No matter if it’s a car, truck, or van that you drive – it’s very useful to know how to change a flat tire, so you don’t end up helpless in the middle of the road. This article will guide you through all the steps and commonly asked questions, and help you do everything by yourself. We can’t promise a fun time, but we can say that this will be a piece of valuable knowledge.
If you’re headed somewhere in your four-wheeler and suddenly feel a thump and vibration followed by a flapping noise, you can be almost certain that one of your tires is punctured. Having a tire pressure monitoring system can let you know that one of the tires is losing pressure, and it will help you avoid all of this. If you don’t have it, here’s what you should do in case you don’t know how to change a tire.
This is an important skill for every driver, and anyone can do it. That is why there should be no distinction between men and women when it comes to replacing tires. Drivers or not, this skill might come in handy at some point in your life. Imagine driving in New York City or driving in Los Angeles with traffic jams and hours on the road, and you realize you have a flat? That will surely cause driving stress and maybe even road rage. There’s no need to think about How much does it cost to change a flat tire when you can do it alone, quickly and efficiently.
Once your tires are punctured by something sharp, or by a hole in the road, you shouldn’t drive too far, nor too fast. Firstly, your car will no longer be safe, your steering wheel can start to pull to left or right, and you might lose control over it. Another reason is that you don’t want any damage to happen to your wheel, and it will happen after some time because it will start to shred the tire. Use the short time while your vehicle is still operable to get it off the road and stop somewhere where you won’t block the traffic.
It’s recommended to have these things in your car at all times. A jack is a device used for lifting heavy objects off the ground, such as the axle of a motor vehicle for changing wheels or for having the underside inspected. A lug nut wrench is a type of a socket wrench that you will require so you can loosen and tighten lug nuts on your wheels. The socket should be the same size as the nuts. A spare tire is almost always in the vehicle unless it has already been used. If you carry it with you always, be sure to check its pressure every once in a while, just in case. You don’t need a useless reserve.
And now we come to the main question – How to replace a tire? Quite easy, if you follow these instructions:
Driving with a spare is a solution, but only a short term one. The American Automobile Association (AAA) recommends that you should not drive over 50 mph and no more than 50 miles with a donut-type reserve tire. It’s a myth that you can drive normally – a spare should only be used to drive to the nearest repair shop. They will inspect the punctured rubber and see can it be fixed or should it be replaced with a new one. If you drive long distances with a spare, you can damage other parts of the car, such as the transmission.
When it comes to how to fix a flat, one of the most important things is to stay safe and to protect yourself and other people when fixing flats. If you have a reflective triangle, place it on the ground behind the car, so that other drivers can know that you’re dealing with an issue.
Never get under the car when you’re changing flats – jack is only used to support the car, and it can slip off and hurt you. Keep other people away as well until the fixing is done.
Always check your owner manual before doing anything. There, you will find all the information you need to do this properly.
If you find yourself in a situation where you don’t have a spare tire, and there’s no expert near you to fix it, you should know how to repair a flat tire by yourself. These car parts aren’t cheap, and having the right equipment with you for fixing them could be a lifesaver. Knowing how to use a tire repair kit is essential for knowing how to fix a flat tire.
There are one-step and two-step kinds of repair kits. The one-step kit is basically just attaching the hose, which simultaneously injects the sealant and air, while the two-step kits have a bottle of repair sealant for tires and an inflator. Once you locate the damage, mark it, and use pliers or a screwdriver to remove the item that caused the hazard. Ream the hole so that it can receive the tools and use the rubber cement to patch the crack. Be aware that this is just a temporary solution. If you want a more permanent solution, you will need to remove the tire from the rim and then to patch the damage from the inside.
Since the main concern of every person having a punctured tire is the inflation pressure, this is one of the common questions. If you’re in the situation that the air from the tire leaks slowly, one of the quicker answers to the question of how to fix a flat tire is that you can and you should just put air in it. As soon as you notice that the pressure in the tire is lower than it should be, and you can’t see the damage, inflate it without removing it. Don’t risk driving for too long – go to the nearest repair shop and see how big of a problem you have. If you neglect the fact that there’s a hole in the rubber, it can become even bigger. If you have the chance to repair the tire, do it before inflating it. Then, you can just take the air pump, put it into the valve stem, and pump the air inside.
Every time you drive, the tire risks to be punctured, and according to the Tire Industry Association, the risk is so big that it’s just a matter of time when you will get a flat, not if. The best possible solution for the problem called how to fix a flat tire on a car is to go to a technician at the service stations or auto repair center that can demount the tire and inspect the puncture from the inside. Not every damage is visible from the outside – sometimes an object can make a hole to the sidewall that you can see only from the inside. A technician will remove the item that damaged the rubber, and patch it professionally. Auto repair centers and service stations use rubber to fill the void that has been made, and they seal the inner liner with a repair unit. This isn’t something unusual, and it’s a great solution if you’re trying to save some money and avoid buying a new tire.
Ok, so you’ve seen how to fix a tire and realized that the damage is too big. What then? It doesn’t mean that it has to become trash. There are plenty of ways for you to recycle this great material. They can be used for jacking up the car, or you can be more creative and put them in your garden, build an obstacle course, or make furniture. One of the ideas is to make a coffee table by gluing a wooden top on it. If you don’t have time for creativity, know that local tire shops can recycle tires for you.
Did you plan on relocating your car soon, and you don’t have time or you simply don’t want to fix a flat tire before the move and prepare the car for shipping? Don’t worry. Whether you opted for an open trailer or you wish to have your car more protected, and you purchased enclosed trailer services for exotic auto transport, you will be able to do it. Most auto shipping companies can offer to transport a car without a flat tire repair, but there will be some changes compared to the usual transport of cars from state to state:
