How to Change a Tire

This instructable will teach the average driver how to change a tire in a road side setting. This will be helpful if you are ever to endure a flat or any other damage to your tire. Before we begin it is important to know that this tutorial is specific to passenger vehicles, larger vehicles will have a different process regarding the removal of the spare tire from the stowed position and location of the jack. This tutorial was completed in a garage setting leaving me free of several obstacles that could be on a road side. Be aware of oncoming traffic and attempt to place the vehicle on as level of a surface as possible. Road conditions could propose a serious danger to a car parked in a precarious position on the side of the road, wet road conditions could force a driver to take longer to stop their own car. Try to use cones, flares, emergency hazards, or any other tool to notify other drivers that you have stopped.

This step is vital to prevent the car from moving during the jacking process. If you have a standard transmission like he one picture you should put it in first gear, an automatic should be in park or P position. The emergency brake should also be set this could either be on the center console like the one pictured or a pedal at the floor.

A passenger car will always have the spare tire located in the trunk under the floor. In this case the tools that you will use are located in a foam container inside the wheel making it easy to place them in the proper spots other vehicles will have them in other places in the trunk. In order to remove the spare tire you must unscrew the bolt that tightens the tire to the floor and remove it.

The lug nuts should be initially loosened on the ground prior to the vehicle being jacked. If the lug nuts require a good amount of torque the tire will spin instead of the nut. With the vehicle on the ground it prevents this from happening. Some would think that since the vehicle is in park it will prevent the tire from spinning but depending on the location of the tire and your vehicles drive train it still may spin.

A normal passenger car will have frame rails that run along the bottom of the car on each side from tire to tire. Honda or Acura vehicles like this one extend the frame rail down in four places around the car creating a perfect jack pad. Place the jack directly under the jack pad and ensure that it is evenly placed on the ground. It is imperative that this is performed properly to prevent the vehicle from falling.

Remove the jack handle and lug wrench from the stowed position and attach them to the provided loop on the jack.

When the lug wrench is spun counter clockwise this will cause the jack and eventually the car to rise off the ground.

Now you can loosen the lug nuts the remainder of the way.

When the tire is no longer held by any lug nuts you may remove it from the vehicle.

Now you may place the spare tire on the lugs.

Re-install the lug nuts. It is imperative to tighten them in an even pattern to ensure that the tire sits even on the hub assembly.

Turn the lug wrench counter clockwise to lower the vehicle. Make sure that all objects and people are clear of the vehicle prior to down jacking.

Once the vehicle is lowered all the way the jack may be removed from under the car.

Return the equipment to the proper location so it will be readily available next time you need it. Most passenger car spare tires are not full size tires, they are not meant to be used for long periods of time and at the normal high speeds that a regular tire can handle.