How To Change The Wheel Of A Car?

Changing a car wheel is a problem that we can all run into at some point. Therefore, be prepared not to be stranded in the middle of the trip.

Before starting any trip, and especially if it is long, you should have the spare wheel located. Also, it is important to ensure that it is in good condition.

In the most current models of cars it is rare to find a spare wheel of the same size as the rest, unless the customer specifically requests it. This is so because manufacturers seek to lighten the weight of the vehicle and maximize the size of the trunk.

These wheels, more than spare, are emergency wheels designed to reach a workshop without problems. It is increasingly common to find them called “cookie wheels”. With these replacement wheels, it is not advisable to drive faster than 80 km / h, as they are only intended as a temporary replacement measure.

Step 1: stop and secure the place

To start with, it is advisable, if possible, to stand in the opposite direction of the traffic to change the damaged wheel. This will allow us to see other drivers better and avoid accident risks.

We must slow down slowly until the car stops in a flat and firm place. Once stopped, it is important to put on the reflective vest before leaving the vehicle, so that other drivers can see us clearly.

Next, we must correctly place the signaling triangles. The position of these will depend on the type of road we are on. On two-way roads, a triangle should be placed in front and another behind our position. Each must be within 50 meters of the vehicle and be visible from at least 100 meters. This distance is difficult to measure by eye, so we can help ourselves with steps or milestones on the road.

On one-way roads, all you need is a triangle, positioned 50 meters behind the vehicle and also seen from at least 100 meters. These safe distances will help other drivers to react in time and get away from the damaged car.

Another important safety measure is to keep your vehicle’s hazard lights on, even in daylight.

Step 2: start the wheel change

The first step will be to loosen the lug nuts before lifting the car. If the wheel has a hubcap, we will remove it sooner. Next we place the cat in the indicated place. This place will be indicated in the manual of each vehicle.

It is also important to note if any of the wheel bolts are anti-theft. In this case it will be necessary to loosen it with a special adapter before placing the jack.

Step 3: remove the wheel

Once the jack is in its correct position, we lift the vehicle until the wheel is just touching the ground. At that time we remove the screws that we have previously loosened and remove the damaged wheel.

One tip to keep in mind is to place the damaged wheel under the vehicle. In this way, if the jack fails, it would act as a safety mattress so that the car does not fall suddenly to the ground.

Step 4: change the faulty wheel for the replacement one

This step consists of doing the reverse process of the above. We put the spare wheel in the same place as the one we have removed. Then we put the screws and tighten them, in principle by hand, until we can no longer do it.

Step 5: remove the jack and tighten the screws

To finish, we remove the wheel that we put under the vehicle and lower the car using the jack. Once the spare wheel is on the ground, we tighten the bolts properly.

Before starting off again, we must check the pressure of the replaced tire at the nearest gas station.

Following these steps will be enough for anyone to change the wheel on their vehicle easily and safely.

Puncture repair kit

In many new models it is common to find puncture repair kits instead of a spare tire. This allows the manufacturer to further reduce the weight of the vehicle and the loss of space in the trunk. They can also be easily purchased through many vendors.

These kits consist of a foam canister that must be inserted through the valve of the wheel, and allows the puncture to be sealed. A small compressor can also be found to inflate the flat tire.

As with the “cookie wheels”, this is a temporary measure, so any car with a flat tire should go to a workshop as soon as possible.

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