Fixing a Flat Tire
Jun 30 '00 (Updated Jul 05 '00)
As a teenager on the verge of getting my license, I remember my father telling me that there are certain things that everyone who drives should know.
This knowledge was a must before our road test could be scheduled:
1)How to put gas in the car-don't laugh I know some people, male and female that will drive for miles looking for a full service station because they refuse to learn how to put gas in their cars.
2) How to check our oil and refill if necessary
3) How to refill our radiator safely
4) How to refill transmission fluid
5) How to refill windshield washer fluid
6) How to jump start a car with battery cables
7) How to change a flat tire
The lessons regarding basic maintenance and repair my father taught me has helped me out of many situations. He believed and instilled in all of us, that no matter if we are male or female, we are capable of helping ourselves out of minor driving mishaps that may arise on the road.
I remember my father standing at the side of the car showing me how to change the tire, he took each step slowly and then afterward had me practice on another tire. This knowledge I have used a couple of times in my life, once when I was younger and then again when my husband was away on a business trip.
Changing a tire can be different for each vehicle so it is best to familiarize yourself with the specific "how to's" before the need arises. I suggest when you first get your vehicle that you read your owner's manual and then keep it in a safe place, like the glove compartment, for future reference. By reading it before a need arises, you can get any questions you may have answered before hand.
First, make sure you always have the proper equipment on hand should you get a flat tire on a road.
This includes but is not limited to:
A spare or doughnut tire, be sure to check this periodically for air, there is nothing worse than having a flat tire and a flat spare.
A Jack, folding wrench and shaft-be sure these are in good working order and in a place that is easily accessible. Nothing worse than having to empty your entire trunk to get to the tools needed.
A flashlight with batteries-be sure to check the batteries periodically as it would be terrible to have a flat tire in the dark and have the batteries be dead.
For small holes that need only a temporary fix, we carry a can of tire inflator and sealant, Tire Jack or Fix a flat are two brand names of this type of product. These products are very handy for certain holes but will do nothing if the tear is on the sidewall of the tire. If you pick up a nail and your tire goes flat, don't remove the nail. The product is simple to use, just hook up the connector to the tire valve and the can will empty a carbon dioxide and sealant solution into the tire that will adhere to the inside and inflate it at the same time. This is a nice easy way to avoid changing flats on busy or dark streets.
A car first aid kit, which includes your normal first aid things as well as road side flares, a cloth rag, blankets, food and drink. The reason I mention this is because if you have a problem changing the flat and you have to wait for help you won't be left cold, hungry and thirsty.
By planning ahead you will know that you have all the necessary equipment needed should you get a flat tire. Now how to actually change the tire. As I said, each vehicle can be different so please check your owner's manual before attempting to change a tire.
The first step when you think you may have a flat is to, drive slowly and safely to a level place on the side or shoulder of the road. Be sure you are as far away from traffic as possible to avoid being accidently hit while changing a tire. At this time it is also best to turn on your hazard warning flashers. Place your car in Park and put your parking brake on(this is for automatics).
It is now time to exit your car, carefully, and inspect the tire. Do you need to change the tire or will your trusty can of Tire jack/Fix a flat get you back on the road? You then see there is a tear in the sidewall-oops no fix in a can for this flat.
Next step go to the trunk of your vehicle and open the storage compartment that houses all your necessary equipment. If you have road side flares, set them up now and also leave your trunk open to alert other drivers that you are on the roadside and in trouble.
The major tools needed for changing a flat should be in your storage compartment. This will include your jack, lug wrench/shaft- which will more than likely be held in place by a retainer bar and wing nut. Simply loosen the wing nut and move the retainer bar to gain access to the tools.
It is now time to get your spare tire out, for most people this will be under the rug of their trunk, pull back the rug and you will see a door. Pull the door up and you will see your spare tire attached to the floor with a wing nut. Simply remove the wing nut and lift your tire out. I have a mini van and my spare tire is located under the vehicle. To remove a spare from most mini vans simply insert the shaft of the jacking tool into the hole above the rear bumper, attach the folding wrench and rotate counterclockwise until it lowers. Once it lowers you can pull it out from under the vehicle.
Once you have your spare tire removed from its housing, place it near your flat tire. It is now time to loosen your flat tire to begin the changing process.
According to my owners manual, this next part is dependent on what type of wheel covers you have.
If you have aluminum wheels, each wheel nut is covered with a nylon cap. Use the folding wrench to remove the nylon caps from the wheel nuts before you loosen the nuts.
If your vehicle has plastic bolt on wheel covers, you cannot separate the nylon wheel nut caps from the cover. You will loosen them using the folding wrench and remove the wheel cover.
Now that your wheel cover or caps are removed, it is time to loosen the tire. This is also dependent on the type of wheel covers you have on your vehicle.
If your vehicle has aluminum wheels, each wheel has one wheel locknut in place of the standard wheel nut. A special removal tool and instructions should be included with your owner's manual. To use, simply attach to the wheel lock key to the socket of the folding wrench and remove it by turning counterclockwise. If your vehicle has the plastic bolt on wheel covers, there will not be a locking wheel nut.
The next step is to loosen the wheel nuts using the folding wrench, but do not remove them. After you have loosened the wheel nuts, attach the folding wrench to the jack and rotate the wrench clockwise to raise the jack head a few inches. Now position the jack and raise the jack head until it fits firmly into the notch that is in the vehicle' frame. Near each wheel there should be a notch in the frame that you will be able to fit the jack head in, the front tires have the notch located near the underside of the front doors and the rear tires have it located near the back of the side doors. It is important that you have the jack properly positioned, for your own safety and also to insure that you do not cause further damage to your vehicle.
It is now time to raise the vehicle by rotating the folding wrench clockwise in the jack. You only need to raise the vehicle far enough off the ground so that there is enough room for the spare tire to fit.
At this point you may remove the loosened wheel nuts and take off your flat tire. Inspect the wheel bolts for rust or debris, remove any excess with cloth. Place your spare tire on the cleaned wheel nuts.
Replace the wheel nuts with the rounded end of the nuts toward the wheel, tightening each nut by hand. Once the wheel is held on, you may reattach the folding wrench to the jack and rotate the wrench counterclockwise to lower the vehicle back to the ground.
Take the folding wrench and tighten the wheel nuts firmly in a star like pattern, meaning start at one point and then do the one directly across from the first, not the one right next to the first one and continue in that fashion.
At this point you are done changing your flat. The wheel cover that you have removed cannot be put on your doughnut spares so be sure to store it in the trunk of the vehicle. The flat tire that you removed should be secured back in the trunk or in my case back under the vehicle. For safety reasons, do not put it in the back seat of your car as a sudden stop may cause the tire to take flight and could injure you.
Be sure to replace the jack and wrench/ shaft back in it's compartment. Taking care to secure them as you do not want them lost in case you need them again.
If you replaced the flat tire with a doughnut spare be sure to get a full size tire on as soon as you can. Although the doughnut tire is made to perform well at posted speed limits for distances up to three thousand miles, I do not suggest you drive for a long period on it. By driving only short periods on the spare your spare will last longer and will be in good shape should you need it again.
There may come a time in your life when you will have to change a flat tire on your vehicle, will you be able to? While the process is a very easy one, many do not know how to change a tire(I do recognize that changing a tire is not for everyone and for safety reasons, it may be best to wait for someone you call to come and help you. These are decisions only you can make based on individual circumstances). With the affordability of auto clubs, the trend seems to be "sit back and wait for a technician to come to do the task". From the steps I have described above, the call to the technician may not be necessary if you are willing and able to try.
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