Apply the parking brake once you’re parked to ensure the vehicle doesn’t move. For added peace of mind, place heavy rocks or blocks around each tire you aren’t changing to keep the vehicle from rolling.
The jack is the metal object with a nut and spring. It goes under your vehicle to push it off of the ground. On most vehicles, the tire iron is part of the jack. You’ll use it to turn the bolt on the end of the jack to raise or lower it, and also to remove the lug nuts on the tire. If you drive a Jeep or a large SUV, the spare tire may be on the outside or underneath the vehicle. If you don’t have a spare, your vehicle may have a sealant kit to temporarily patch your flat tire. [3] X Trustworthy Source Consumer Reports Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing Go to source If you don’t have that either, call a tow truck.
By keeping the wheel on the ground when you first loosen the nuts, you’ll make sure that you’re turning the nuts instead of the wheel. Your tire iron may have different sizes of openings on each end. The correct end for the nut will slip easily onto it, but it won’t be so loose that it rattles. If your vehicle doesn’t have a hub cap, don’t worry about that part. If it does, your hub cap may have a center cap that needs to be unscrewed first. On some newer vehicles you need a special “key” to unlock one of the lug nuts as a theft prevention strategy. Look in your glove box and trunk for a special tool that’ll remove that unique lug nut. These lug nuts will have a unique groove inside of them. Use the key to remove the locking lug nut.
Many cars have molded plastic along the bottom. If you don’t place the jack in the right spot, it will crack the plastic when you start lifting. If you’re not sure about the right place to put the jack, read your owner’s manual. There may be a small notch or mark just behind the front wheel wells, or in front of the rear wheel wells where the jack is intended to be placed.
The vast majority of jacks are scissor jacks. You use the tire iron or a rod to twist the nut on the side and hoist the vehicle. You might have a pump-assisted jack, though. With a pump jack, you repeatedly move the handle up and down to raise the vehicle hydraulically. This can be kind of freaky the first time you do it. You might think your jack is going to snap or your car is going to tilt over. Don’t worry! Your jack and vehicle are designed to handle this. It can take a few minutes and a lot of elbow grease to get that vehicle up, so feel free to take breaks if you need to. It’s worth double-checking to make sure the jack is on the frame. You really don’t want to damage your vehicle with the jack.
Flip your hubcap upside down to turn it into a small bowl and set your lug nuts inside so that you don’t lose them.
Fun fact, the spare tire is also known as a “donut. ”
Just to clarify, use the same lug nuts that were previously on your wheel. You don’t need special lug nuts for the spare.
Keep your entire body out from underneath the vehicle. If the jack slips your vehicle gets closer to the ground, you don’t want your body underneath it.
After you’ve tightened each nut, try to tighten each nut one more time to ensure they’re as tight as they can possibly get. Put your busted tire in the trunk alongside the jack and tire iron.
Head to an auto shop as soon as you can. Small punctures can usually be repaired for $15-100. If the tire is not repairable, you may need to buy a replacement tire.
