When a class convenes for Vince Murray’s basic auto maintenance course, one of the first things he does is ask how many of the students know how to change a flat tire.
The answer may surprise you.
Murray, an auto repair instructor at Seminole Community College in Sanford, Fla., says that in the 11 years he has posed that question to his students only about 50 percent said they could change a flat.
Just about anyone involved with cars, from teachers to troopers to safety experts, will tell you that changing a flat tire is perhaps the one thing that every driver should know how to do.
And there are plenty of reasons for that.
Because a flat can happen any time, any place, you might not be near a phone and be able to call for help, which is the first thing many drivers try to do.
About 11 percent of the 2.4 million service calls to the American Automobile Association last year were to change flat tires, said AAA spokesman Geoff Sundstrom at the organization’s headquarters in Heathrow, Fla.
If you’ve never changed a flat tire, or if it has been a while, roll up those sleeves and we’ll go over the safe way to get the job done.
There are several ways a tire can go flat. Blowouts and punctures are the chief causes. Most blowouts are the result of low air pressure in the tire. When a tire is low on air, more of its surface comes in contact with the road, causing excessive friction and heat. Heat expands the tire’s rubber, which could cause the tire to burst. More commonly, motorists drive over something sharp, such as a nail, that causes a puncture big enough to allow air to escape slowly. Less frequently, flats can be the result of faulty tire valves.
If you have a flat while driving, the Tire Industry Safety Council, a Washington, D.C., consumer information service, recommends that you pull as far to the right as possible on the paved shoulder of the road or onto a flat, hard unpaved surface. Make sure you park away from traffic.
Make sure your car is on a flat surface before trying to change the tire. Never jack up a car that is parked on an incline, such as a driveway, because once the car is up in the air, it could become unsteady and roll off the jack.
Make sure the car’s transmission is in park. If your car has a stick shift, put it in first gear. Apply the emergency brake, regardless of the type of transmission. If your car’s jacking kit comes with a chock, put it under the wheel diagonally across from the flat.
The Tire Industry Safety Council recommends that you raise the hood to warn other drivers that your car is disabled. It’s also a good idea to switch on the emergency flashers.
Now for the hard part.
Take out the spare, the jack and the lug wrench. (This equipment comes with all new cars; check your owner’s manual for where it’s stored in your vehicle.) Make sure the spare has enough air in it so you can drive safely to a service station or tire repair shop. The Tire Industry Safety Council recommends checking the pressure frequently with a gauge, but in a pinch, you can bounce the spare on the ground to check its air pressure. If the tire bounces a few inches off the road when dropped, it probably has enough air in it.
Using the chiseled end of the lug wrench or a large, flat screwdriver, remove the hub cap or, if your car has alloy wheels, the lug nut cover. Loosen the lug nuts.
That’s right, you loosen the lug nuts before you jack up the car.
Put the wrench squarely on the lug nut and pull the wrench counterclockwise. Don’t risk injury by using your back muscles to pull the wrench. Instead, crouch and use your legs for leverage. Loosen each nut about one turn.
Once the lugs nuts are loose, fit the jack under the vehicle, making sure the top of the jack meets the proper section of the car’s frame.
Automakers have not developed a uniform method of securing a jack to a vehicle. Some provide a small slot on the vehicle’s frame where the jack will fit; others have designated certain reinforced areas where the jack must be placed. Check your owner’s manual. If the manual is missing, you usually can find jacking instructions affixed to the trunk lid or in the car near the jack’s storage place.
With the jack in the proper position, raise the car until the flat tire is about 2 or 3 inches off the ground.
Remove the lug nuts and pull off the wheel. Place the spare on the axle and install the lug nuts one at a time until they are finger tight.
Next, lower the car and remove the jack. Tighten the lug nuts. Tighten one nut, then the nut diagonally across from it. Repeat the process until all lug nuts are tight.
Stow the flat, and you are ready to roll-unless you are using a temporary or “space saver” spare.
If so, make sure your vehicle is not loaded to the point where it exceeds the weight limit printed on the side of the spare tire. That means you should not tow any trailers or boats.
Also, many automakers say that you should not drive more than 50 miles or so using the temporary spare. That’s because the temporary spare has a very limited tread life. It is designed to get you to the nearest service facility and should not be used as a substitute for the regular tire.
You can carry a can of “fix-a-flat” aerosol tire inflator, but such a product won’t help you in the event of a blowout or valve failure. Aerosol inflators generally work well enough to seal only small leaks.
Thomas Cole, chairman of the Tire Industry Safety Council, says aerosol tire inflators should be used with caution because some contain flammable gases, such as butane and propane.
“Use of the spare tire is a far better option for the motorist. It is important to be sure your spare tire is properly inflated and ready for use at all times,” he said.
If you do use an aerosol inflator, the council recommends that you tell the service manager at the tire repair facility before your old tire is fixed. A spark could start a fire when the tire is being repaired, Cole warned.
You also could consider equipping your car with a cellular phone so you can call for help.
But it still pays to know how to change a tire.
“Definitely everyone who drives must know how to change a tire. If you get stuck out in the boondocks, you might not be able to call AAA,” said Murray.
DON’T BE CAUGHT FLAT
A monthly tire inspection can reduce the chances of a flat tire, according to the Tire Industry Safety Council.
First, check the air pressure. The council says it is normal for tires to lose air, and the loss is more pronounced in hot climates.
After the tires are properly inflated, check the tread for uneven wear. Worn tread is more prone to punctures.
When the tread is worn to 1/16th of an inch, replace the tire. Tires come with “treadwear indicators.”
Inspect the tires for nails or any small stones or pieces of glass that can become wedged in the tread. If you find a nail, don’t remove it. Take the tire to an automotive shop to have the nail taken out and the tire fixed. It’s best to remove stones and glass from the tread when you see them; they could work deeper into the rubber and cause a flat.
