How to Replace Your Blown or Flat Tyre?

As a car owner, you might have experienced a flat or blown or flat tyre at one point, and you can understand the feeling of frustration by looking at your car’s flat tyres, especially when you are in a hurry. Knowing how to replace a flat tyre is an essential skill to know because it can save you from being stranded. Below, we will look at the causes and steps involved in changing car tyres.

Causes of Blown or Flat Car Tires?

Puncture By Sharp Objects

As your car moves on the road, your car tyres surface is exposed, and any piercing from sharp objects such as glass and nails can cause puncture.

Poor Driving

Driving your cars carelessly with no consideration for potholes and rocky roads can cause tears and wear off the surface faster. This can lead to a flat or blown tyre.

Ripped Tyre

In hot weather, driving continuously on the road will make your car tyres hot and cause tyre degrades or tread separation. Checking your tyres gauge regularly, will prevent it from getting ripped

Damage to Valve stem

The valve is the nozzle that lets air in and out of your tyre.

Tyre Leaks

A tyre leak is when the air in your car tyre escapes. A puncture or damage to the valve stem can cause a tyre to leak.

How to Change a Flat or Blown Tyre?

All cars usually have tools you will need to change a flat tyre. However, if you don’t have the tools, you need to get an impact wrench, deep socket wrench, jack, and a spare tyre.

After getting these tools;

Find a safe place to pull over and apply your car parking brakes. It can be by the roadside, but ensure it’s a flat surface, and turn on your hazard lights.
Find a brick or wheel wedge to block the opposite side of the flat tyre. It stops your car from moving when you use the jack
Use the lug wrench to loosen the lug nuts. You might need to use a bit of force because the nuts are tightly screwed. Turn the lug wrench counterclockwise to loosen, but do not completely loosen the lug nuts as the wheel may come off causing the car to fall.
Most cars have a spot underneath that fits a jack. Place your jack underneath the car side with the flat tyre and make sure it’s fixed tightly.
Use the jack to lift the car six inches above the ground, then use the lug wrench to unscrew the lug nuts thoroughly.
After removing the lug nuts, gently pull the flat tyre off the lug bolts and replace it with a spare tyre.
Make sure you mount the spare tyre properly on the lug bolts, then use your hands to screw the nuts back on as tight as possible. Lower the vehicle and use the lug wrench to tighten the nuts completely.
Remove all equipment and make sure no nut is missing after fixing the hubcaps.

These steps are simple, and you can do them within 20 to 30 minutes. However, don’t forget to take your flat tyres to a technician for repairs and replace them to ensure a spare tyre is always available.

To learn about proper car maintenance, subscribe to our blog.