Change A Tyre

Punctures don't often happen with modern tyres, but chances are you'll need to change a wheel one day, so here's some things to think about.

Pre-emergency checks:

Start right now by checking out where to find the jack and brace on your car. You won’t believe the people who can’t find them.
Next, check where the spare wheel is located and how to remove it.
Finally, when you check the pressure on your tyres, make sure you check the spare, as well. Put some extra air in it (4-6psi) because the last thing you want is a flat spare tyre!

If you get a flat:

You may not notice that a tyre has gone flat straight away. Tell-tale signs are when the steering becomes heavier and less precise, or the vehicle pulls to one side.
If you suspect a tyre has gone flat, pull off the road and stop as soon as you can – make sure the car is well out of the way of traffic and try to park over a level, hard surface, which will make jacking easier and safer.
Remove spare wheel before jacking the car, get jack and brace.
Selecting the correct jacking position is critical. The base of the jack has to be on firm ground and it also has to be located on the correct point on the car. Your handbook will advise. Scissor-type jacks usually have a groove in the top that fits into a reinforced part of the body sill either just before the rear wheel well or just after the front wheel well. Otherwise, select a sturdy part of the axle/suspension.
Before jacking, use the brace to loosen all the wheel nuts while the wheel is still in contact with the ground.
Jack the car to leave around 2/3cm under the deflated tyre, remove the loosened nuts and remove wheel.
Before attempting to lift the tyre onto the car, line up the bolts with the holes in the spare wheel when it’s on the ground, before attempting to fit (it saves your back!). Then lift the tyre and fit it.
Fit nuts, but do not tighten fully.
Push jack lever fully to the ground to let the car down.
Tighten nuts in diagonal fashion, ie those opposite, not next to each other.
Finally, don’t forget to put the jack, brace and spare wheel away.