How to Change a Tire

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If you own a car, you know there is no question as to how important your tires are. Your engine may be in perfect condition, but if at least one of your tires is flat, your car will definitely not get you anywhere. 

Part of most automotive preventive maintenance programs is making sure that the tires are in perfect condition for travel. Unfortunately, a regular tire check-up does not exempt them from the everyday hazards of the road; i.e. sharp objects or rugged terrain, which can damage, deflate, or burst your tires. 

As a precaution against this common issue, all drivers should be versed in changing out tires.  To do so, you will need the necessary tools for the job. If you’d rather not deal with the issue yourself, then you can simply opt for a more convenient and easy solution by calling a reliable 24-hour local tow company, like East Orange Tow Truck. We offer a prompt, quality roadside tire service that can spare you from unnecessary exposure to further road dangers.

Tire Replacement – What You Need to Know

To perform a tire replacement on your own or to outsource the job to a reliable roadside assistance team, you must first secure and store a spare tire in your trunk at all times. It is important to know that spare tires are designed for temporary use, and are not meant to replace your flat tire permanently. In short, spare tires are intended to get you home or to the nearest auto repair shop, where they can be replaced with a quality, branded tire. 

In addition to the spare tire, you should maintain the following tools in your trunk to perform a tire replacement yourself: 

• Safety Equipment. As the saying goes, safety first. Before starting the tire replacement, you should first place your early warning flare or flag meters away from the front and back of your car. This will prompt other drivers to be cautious as they pass. Alternative safety measures may include wearing a safety vest and activating your hazard lights to appear more noticeable to drivers.

 

• Tire Jack. Without a tire jack, it is impossible to replace a tire. Your tire jack lifts the car’s frame off the flat tire to create enough allowance, enabling the tire removal and subsequent tire replacement. 

 

• Lug Wrench. You will use this to loosen and remove the lug nuts from the frame of your tire. 

 

• Screwdriver. The screwdriver will help pry the hubcaps off to detach the flat tire from the frame. This tool will be used at the start and end of the process. 

Most modern cars already come with a free spare tire, car jack, and early warning devices. You can refer to your car’s manual to know where these may be placed. Placing these tools somewhere else may cause damage to your vehicle.

Safety First!

The dangers on the road are countless and hard to control, but they can often be avoided by exercising safety precautions. When replacing your tires, early warning devices on both ends of your vehicle and reflective gear coupled with the following factors may increase your security: 

• Location. Before you start, make sure your car is already parked in a safe spot. If moving it to a safe spot seems impossible, then postponing your activity would be a safer decision. Immediately grab all your important belongings, get out of your car, and lock it. 
  • A flat surface is best for a tire replacement, as this will prevent your car from rolling. 

 

• Tire Wedging. Even if the surface is flat, it does not guarantee that your car won’t roll. You can use objects like large rocks or bricks as the wedge. 

How to Change Your Tire

Here’s how you should do it:

• Start by removing the flat tire’s hubcap. Behind it are the lug nuts that keep your tire in place.   
  
• Using your lug wrench, start loosening the lug nuts one by one in a counter-clockwise direction until the nut can be twisted off by hand.
•  Once the lug nuts are loosened, place your jack against the frame near the tire and lift your car six inches above the ground.   
  
• Go back to your loosened nuts and remove them completely; then pull out the flat tire.
  
• Attach the spare tire and reattach the removed lug nuts.   
  
• Tighten the nuts and then start jacking the car back to the ground. 
  
• Re-tighten the lug nuts with the lug wrench and remove the jack.  
  
• Lastly, reattach the hubcap (if there is one).

Tire replacement is doable, but it is indeed physically challenging. The good news is, there’s always a more convenient, easy, and affordable way to handle your tire problem. With East Orange Tow Truck’s premium but reasonably priced tire change service, you will no longer have to handle the tire problem on your own. Just give us a call and we guarantee to be there in a matter of minutes to take care of your tire problem and other roadside assistance and towing concerns. We are a renowned and trusted towing and roadside assistance company in and around East Orange, New Jersey for a reason. Save our digits now and have us respond to your road emergencies. You’ll be thankful you did.  

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Click To Call Now - [973] 524-7170