How to Change Your Tyre Like a Pro
It can happen to everyone and when it does happen, it can very irritating, especially if you’re travelling to somewhere important. Changing a flat tyre requires preparation, and you must be willing to exert a little effort, but if you know how to change a tyre like a professional, then it makes the job a whole lot easier.
Step 1: Make sure that your car is on a hard, stable and safe surface. It must be clear of ANY cars, so turn off the road or motorway and park in a safe place. The hard, stable surface will restrict the car from rolling while you’re changing the tyre.
Step 2: Apply the handbrake and engage first gear. If you have an automatic car, engage the ‘P’ gear. Then place chocks under the wheel that is diagonally opposite the one you are replacing.
Step 3: Remove the wheel trim, place the jack in the lifting point closest to the wheel you are replacing, and then start loosening the wheel nuts.
Step 4: Once loosened, raise the jack until the wheel is slightly off the ground. After this, start to remove the wheel nuts completely while keeping the wheel in place with your knee. Leave the top one until last, so that you can use both hands to remove the wheel from the hub.
Step 5: Now it’s time to put the spare wheel on. Place the wheel on the hub and secure it by loosely fitting the top wheel nut. Then tighten the remaining wheel nuts by hand. One way to do this safely is by doing it in stages and in a diagonal sequence. . The reason why you don’t tighten them fully at this stage is to avoid upsetting the jack and making sure that the car doesn’t fall.
When putting on the spare tyre, make sure that it is aligned the correct way. To ensure this, the valve-stem of the tyre should face away from the car itself. Also, if your vehicle has acorn-style nuts, make sure that the tapered part of the nut faces the wheel when tightening it.
Step 6: Once the nuts are in place, lower the jack without the entire weight of the car bearing down on the tyre. In this position, start tightening the nuts again but this time as much as possible.
Step 7: Once the nuts are tightened, lower the jack so that the car is completely on the ground. Finally, give the nuts one more tighten to make sure that they are secured. And voila!
However, when the new tyre is attached, make sure to look at the instruction manual to identify any prerequisites in order to drive safely with the spare tyre. If it is a ‘skinny’ tyre, it is normally restricted to 50mph and you’ll need to replace it as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, it could be the case that a flat tyre is the result of an accident. If so, then you need professional help as soon as possible. Luckily at Smartway London, our professional team can help you if you are involved in an accident, from alloy wheel repair to headlight restoration. If you would like to know more about our services then please get in touch! Give us a call on 07732 542500 and we will be more than happy to help.
