If you own a vehicle of any kind, being able to change your own tyre in the event of a puncture, or for any other reason, is an incredibly valuable skill to have.
Many people shy away from the idea, thinking that the process is far more complicated than it actually is, leaving themselves in difficult situations that could easily have been avoided.
In this guide we will walk you through the basics of changing a car tyre, meaning that if you ever find yourself standard with a flat tyre and no mobile to call for help, you will be able to help yourself.
What do you need to change a tyre
Not much, as it happens. In fact, everything that you need to change your tyre should come with your vehicle and are easy to replace if you bought a car second hand and they were not already there.
All you need to change a standard car tyre is a spare tyre, a jack, a wrench, and the vehicle manual.
If you do indeed find that you don’t have any of these in your car, replace them as soon as possible. They are essential pieces of equipment that all car owners should have.
You should also carry a torch and gloves, in case you need to change a tyre in the dark.
A guide to replacing a flat tyre
Before you begin the process of replacing a flat tyre, you first need to find a safe location to do so.
If you have a sudden blowout, you might not have a whole lot of choice, but try to find a flat empty area with few other people around. If you are very near a busy road, especially a motorway, do not try and change your tyre, call for help and stay clear of the carriageway.
Once you have found a safe location, turn on your hazard lights to alert other motorists to your presence and apply the handbrake.
Then loosen the wheel nuts until their resistance is broken. Do not remove them fully however.
After that place the jack under the vehicle and lift is from the ground safely using the jack instruction manual. Once around 6 inches from the ground, fully unscrew the wheel nuts and pull the flat tyre free. NEVER put any part of your body under the car once lifted using a jack.
Insert the spare tyre and replace the wheel nets, lower the vehicle, fully tighten the wheel nuts, and check the pressure on the spare tyre to ensure it is roadworthy.
If you don’t have a suitable spare tyre in your vehicle, don’t have the required tools or confidence to change your tyre yourself, or are stuck at the roadside and changing the tyre safely is not an option, don’t panic. This is exactly what mobile tyre fitters are for. Simply visit mobiletyres.co.uk and arrange for an experienced REACT trained fitter to come to your location immediately.