by Biloxi Von Lutz

Created on: July 27, 2010

Maybe you'll get lucky and be amongst the fortunate few of us that will never have to change a flat tire, but that's highly unlikely. Chances are, at some point you'll get a flat tire and be stranded on the side of the road. Knowing how to change the tire on your vehicle can be the difference between a minor inconvenience and an expensive tow bill and ruined afternoon.

As soon as you realize your tire is going flat, pull over to the side of the road. A flat tire may be repairable and continuing to drive on it will cause permanent damage to the tire. 

Once your vehicle is safely off to the side of the road, you can set about putting on the spare tire. Before doing anything, make sure the vehicle is on level pavement and make sure the emergency brake is applied. Remove the spare tire, jack, and lug wrench from the vehicle. If you're unsure of where these are located, consult your owner's manual.

Begin by placing the jack in the proper position. Most modern vehicles use frame jacks and if you look underneath the vehicle near the outside edges there should be a designated spot to place the jack underneath the frame. Raise the jack so it firmly contacts the vehicle, but do not jack it up yet. 

Before jacking the vehicle off the ground, use the lugwrench to loosen the lug nuts slightly. This is far easier to do with the tire still touching the ground so the wheel doesn't turn. Once the lugnuts are loosened, jack the vehicle up so the tire is off the ground. 

Now, remove the lugnuts from the studs and set them aside. Slide the wheel off the hub of the vehicle and place it in the trunk. Many vehicles come with smaller spare tires known as "space-savers" or "donuts." Take great care to place these on the vehicle properly. The flat face on the inside of the wheel should butt up against the hub of the vehicle, and the curved part is the outside of the wheel. The wheel will go on both ways, so make sure you do it correctly.

Once the wheel is properly fitted on the hub, screw the lugnuts back on with the tapered side facing in towards the wheel. Screw the lugnuts on snugly and then lower the jack so the tire is barely contacting the pavement and will not turn. Now, use the lugwrench to tighten the lugnuts tightly. 

After the lugnuts have been tightened properly, lower the jack the rest of the way and replace it in the trunk along with the lugwrench. Have your original tire repaired or replaced as soon as possible, since most space saver tires are designed to only be driven 50 miles at a maximum of 50 mph. 

Everyone should know how to change a spare tire before getting behind the wheel of a vehicle. It's not particularly difficult and gona save you a lot of money should you have a flat tire.

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