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How to Safely Change a Tyre
Posted in Servicing Insights
How to Safely Change a Tyre
Never had to change a tyre? Lucky you! But the more you drive, the bigger the chance you'll run into a flat one of these days. Your first thought may be to call roadside assistance, but changing a flat is not as complicated as you might think.
Our factory training mechanics recommend you follow these simple steps to correctly, and most importantly, safely change a flat tyre.
Safety first:
- Pull over in a safe place, clear of passing traffic and on a surface that is hard and flat.
- Turn your car off and place it in ‘Park’ or in gear for a manual; apply the handbrake and switch on the hazard lights.
- Gather everything you need from the boot – correctly inflated spare tyre, jack and wheel brace – and place these items near the tyre requiring the change.
- Brace your car by placing heavy objects (bricks, stone or wood) on both sides of the tyre diagonally opposite to the one being changed. This will prevent the car from moving or slipping.
Remove the flat tyre:
- Using the wheel brace, loosen the wheel nuts slightly as once the car is jacked up, the wheel will spin freely making it hard to remove the nuts.
- Locate the jacking points underneath your car – small notches or groves about 30cm from the wheel – and using these points, jack up your car until the wheel just clears the ground (the jacking points are often illustrated in the owners’ manual).
- As a safety precaution, lay the spare tyre on its side, close to the jack and half under the car. If the jack fails, the car will fall on the spare, rather than on you.
- Remove the nuts completely and slide the wheel off, placing your weight forward with your hands in the ‘ten-to-four’ position.
Replace the tyre:
- Line up the wheel holes on the spare tyre and wheel hub and lift the tyre securely onto the hub.
- Replace the wheels nuts and tighten them by hand; beginning with bottom nut and then working in a criss-cross pattern will ensure the wheel is seated correctly and securing.
- Lower the car slowly until the tyre takes the weight of the car and then remove the jack.
- Using the wheel brace, completely tighten the wheel nuts.
- Place the flat tyre, jack and wheel brace back into your boot and fasten them securely.
Remember all of Motorama's Service locations can assist with repairing and/or replacing worn or damaged tyres.
