Changing a tire

How to Change a Tire

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Have you ever gotten stuck helplessly on the side of the road with a flat, or do you dread someday getting trapped in that kind of scenario? Do you want to be able to change a tire without having to ask for help? Luckily for you, changing a tire is a pretty simple task, if you don't mind a little bit of elbow grease!

Steps

1. Make sure that you are on stable ground (avoid hills). If possible, it is a good idea to place a heavy object (such as a brick) in front of the front tire(if changing a rear tire), and vice versa.
   
2. Get the spare tire and the jack. Place the jack under the frame near the tire that you are going to change. Make sure that you place it where it will meet the metal portion of the frame. Many cars are made from molded plastic, and if you don't place the jack in the right spot, it will crack the body when you start lifting. If you're not sure about the right place to put the jack, read your owner's manual.
   
3. Remove the hub cap and loosen (counterclockwise) the nuts about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way and lift the car. Having the wheel on the ground means that you're turning the nuts instead of the wheel. Don't take them all the way off. Just break the resistance. Use the cross wrench. Your wrench may have different sizes of openings on different ends. Place the right size of the wrench on the lug nut. The right size is the one that slips easily over the nut but does not rattle.
   
4. Pump or crank the jack to lift the tire off the ground. Remove the nuts the rest of the way. Turn them counter clockwise until they are loose. Repeat with all lug nuts, then remove the nuts completely.
   
5. Remove the tire. Place the flat tire under the vehicle so in event of jack failure the vehicle will fall on the old wheel, hopefully preventing injury. If the jack is placed on a flat, solid base, you shouldn't have any problems!
   
6. Place the spare tire on the wheel, taking care to align the rim of the spare tire with the wheel bolts, and tighten the nuts as much as possible. To ensure the tire is balanced, don't completely tighten the nuts one at a time. Going in a cross pattern around the tire, one nut across from another, give each one a full turn until they are equally tight.
   
7. Lower the car to the ground, but do not put full weight on it yet. Finish tightening the nuts as much as possible. Lower the car to the ground fully. Remove the jack. Tighten the nuts again. Replace the hubcap.
   
8. Put the old tire in your trunk and take it to a mechanic. Small puncture wounds can usually be repaired for less than $10. If the tire is not repairable, they can dispose of it properly.
   

Tips

• Loosen the nuts prior to lifting with the jack.
  
• Tighten as much as a possible prior to lowering to the ground.
  
• If your wheels have locking lug nuts, be sure to keep the key-lug where you can easily find it. You will need it to change the tire.
  
• Most spare tires are not rated for more than 50 MPH, nor for long distances. Exceeding this speed can cause problems, including failure of the spare tire. Instead, drive slowly and carefully to a shop and have your tire repaired or replaced.
  
• When loosening and tightening the nuts, arrange the cross wrench so that you are pressing down (with gravity). This will remove risk of injury to your back and also allow you to use your body weight rather than just your arm strength. Press on the end of the wrench for the best leverage. You can even use your foot, but make sure to keep your balance and steady yourself against the car.
  
• Familiarize yourself with this procedure and with the particulars for your car before you get a flat tire, so that you don't have to learn by the side of the road, in the dark, in the rain.
  
• Check occasionally to make sure that your spare tire has sufficient air in it.
  

Warnings

• Do not use the lug wrench to start off the lug nuts when putting them back on. Use your hands, to avoid cross-threading the nut.
  
• Be aware of your surroundings. If you're on a busy road, be particularly wary of vehicles driving by that might get too close. There are hundreds of people killed each year while changing a tire on the side of the road -- don't do it unless you must.
  
• Don't step out of your car to flag someone down!! There are too many "good Samaritans" with bad intentions. Unfortunately, there are malicious folks out there, and if you're a woman stuck on the road in the middle of nowhere and it's dark, you will be a target. If you decide you are unable to change your tire, call someone.
  

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