How to Change a Tire W/ TJ and Da Vern

Changing a tire is an essential skill that all drivers should know. Knowing how to change a tire can save you time and money, and it can also keep you safe in case of a flat tire. In this guide, we'll go through step-by-step instructions on how to change a tire. From preparing your car and tools to removing the flat tire and installing a spare tire, we'll cover everything you need to know to get back on the road quickly and safely. Remember, it's always better to be prepared and know how to change a tire than to be stuck on the side of the road with no idea what to do. If a friend finds themselves in this situation you can also be the one to offer assistance.

The whole process should take around 10-20min depending on experience level. The following precautions should be taken concerning personal safety:

We will cover how to safely pull over if you are in highly trafficked area
This task should be preformed outside in an open area with the vehicle off and in park
Optional materials listed like the road side warning device, gloves, and protective shoes should be utilized for those who are inexperienced to avoid injury

DANGER: Keep any and all body parts away from underneath the vehicle. If you have to reach under the car, you are doing something incorrectly.

NOTE: Your spare tire may be a kind of tire referred to as a “donut”. These are smaller, skinnier tires that are to be used in emergencies ONLY. They cannot handle high speeds or long distances, and their limits are often listed on the tire itself and should be strictly adhered to.

Steps:

Pull over in a safe area
Apply parking break/wedges
Remove spare tire and jack
Use tire iron to loosen lug nuts
Locate frame, and where to place the jack (may be a notch intended for jack placement)
Raise car with the jack
Remove lug nuts and wheel
Place spare on (valve stem out)
Replace lug nuts, tighten by hand
Lower vehicle (slowly)
Use tire iron to tighten lug nuts
Return all supplies to proper place in car, get tire fixed as soon as possible

Supplies

Spare Tire

Lug or Deep Socket Wrench (fits the lug nuts/ bolts on your car) otherwise known as a Tire Iron

A Car Jack

Wheel lock (optional)

Extension Bars (for lifted vehicles)

Alignment Studs (optional)

Reflective roadside warning device (optional depending on location)

Gloves and Protective Shoes (optional)

Pull Over in a Safe Area

If at all possible, pull off of the highway entirely. If you can’t make it off an exit, pull well over off the shoulder so that you are not close to the highway when standing beside the vehicle.
Avoid sharp turns, as a flat tire may slip off of the rim and cause severe damage to the wheel and/or the car.
Once you are safely parked, turn off the car.

Apply Parking Break/Car Stops

Once the car is off, apply the parking break. Depending on the model of vehicle, this could be in various places, including the center console or above the foot pedals. If you cannot find your parking break, consult your vehicle’s manual.
If you have some, it would also be smart to place car stops at the tires that you do not need to replace as an added safety to keep the vehicle from moving. Most often, these are wedges that can be placed in front of and behind the tire.

Remove Spare Tire and Car Jack

Somewhere in your vehicle (usually the trunk, or under the backseat for some trucks) there is a compartment that houses a car jack and tire iron.
The spare tire is also usually in the same or similar compartment, but could also reside on the underside of the vehicle (common with trucks). For these tires, the compartment housing the iron and jack will usually have a bolt that is twisted to lower the spare to the ground.

Use Tire Iron to Loosen Lug Nuts

The small metal pieces that hold your wheel onto the car are called “lug nuts”. These should be the same size as your tire iron if your vehicle has not undergone extensive modification.
Place the socket of the tire iron onto the lug nut, and turn it to the left to loosen it. This may take a significant amount of force, especially if the lug nuts have swelled due to warm weather. It is good practice to use the entire length of the tire iron for maximum torque.
It does not matter which nut you loosen first. Be sure that when you are loosening them, you do not go too far. The lug nut should be able to be spun by hand, but not spin freely. Do NOT remove any lug nuts yet.
Some newer vehicles have anti-theft lug nuts that are only able to be loosened with a special key. This key should be inside your vehicle’s glovebox.

Locate an Optimal Place for the Jack

One of the most important aspects of changing a tire – pertaining to safety – is finding the correct place to put the car jack. On any given vehicle, the jack needs to be placed underneath the vehicle’s frame. The frame is the long metal piece that more or less runs the length of the vehicle.
On the frame, some vehicles have a small notch where the jack should be placed.
It is important to NOT put the jack anywhere but the frame. It not only provides a level surface for the jack to reduce the possibility of it slipping, but also will not break. If you try to put the jack beneath the plastic body, you will cause more cosmetic damage to the vehicle.

Raise the Car With the Jack

One the jack is safely in place, crank the jack up by turning the handle clockwise or pumping the arm up and down (depending on model). You may have a detachable handle, or your vehicle may use the tire iron as a handle.
Once the platform on the jack contacts the vehicle, ensure that it is in contact with the frame before trying to raise it higher.
Continue cranking the jack upward until your tire is at least 2 inches off of the ground.
For modified (lifted) vehicles, you may need an extension arm on the jack in order to reach the frame.
This step can be nerve-wracking when doing it for the first time. It is important to be confident and follow the previous steps correctly: your vehicle and the jack are designed to handle this situation.

Remove Lug Nuts and Wheel

Once the tire is at least 2 inches off of the ground, it is time to remove it.When removing the lug nuts, be careful when coming in contact with the tire. It could slip off of the axle if you are not careful and can cause injury.
First, twist off the loosened lug nuts. You should no longer need the tire iron.
Make sure to put these lug nuts in a safe place. You will need to put them back on later.
Once all lug nuts are removed, pull the compromised wheel off of the axle. Wheels and tires are very heavy, so ask for help when removing this if possible.

Mount the Spare Tire

Now it is time to put the spare tire on. Again, be wary of the weight of the tire. Ensure that you get help if you need it.
BE CAREFUL. You do not want to break or bend the studs that you screw the lug nuts onto. Your vehicle may not have protruding studs. If this is the case, try your best to line up the holes. If you have alignment studs, this will help.
Place the spare onto the studs as best as possible.
On your vehicle, the center of the axle mount will have a small protrusion. When mounting the spare onto this, make sure the flared edge of the “valve stem” (cutout in the center) is facing outward.

Replace Lug Nuts

Once the spare is in place, it is time to replace the lug nuts. At first, just place all of them on to ensure that you did not lose or damage any.
ONLY tighten the lug nuts by hand for now. Do not use the tire iron to tighten them all the way down just yet.
When tightening, be sure to do so in a “star pattern”, or tighten those across from each other depending on how many there are on your wheel. This will ensure that the wheel stays aligned as much as possible.

Lower the Vehicle

Once all lug nuts are in place and tight enough that they cannot slide off, it is time to lower the vehicle.
When you begin the lowering process, work VERY slowly. While damage to your car is possible, safety is the primary issue here. Your car can handle a few inches of drop, but your body can’t handle the weight of the car.
Be sure to keep all body parts from going under the car.
Firstly, view the directions on your jack. Some models differ in how they are lowered. For most basic models, you will use the tire iron or the arm itself to loosen the jack.

Tighten Lug Nuts

Once the jack is removed from beneath the car, it is time to tighten the lug nuts. Use the tire iron to tighten each nut down.
Try your best to remember the order you tightened them by hand in. If you cannot, it is ok. Be sure that you are still tightening opposite lug nuts instead of adjacent ones in order to ensure an even wheel.

Clean Up

That’s it! Your tire is replaced. It is time to return all of your supplies to its proper place in the vehicle.
Your old tire can be placed wherever the spare tire was for the time being, but it is important to get your tire replaced at a shop as soon as possible.

That's All Folks

Love, TJ and Da Vern