Do you know how to correctly change a tire?

It’s bound to happen to everyone sooner or later.  Whether it’s the result of a slow leak, road debris puncture, or even a random act of vandalism, you may be forced to put on that spare tire and get your flat replaced.  Changing a tire is one of those things that everyone should know how to do, and it is usually one of those things that you have to learn while you’re doing it.

If you do something wrong, like put your jack in the wrong place, you may end up doing more harm than good to your car, so it’s best to know what you’re doing before you are forced to do so. Here’s ten steps from dmv.org.

1. Find a safe spot to pull over. If you’re on the freeway, getting off is the safest bet, even if you have to drive on a blown tire. Otherwise, pull as far onto the shoulder as possible. Don’t park in the middle of a curve, where approaching cars can’t see you. Also choose a flat spot; jacking up your car on a hill can be a disaster. If you have a manual transmission, leave your car in gear. Be sure to set your parking brake!
2. Turn on your hazard lights. Get the jack, wrench, and spare tire from the trunk of the car and bring them over to the tire that is flat. Use other tools or supplies if needed.
3. Use the wrench to loosen the lug nuts. You may need to remove the hubcap. Don’t remove the lug nuts at this point; simply loosen them by turning the wrench to the left (counter-clockwise). If the lug nuts are really tight, try placing the wrench on the nut and standing on the wrench arm to use your full weight on it. You can also try hitting the wrench arm with a rock.
4. Use the jack to lift the vehicle off the ground. Different car models may have different places to put the jack; consult your owner’s manual for specific locations. Once the jack is securely in the correct spot, jack up the car until the tire is about six inches off the ground.
5. Remove the lug nuts and pull the tire off the car. Make sure to place the lug nuts in a pile that won’t get scattered, and pull the tire straight toward yourself to remove it from the wheel base.
6. Place the spare on the car. Line up the lug nut posts with the holes in the spare, and push the spare all the way onto the wheel base until it can’t go any farther.
7. Put on the lug nuts. Don’t put them on tightly, just make sure they’re on enough for the spare to stay on the car for a moment.
8. Lower the car back to the ground. Use the jack to bring the car back down to ground level. Remove the jack from underneath the car.
9. Make sure the lug nuts are tightened. With the car back on the ground, you can now tighten the lug nuts. Rather than tightening them one by one in order, start with one lug nut, tighten it about 50%, move to the opposite nut (across the circle) and tighten that one about the same amount. Keep tightening opposite lug nuts gradually in turn until each lug nut is as tight as it can be.
10. Put your flat tire and tools back in your trunk. Make sure you don’t leave anything on the side of the road.

So be sure to know what to do if you find yourself with a flat tire. Always remember to only do tire changes where it is safe. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.