The Correct Process for Changing a Car Tyre

Changing a car tyre can be a stressful or time-consuming process if you don’t know how to do it. That’s why we’ve created this simple and easy-to-follow guide outlining the correct process for changing a car tyre…so you don’t have to worry.

What do you need to change a car tyre?

In the correct process for changing a car tyre, you will need the following:

• A spare wheel
  • Gloves
  • A wheel wedge or chock
  • An air pressure jack
  • Your car handbook
  • A locking wheel nut key
  • A wheel wrench or brace
  • An alignment tool

How to correctly change a car tyre

1. Prep your car. This includes switching off your car engine and turning on your hazard lights to alert other drivers. You should also aim to get everyone out of the car and in a safe location. Automatic vehicles should be put into park mode, whilst manual vehicles should have the handbrake on and be put into first gear. Lastly, put a chock or wedge both behind and in front of the wheel diagonal to the one you intend to replace.
2. Loosen the wheel nuts. Prior to lifting your car up, you want to check you can loosen the nuts to begin with. If your car has locking wheel nuts, this can be done by using a locking key; if not, simply use the wrench or brace instead. You should aim to loosen the nuts only slightly – do not aim to significantly or completely remove them.
3. Use your vehicle jack to lift the car up. Below is a step-by-step process of how to safely do so:

• Find the closest jacking point to the wheel. This will usually be marked in some form.
• Clean the site by removing any debris or dust.
• Wind out the jack until it fits into the jacking point. The jack’s flat foot should also be touching the ground.
• Continue to wind out the jack until the wheel is suspended in the air.

4. Remove the damaged wheel. Once your car is high enough in the air to compensate for the newer, more inflated wheel, it’s time to remove the old wheel. Firstly, remove the loosened wheel nuts and set them aside in a safe place. Lift the wheel away from the hub.
5. Install the new wheel. Once you have removed the old wheel, you can now install the new wheel. Wheels that have studs or nuts should easily slide on; if a wheel has bolted, you’ll need to align them using the alignment tool. Only remove the alignment tool once all the bolts are in. Using the brace, gently tighten the nuts or bolts before lowering the car back to the ground using the jack. You can then fully tighten the nuts or bolts. Lastly, remove the jack and clear away your tools.

So there you have it – the correct process for changing a car tire.