Changing a tire can be one of the most troublesome and scary things a driver has to do while on the side of the road. The situation can be even scarier if it is a new driver, at night or during a storm. The roads can be a fun and interesting place to drive but can also be quite scary if drivers don’t know the roads they are driving on, especially if they don’t know the important parts of maintaining a vehicle such as changing a tire.
In order to be properly prepared for whatever the road can throw at a driver one must practice, practice, and practice. Practice does make perfect. Practicing how to change a tire can help with easing the nerves and questions when the time comes for the first time in a real situation. If a tire does hit a bump in the road or gets nail stuck in it and deflates while driving, try to move the car as far away from oncoming traffic as possible to avoid any accidents that can lead to serious injury or even death. If at all possible, get the car to a rest stop or a parking lot.
The first step in changing a tire is placing the car in park and making sure the vehicle is on level ground. Never change a tire on a hill. Put a block in front of the front tire if you are changing a rear tire and vice versa. The next step is to remove the spare tire and the jack from the trunk of the car. The jack must be placed where it will latch onto the metal part of the car’s frame near the tire you are changing. Raise the car high enough so that the tire comes completely off the ground.
Then remove the hub cap on the tire by loosening the lug nuts that keep the hub cap in place. Remove the hub cap and then the tire by loosening the lug nuts. Don’t loosen one lug nut all the way. Loosen them in a cross pattern little by little to take the tire off in a balanced manner. For safety precautions, always place the tire under the frame of the car, next to the jack in case the jack were to give way. This allows the car to fall, hopefully safely, onto the old tire.
Now place the spare tire on the car and tighten it into place with the lug nuts. Place the hub cap in the trunk. When tightening the lug nuts on the spare tire do not tighten each one right away. Tighten one a little bit, then move on to another, and another. Once you tighten them a little bit start the process all over again until they are all tightened and the spare tire is attached to the car evenly.
Now the car can be lowered back to the ground by using the jack. Remove the jack from under the frame of the car and place it, along with the broken tire, in the trunk of the car. Check your surroundings for any other tools used and drive away. Before pulling away make sure to tighten the nuts again to make sure the spare is on securely and evenly balanced.
The final step is the easiest one, taking the tire to the mechanic to be repaired. Then it will be time to repeat the process all over again when putting the new tire back on the car and removing the spare
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