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Tire blowouts and flats: it will happen to all of us at some point. The key is knowing what to do when the situation arises. Every vehicle owner should learn how to properly change a tire incase a flat happens when help is far away.

The first step in making sure you can properly change a tire is having the proper tools in your trunk. Every vehicle should have a jack, tire iron and a spare tire in the trunk. Without these, it is impossible for you to replace a tire and be on your way. Be sure to look over the jack and the tire iron and test out their function beforehand so you know how to use them when a flat tire occurs. You may wish to purchase a larger tire iron than what came with your car that can give you leverage and allow you to exert more force when attempting to unscrew the tire bolts. Periodically inspect your spare tire to make sure it is properly inflated. Continue reading ‘How to Change a Flat Tire’ »

As long as cars keep requiring tires, we’re going to keep experiencing blow outs and flats in the worst situations possible. It’s just a fact of automobile culture. There’s nothing worse than being stuck on the side of a freeway with a flat tire and no way to repair it. You’ll have to then wait for a service station to dispatch a truck and wade through traffic until they finally show up over an hour later than they said they would. Your day is shot, your boss is mad, and you’re in a terrible mood. Believe it or not, you probably could have avoided all of this by simply being prepared for it. Every driver should arm themselves with the knowledge and supplies required to get that flat taken care of.

Make sure you always have a spare tire that is adequately filled with air. The only thing worse than being unprepared is thinking that you are prepared just to find out your spare is flat. Each time you check the air pressure in your tires you should also check the spare. Keep a small jack and tire iron in the trunk. Almost every car comes with the proper tools to change the flat.

If you have to fix a flat, just follow these simple steps to save yourself some time. Before you jack the car up, be sure to loosen all of the lug nuts with the tire iron by turning them in a counterclockwise direction. You sometimes have to jerk rather hard to get the nuts to turn so it’s best to get them started while the car is still on the ground. The last thing you want to do is knock your car off of the jack. After you get the nuts loosened, place the jack under a solid portion of the car’s frame. Never place a jack under a flimsy or plastic piece in order to avoid damage. Follow the instructions that are typically located right on the jack. Continue reading ‘Be Prepared For a Flat Tire’ »