We all hope we won’t ever experience one, but even the most cautious drivers cannot always avoid a flat tyre. Therefore, being able to change your own tyres is a crucial ability to have.By taking good care of your tyres and keeping them inflated to the proper pressure, you can lessen your risk of experiencing a flat tyre. But even then, a tyre can be punctured by a heavy nail or a sharp piece of metal on the side of the road, leading to a blowout or a gradual puncture. Fortunately, it’s not as difficult as you might think to change a flat tyre yourself. If you have the right tools, you can get things back to normal in about 30 minutes.
The Equipment you Will Require for a flat tyre
You’ll need a few extra tools to properly change a flat tyre, in addition to a spare tyre, a jack, and a wrench. All the tools you’ll require are mentioned here, along with their functions.Keep this gear in your car so you’ll be prepared if you ever need to replace a tyre while you’re driving.
• Spare tyre—a spare tyre that is completely inflated to replace the flat one. Learn more about the many spare tyre options you may have.
• Vehicle handbook: The handbook that came with your automobile will have instructions particular to it, such as where to put the jack so the car can be supported safely.
• Wheel chocks: To keep your inflated tyres from rolling while you change your flat tyre, position them in front of and behind the inflated tyres. If wheel chocks are not available, you can use bricks or a large piece of wood.
• A jack is used to elevate your car off the ground so that you can change the flat tyre.
• Locking wheel nut key: for security, certain automobiles include locking nuts. To remove these wheel nuts, you’ll need the proper key.
• A wrench that can fit the nuts or bolts on your wheel is required.
• A warning triangle is an essential piece of safety gear that you can use to clearly signal to other drivers that you are changing a tyre.
• Gloves, a head torch, and a luminous waterproof coat are advised since you never know when a puncture can happen and you want to be able to operate safely regardless of the weather or time of day. Your hands will be protected from any sharp things that may still be within the tyre by a decent pair of gloves.
How Long does it Take to change a flat tyre
If you are prepared with the necessary tools, you can fix a flat tyre in 30 minutes. We advise you to practise this procedure at home on a sunny day. Watch YouTube videos of the procedure and make sure you know where the jack points are on your car and how the jack works. This will ensure that you know exactly what to do if you ever need to replace a tyre on the side of the road in the middle of a rainy, dark night. However, take your time and complete the task correctly. Your safety and the safety of other drivers are of the utmost importance. Here is a step-by-step explanation of how to change a tyre.
The Change a Tyre Yourself Guide
Below is the step-by-step process to help you get through your flat tyre. Following this will ensure both your safety as well as the safety of the others on the road.
1. Equip your vehicle and yourself with the necessary tools
Ensure that you are parked safely and away from any traffic. Put your handbrake on, turn your engine off, and turn on your hazard lights. Put on your safety clothes and check your car’s manual for any additional instructions. Now it’s time to get your tools ready, put the warning triangle in a good spot, and put the wheel chocks behind or in front of the inflated tyres.
2. Take the wheel nuts off
While the flat tyre is anchored to the ground, you should slightly release the wheel nuts before lifting your car with the jack. You must begin using the locking key if your car has locking wheel nuts. Next, turn the nuts counter clockwise while using your wrench to remove them. Once you’ve somewhat loosened them, halt and get ready to elevate your car with the jack.
3. Use the jack to lift your car
Check your vehicle’s manual before starting because it will tell you where to align your jack to prevent harm to the car. Make sure your jack is straight and stable when you align it with the jacking point and during the jacking procedure. Reduce the pressure and start over if it appears unstable at any time. When you have enough space to quickly remove the flat tyre, carefully wind the jack.
4. Use the spare tyre to replace the flat tyre
You should be able to simply finish loosening the wheel nuts now, as you’ve already done so slightly. Keep the wheel nuts in a secure location, like a pocket or inside the car, and keep in mind which way around they should go when you’re ready to reattach them. Remove the flat tyre now and set it aside. With your spare tyre in place, reinstall the wheel bolts and replace the flat tyre.
5. Lower the car and complete tightening the wheel nuts
Bring your car back to the ground slowly. Now, using your wrench once more, tighten the wheel nuts as much as possible. After accomplishing this, you can store all of your equipment (not forgetting your flat tyre or warning triangle)
6. Continue travelling and check the wheel nuts again
It’s a good idea to double-check the wheel nuts are as snug as possible and aren’t loosening up due to road vibrations after a few miles of driving on your spare tyre.
Conclusion
Changing your flat tyre is a basic trick every man who drives should know. In case of an emergency when stuck on the side of an empty road, you should be able to do it yourself. The entire process is very empowering and enriching. But remember to follow the above steps to a tee to ensure your own safety and the safety of other on the road.