Content

• To step
• Tips
• Warnings

Are you on the side of the road with a flat tire? Do you want to be able to change your wheel yourself without asking for help? Fortunately, changing a tire is not as difficult as it seems, at least if you are well prepared and don't mind getting your hands dirty.

To step

1. Find a flat, stable, and safe place to change your tire. The surface must be firm and even to prevent the car from rolling. If you are near a road, park your car as far from traffic as possible and turn on your hazard lights. Avoid soft ground and slopes.
2. Put the wheel with the flat tire in your trunk so you can take it to the garage. Ask if they can fix the flat tire. If not, they can throw away and replace your tire.

Tips

• If you have lock nuts, keep the key to the nuts where you can easily find it. You need the key to change your tire.
• Sometimes a wheel is completely stuck on the wheel hub, then it is difficult to get the wheel off. If so, try to knock loose the stuck wheel with a fist hammer and piece of wood. By regularly rotating your wheels, you prevent your wheels from getting stuck if you have a flat tire.
• When loosening and tightening the nuts, position the wrench so that you press down (using gravity). This way you avoid injuries to the back, and you can use your body weight instead of just the strength in your arms. Push the end of the key to make use of the longest possible arm. You can also use your foot, but make sure you keep your balance and hold the car well.
• When replacing the nuts, make sure that the bevel of the nut is facing the wheel. This section will keep the wheel straight on the hub and put the nuts in the right place.
• Practice changing a tire before you ever have a flat tire so you don't get in trouble if you actually have a flat tire, or if you have to do it in the dark or in the rain.
• With a cross key you can put much more force than with a normal single key.
• Rotating the wheels according to the manufacturer's schedule will prevent your wheel from getting stuck if you get a flat tire.
• Most spare wheels are so-called "home comers", they are not meant to be used. So have your tire replaced as soon as possible.
• Check your tire pressure regularly.

Warnings

• Pay close attention to your surroundings. On a busy road, other road users often drive right past your car. There are many road deaths from changing a flat tire, so only do it if there is really no other option.
• For safety, place a piece of tree or a large rock under the car after jacking it up, but before removing the wheel. Position the object so that the car cannot fall to the ground if the jack shifts while the wheel is off. Place the object under the chassis, not too far from the wheel.
• Most spare wheels are intended as a "home comer", they are smaller than normal wheels and you should not drive faster than 80 km / h. If you drive faster with it, the spare tire can break.
• Never use anything other than a jack or proper car support to support the weight of your car. A car is very heavy, if you use something else you endanger yourself and others.