How to Replace a Car Tire?
4 Answers
To replace a car tire, you need to find a safe and level place to change the tire, ensuring a solid surface to prevent the tire from rolling; engage the parking brake and shift the car into park. If the car is manual, shift into first gear or reverse; place a rock or spare tire in front of the front and rear tires to prevent the vehicle from sliding. Take out the spare tire and jack, place the jack under the frame of the tire to be replaced, ensuring the jack touches the metal part of the frame; raise the jack until it supports the car. The jack should be positioned under the vehicle, check and ensure the jack is at a right angle to the ground. Remove the hubcap, loosen the nuts counterclockwise. Do not fully loosen the nuts, just enough to eliminate resistance. When loosening the nuts for the first time, keeping the tire on the ground ensures that the nuts, not the tire, are turning; fully loosen all nuts, turn them counterclockwise until they come off. Repeat this step for all lug nuts and completely remove them. Place the spare tire on the hub, carefully align the spare tire rim with the wheel bolts, install the lug nuts, and hand-tighten them until all nuts are concealed, completing the tire replacement.
Last week, my car tire got punctured, so I changed it myself. First, I parked the car on a flat and safe roadside, tightened the handbrake, and turned on the hazard lights. Then, I took out the jack from the trunk, located the raised support point under the chassis, and slowly lifted the car until the tire was off the ground. Using a lug wrench, I loosened all the screws in a diagonal sequence, making sure not to remove them all at once. After removing the old tire, I installed the spare tire, aligned it with the screw holes, manually tightened the screws, and then lowered the jack. Finally, I used my full body weight to step on the wrench and fully tighten the screws—this step is the most crucial as it relates to safety. After finishing, remember to check if the spare tire has enough air pressure, as many car owners tend to overlook this.
Seeing you ask about changing tires, I do this several times a month during towing rescues. First, find an absolutely safe spot to park, open both windows to ensure ventilation. Placing the warning triangle 50 meters behind the car is the safest. In terms of tools, a professional jack is safer and more labor-saving than the small one that comes with the car. When removing, use a wrench to loosen the screws first but don't take them off completely; wait until the jack stabilizes the car body before removing them. Align the new tire with the wheel hub decisively, and press down firmly when installing. Tighten the screws in a cross-symmetrical order in two stages, and make sure to step on the wrench to the end—I've seen too many accidents caused by loosening.
The biggest fear when changing tires yourself is getting the steps wrong. Last time my car had a flat on the highway, after pulling over I first took safety measures: turning on hazard lights and setting up a warning triangle. Don't forget to loosen the lug nuts before jacking up the car - trying to remove them when the wheel is already off the ground is difficult. When using the jack, make sure to locate the correct lifting point under the door sill - jacking at the wrong spot can damage the frame. After installing the spare tire, don't rush to remove the jack - tighten the nuts mostly before lowering the car. Finally, use your foot to stomp on the wrench for extra tightening, and remember to stop after driving a few kilometers to retighten the lug nuts. The whole process takes about 20 minutes - as long as beginners follow the steps in order, it's not difficult.
