A flat tire is always unexpected. The first instinct maybe to use a cellphone and call a roadside assistance service. But what if calling someone isn’t an option?
Johnny Brasel, a tire technician and automobile mechanic for Greenwood’s Southern Tire Mart, said the safest way to change a flat tire is to find a nearby parking lot or pull over by the highway with hazard lights on.
“If you actually have to pull off to the side of the highway, you would want to go as far as you can away from traffic,” he said.
All vehicles are different, and each one has its own set of instructions, tool kit and spare tire, but the technique is always the same, according to Brasel.
The first step is to find the car jack, tire tools — including a lug wrench and extensions for the jack — and wheel chocks or a wedge used to keep the truck or car from rolling. The chocks, which some vehicles may not have, need to be placed on the opposite side of the flat tire.
“Your main concern is to be on a good level ground. I know that if you have a flat on the side of the highway it is kind of hard to do, but you definitely want to be on something solid,” Brasel said. “Your tire tools will come with all the instructions that you will need to do this procedure.”
He warned that used vehicles may not have all the parts or tools needed to change a flat. If that is the case, he said, contact a local dealership.
Next, loosen the lug nuts on the flat tire — do not remove them — before jacking up the car. Then, place the jack on the flat tire side, and connect it to the axle, which is underneath and at the rear of the vehicle, to keep it steady.
The driver should spin the car jack lever clockwise to raise it up and lift the vehicle.
An owner’s manual can give a more specific location and show how the tools should be arranged to assemble the jack.
“Most people should be able to do it, but it can be a little tricky,” Brasel said. “It’s something that most people should be able to do as long as you are on solid ground.”
The final step is to remove the tire and put on the spare.
Brasel said spares can be in different locations depending on the vehicle. Some are in the rear of the car or underneath it.
“Once you have that down, you just slide your spare on and tighten” the lug nuts back onto the tire, he said.
“Most car spares are for temporary use, but a lot of them don’t require you go to over 50 miles per hour on a little doughnut,” he said. “On a truck, you could go a couple of days until you have got your new tire in.”
Vehicle owners should always make sure to check the air in spare tires, and any repairs can be done by tire shops.
•Contact Lauren Randall at 581-7239 or lrandall@gwcommonwealth.com.
