‘Every driver should know how to change a tyre,’ says Matthew Lucas, one of our motor experts. Call us to source tyres and spares that are best suited to your vehicle – all cars are required by law to carry an inflated spare in roadworthy condition.
If you experience a puncture while driving, slow down to no more than 5mph, and find a safe, well-lit place away from traffic. Park on firm, level ground, and turn on your hazard lights. Turn your engine off and your ignition to the lock position, so the hazards stay on, and remove your keys, keeping them safely in your pocket. If you have one, place a warning triangle about 30 metres behind your car, and raise your bonnet so other drivers know you are undergoing repairs. Wear a high visibility jacket if you have one.
What you’ll need
- Spare wheel with inflated tyre
- Foot pump or electric pump
- Tyre jack
- Wheel brace
- Wheel chocks (or bricks)
Method
1. Make sure the handbrake is completely on, the engine is off, and the gear is set to ‘park’ if automatic or ‘reverse’ for manual. This will ensure the vehicle does not roll while you change the wheel.
2. Check your spare is fully inflated – if it isn’t, pump it up.
3. Place the wheel chocks or bricks in front of and behind the wheel diagonally opposite the one you are changing.
4. Using your wheel brace (or a flat screwdriver), prise off the hubcap from the flat wheel to gain access to the wheel nuts.
5. With the car still on the ground, loosen the wheel nuts on the flat wheel by turning them 180 degrees in an anti-clockwise direction with the wheel brace.
6. Find the jacking point for your car by looking it up in the owner’s manual.
7. Use the jack that came with your car and position it under the jacking point. Turn the handle clockwise until the top of the jack contacts the jacking point. Make sure it is fitting comfortably, then continue turning the jack clockwise until the flat tyre clears the ground. Never get underneath a car that is supported by a jack – it can easily topple over.
8. Remove the wheel nuts by turning them anti-clockwise, ensuring you keep them together so they can’t be lost.
9. Remove the flat wheel from the threaded stud nuts and place it face up on the ground, so as not to scratch any alloy features that you will want to keep.
10. Lift the spare on to the stud nuts, with the air valve facing out, and finger tighten all of the nuts.
11. Lower the vehicle to the ground, and tighten the nuts fully with the wheel brace.
12. Temporarily store the flat tyre where the spare is usually kept.
13. As soon as is convenient, check the wheel nut torque at the nearest service centre. Call us to arrange this. You can also ask them to change or repair the flat tyre, and replace it with the spare you have been using.
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