearing such stories and have realised that – though many people know the basics of changing a flat tyre – they find themselves at a loss when it comes to actually doing it.
How to Change a Flat Tyre
Step 1: Don’t Panic
Firstly, don’t worry if you get a puncture. Pull your vehicle off the road to avoid any accidents, put on your hazard lights and turn off the engine. After making sure your car is stationary, release your spare wheel from the carrier.
Carriers are normally found in the boot or under the car and your handbook will tell you where the release for the carrier is. Sometimes your carrier may be rusty so prepare to use a little elbow grease to get things moving.
Step 2: Prep Your Wheel
Once you’ve placed your spare wheel in an easy-to-reach location, remove your wheel jack from its stored locations (this is usually found in the boot of your vehicle). Follow the instructions in your handbook and place your jack into the lifting positions nearest to your flat tyre.
Once you’ve made sure that the jack head has engaged correctly, gently lift your car so that your wheel is just on the spring. This will take pressure off of your tyre when you loosen off its bolts.
Step 3: Slacken the Bolts
Slacken off the bolts of your wheel with your vehicles wheel brace (again, this is likely to be found with your wheel jack in your boot) and your locking wheel-nut adaptor. If you try to slacken your wheel off whilst it’s off the ground the wheel will spin.
Step 4: Remove Your Flat Tyre
Brace yourself and hold your back straight as you push down on the jack to lift the wheel. Once your wheel is just off of the ground, use your wheel brace to fully remove the bolts. Use the toe of your boot to keep the tyre in place until you’ve finished and use both hands to remove the wheel.
Step 5: Change Your Tyre
When lifting your wheel into place, secure your wheel in the reverse to removing it. Hand screw your bolts back into place in diagonal sequence so that your wheel is perfectly balanced throughout.
Once done, carefully lower your wheel back onto its springs and tighten off your bolts using your wheel brace.
Step 6: Relax
Now all you have to do is make sure that your tyre pressure is up to standard and place your flat tyre back into your carrier!
If you plan on driving off road be sure you’re carrying everything you need with you and take care, we shudder to think of the impact your poor propshafts suffer at the hand of off road driving!
If you do find yourself in need of a little help replacing broken vehicle parts, don’t hesitate to contact us on 01524 382262 or follow and like our Facebook and Twitter pages for our latest news and updates!
