What you’ll need
- A fully inflated spare tire
- A jack
- A lug wrench
- A pair of gloves (optional)
The spare tire is usually found under the floor of the trunk or under the rear of the trunk. Make sure that it’s properly inflated. The jack should be there as well. It is possible that it is missing or incomplete especially if you bought the car used. Most cars comes with a lug nut remover, that‘s nearly useless. Buy one that’s ‘cross’ shape wrench. This one will give you a much better shot at removing a frozen wheel lug. Make sure that one end of the socket fits your wheel lugs securely.
Step 1. Find the right Spot.
Before you begin, find the right spot that is safe, out of the way of the traffic, and a level area. It’s dangerous to jack a car on an incline.
Step 2. Get the Spare Tire, the Jack and the Jug wrench.
Step 3. Loosen the lug nuts
There are usually 4 or 5 lug nuts near the center of the wheel. Sometimes these are hidden under the hubcap. If this is the case, use the end of the jug wrench handle to remove the hubcap by inserting it at the edge of the hubcap Assuming that using the recommended ‘cross’ shape wrench, loosen the jug nuts by putting the right end of the wrench that fits the nuts properly. Turn the wrench counter clockwise. Hold it at opposite ends and use the leverage to loose the lug nuts.
Here are some tips if you have the trouble of removing very firmly tightened lug nuts.
- Hold steady the wrench and step down hard on one end
- Place your foot carefully into the wrench, holding on to the car, step with your full weight. Bound up and down on that end until the lugs loosens.
- Extends the length of the wrench by inserting the end to a bigger metal tube making this an extended leverage and make easier to loosen the lugs
Turn the lugs until loose enough so that you can do it by hand without the use of the wrench. Do not totally remove it yet. Do the same to the rest of the lugs.
Step 4. Jack up the car.
To get the wheel off, you’ll need to raise that corner of the car, enough so that it just touches the car. Almost all jacks are raised by inserting the jack’s handle into a socket on the jack body and turning the handle.
Position the jack properly. Each car manufacturer has a designated place for the jack contact. This is the spot where the jack lifts the car. It is usually a foot in front of and inside the front wheel, and a foot behind and inside the rear wheel. Make sure that this is flat on the ground, then continue turning the handle (of the jack) so that the car rises off the flat tire, and giving it a few extra turns to make enough room for the fully inflated tire that replaces the flat one.
Step 5: Remove the flat wheel.
Remember you left the lugs on the wheel? It’s time to remove them totally by hand. Put them aside, in the hubcap, if you have one. Grab the wheel by two sides, at the 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions and pull it out. Roll the flat tire on one side.
Step 6: Put the inflated tie on.
Grab the wheel by two sides, again at the 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions. Visually try to align the holes of the wheel over the threaded shafts that they fit over, and then slide it until you cannot push any further
If there’s not enough room, put aside the inflated wheel and turn the handle of the wrench a few more times, then try the above procedure again.
Using your hands put on the lug nuts. Using the wrench turn them so that they all rest against the wheel, but don’t tighten them yet. Lower the jack so that the tire just rests on the ground. Tighten one of the lug nuts well. Do the same on the one exactly opposite the one you’ve just tighten. Do the rest exactly the same. If you have 5 lug nuts, tighten every one until they’re all tight.
Step 7: Get Ready to Hit the Road
Lower the car fully by turning the jack handle the other way. Take the jack out and under the car, continue turning the handle until the jack is fully closed.
If the wheel has a hubcap, replace it. Hold it one side in place and banging on the opposite edge with the back of your hand, side of your fist, or the jack handle.
Put the flat tire in the spare’s compartment, or space bracket, secure it. Do the same to the jack and lug nut remover (wrench)
You are ready to hit the road again. Careful with your driving.
Austin oil change is the premier mobile oil change provider in the greater austin, texas area. Our staff services both large corporate clients as well as individuals who just do not have the time to take their car in to a retail location.
No comments:
Post a Comment