How to Change a Flat Tyre Safely

A flat tyre can happen to any driver at any time, so it is a useful skill to know how to change one safely. This is particularly important if you frequently drive long distances alone or in remote places where a rescue service will take some time to reach you. Read on for our how to change a flat tyre guide…

  1. A flat tyre will make the car difficult to steer and control, so it is important to pull off the road as soon as possible and park in a safe place. You will need to get out of the car so you should make sure that you park away from oncoming traffic.
  2. Once you have parked safely and switched off the engine, put on the hazard lights so that other vehicles can see that you are there. This is very important if light is beginning to fade.
  3. There are several tools which are necessary to change a flat tyre. These are:
  4. Use the wheel spanner to loosen the nuts on the tyre first, but do not remove them.
  5. Ensure the jack is placed on a level surface by the wheel and then use it to raise the car from the ground. The car will be high enough when there is sufficient space to lift off the old tyre and place the new one on.
  6. Remove the loosened wheel nuts and keep them in a safe place.
  7. Carefully lift off the flat tyre and put it to one side.
  8. Place the new tyre onto the wheel hub and make sure that the studs are aligned with the holes.
  9. Put the wheel nuts on and tighten each one using the wheel spanner. Then double check to make sure that each wheel nut is as tight as possible.
  10. Lower the jack until the new tyre is back on the ground. It is important to do this slowly so that the car doesn’t bounce down heavily.
  11. The final step is to gather together your tools including the old tyre and put them safely back into your car.
 

Following these steps will ensure that you will be able to change a tyre safely. It is very important to remember that you should not park in a place where you may be in danger from other traffic. It is better to carefully drive a little further with the flat tyre if you have difficulty finding a suitable place to stop.

Also it is important to complete the steps in the right order and do not remove the wheel nuts before jacking up the car. This could result in the tyre falling off as you raise the car with the car. A car tyre is heavy and could cause you an injury if this happened. Once the new tyre is in place then do not leave the wheel nuts loose. They must be as tight as possible.

When the new tyre is in place, do not be in a hurry to leave and lower the jack too quickly. A car is extremely heavy and it could be dangerous if the car hit the floor too quickly. It may even damage the new tyre.