Learn To Change a Flat Tire

Before you begin

To change a tire (or more accurately, a wheel with a tire on it), you need another to replace it. Many car owners haven't checked the spare since they bought the car.

Take the time to look for your spare tire. Under the floor of the trunk and under the rear of a truck are the usual spots. Whether it's a full-size tire or one of those small, low-quality, high-pressure ones, make sure that it's properly inflated and easily accessible.

While you're exploring the car, check the car's jack as well, especially if you bought the car used. It's not uncommon for the jack to be missing or incomplete. Find that out now, before you need to use it.

Most cars come with a lug nut remover that's nearly useless... it's small, it slips, and it gives you no leverage. Go to an auto supply store and buy one that's shaped like a cross. They generally have three different sized sockets, plus a pry end, and give you a much better shot at removing a frozen wheel lug. Just make sure that one of the sockets fits your wheel's lugs securely before you leave the parking lot.

Step 1: Find the right spot

While you're doing all this, you'll probably have traffic passing you. Especially if it's nighttime, the oncoming cars will have a hard time seeing you crouched down at the front of the car--so choose your changing spot well. However, the more that you drive on the flat tire, the greater the chance that you'll damage it beyond repair. Look for the first good spot, not the second.

Find a level area where you can work. It's dangerous to jack up a car on a hill or incline.

Find a spot where you can pull the car over, out of the way of traffic. A long, straight stretch of road is better than just around the bend in a road. Traffic will be able to see you, rather than coming upon you unexpectedly.

Turn on your emergency flashers (usually near the steering wheel).

Set the parking brake! Put automatic transmission cars in park. Put manual transmission cars (stick shifts) in first or reverse gear. To be really safe, put two bricks or rocks (at least the size of your fist) in front of and behind the tire opposite the flat. This will help keep the car from inadvertently rolling.

If you have a tarp with you, spread it on the ground next to the flat tire. Weigh it down with rocks or heavy objects so the wind won't pick it up. This will give you a clean space to kneel, and place wheel parts. If you have gloves with you, put them on.

Step 2: Get the spare and the jack

You can't remove the old wheel without a jack. The spare is probably right next to it.

The spare tire is usually located in the wheelwell, which is often on the bottom of the side of the car. It's either an indented area or a slot of some kind where the jack is meant to reside. Your owner's manual has a diagram that will locate it for you.

Most often, the spare will be held in place by a bracket or a bolt that unscrews by hand pretty easily.

If the jack is located in metal slots, slide it out and make sure that the handle is there as well. Many jack handles double as the lug remover, but if you have a real lug wrench (see above), you won't need to use it as such.

Bring them both over to the work area, along with the lug wrench. If you're doing this at night, take care not to lose the jack handle in the dark.

Step 3: Loosen the lug nuts

If you try to loosen the lug nuts after jacking up the car, the wheel will just spin on you. Loosen those nuts now and make it easier on yourself.

There are generally four or five lug nuts near the center of a wheel. Sometimes they're hidden under a hubcap, or a plate that needs to be pried loose.If this is the case, use the flat end of the lug wrench (or jack handle). Insert it into the slot provided at the edge of the plate, or at the edge of the hubcap. Pry the plate or hubcap off and don't let them roll away.

Now that you've removed the hubcap, find the end of the wrench that fits properly. Place it over any of the lug nuts.

Turn counter-clockwise to loosen the nut. Do you have the cross-shaped lug nut wrench? If so, grab the opposite ends of the wrench. Use that leverage to loosen the lug nuts.

Many people have trouble removing very firmly tightened lug nuts. If you're in that situation, here are a few strategies to help loosen them.

Steady the wrench with your hand if possible, and step down hard on one end of the wrench with your foot.

Place your foot carefully onto the wrench. Holding onto the car, step with your full weight onto one end of the wrench. Bounce up and down on that end until the nut loosens.

Find a rock. Hammer on the end of wrench with it.

Once the nut has loosend and turns more readily, continue turning the wrench until a few remaining turns with your hand will release it. Repeat the process with the remaining lug nuts. Note: Leave the lug nut on the threaded shaft.

Step 4: Jack up the car

To get the wheel off, you'll need to raise that corner of the car.

Most often, the spare will be held in place by a bracket or a bolt that unscrews by hand pretty easily.

Raise the jack enough so that it just touches the car. Almost all jacks are raised by inserting the jack handle into a socket on the jack body, and turning the handle. Some jacks are raised with a scissor-type motion. In a scissors-type jack, the socket can be hidden in the center of the jack body, while in others it may be more obvious.

Don't worry about holding the jack in place while turning the handle. You can position the jack when it's raised enough to reach the car.

Once the jack is raised enough to touch the car, it's time to position it properly. Each manufacturer has a special place designated for the jack contact--that's the spot where the jack lifts the car. If you have a manual, it should contain this information.

The positions for the jack are usually about 6 to 12 inches behind the front tire, or 6 to 12 inches in front of the rear tire. Search a few inches in from the car's body for the car's sturdy frame, and avoid using the suspension.

Make sure that the jack is flat on the ground. Crank it a few more times to secure it properly.

When you're certain the jack is positioned properly, continue turning the handle so that the car rises off the flat tire. You'll need to fit a fully inflated tire under there, so give it a few extra turns to make sure there's enough room.

Step 5: Remove the old wheel

You left the nuts on the old wheel, so that you wouldn't lose them. Now it's time to remove them.

Spin all the lug nuts off with your hand, and put them aside (in the hubcap if you have one, or on the tarp).

Grasp the wheel by two sides of the tire (at the three o'clock and nine o'clock positions). Pull the wheel straight out and off. Keep your weight forward or you'll fall backwards and land on your butt. Roll the old wheel to one side.

Step 6: Put on the new wheel

Holding the spare wheel, try to line up the holes in the center with the threaded shafts that they fit over. Shift and slide the spare wheel over the shafts until it's seated properly, and can't be pushed any farther onto the shafts.

If there's not enough clearance to mount the fully inflated spare tire, put it aside and turn the jack handle a few more times to raise the car body.

The next key step is to tighten the lug nuts in the proper order:

Take the lug nuts and spin them onto the shafts with your hands. Use the lug wrench to turn them so that they all rest against the wheel, but don't tighten them down yet.

Lower the jack so that the tire just rests on the ground.

Tighten one of the lug nuts well. Give it one good turn with the wrench, but don't crank it on. Next, go to the nut opposite to the one that you've just tightened, and tighten in the same way.

Tighten the remaining nuts in the same way. If you have five nuts, tighten every other one until they're all tight.

Step 7: Lower the car and pack it all up

All right, get back on the road!

Turn the jack handle the other way to fully lower the car. As the weight is taken off, the jack will fall over. Lay it on its side and finish turning the handle, until the jack is fully closed.

If the wheel has a hubcap or plate, replace it by holding one edge in place, and banging on the opposite edge with the jack handle, the heel of your hand, or the side of your fist.

Put the old wheel and tire in the spare's compartment, or on the spare's bracket and secure it. Secure the jack and handle to their original location.

Throw the tarp in the trunk, and carefully step around to the driver's door. Watch for passing cars!

• The jack in your car is in there, isn't it? Check before the need arises!
  
• A properly inflated spare tire (Again, check to see if it's there)
  
• lug wrench that fits your wheel
  
• lug bolts (see Before You Begin)

• A plastic tarp
  
• A pair of gloves
  
• A flashlight (recommended for dark nights)