Guide to remove a tyre
Safety First:
- Ensure the vehicle is on a stable and flat surface, away from moving traffic.
- Engage the parking brake to prevent the vehicle from moving.
- If you have them, place safety cones or warning triangles around your vehicle.
Gather Necessary Tools:
- You will need a car jack, a lug wrench (often cross-shaped with different sized sockets on each end), and possibly gloves.
Loosen the Lug Nuts:
- Before you lift the car off the ground, use the lug wrench to slightly loosen (but do not fully remove) the lug nuts on the flat tyre. Turn them counterclockwise. This is easier to do when the tyre is on the ground because it prevents the wheel from spinning.
Position the Jack:
- Find the proper jacking point for your vehicle. This is usually located a few inches behind the front wheels and a few inches in front of the rear wheels. Check your vehicle's manual if you're unsure.
- Position the jack under the jacking point and ensure it's stable.
Lift the Vehicle:
- Begin to jack up the vehicle. Raise it high enough so that the flat tyre is off the ground and there's enough space to install the spare (if that's your intention).
Remove the Lug Nuts and Tyre:
- Now that the tyre is off the ground, fully remove the lug nuts.
- Once the lug nuts are removed, grasp the tyre by its treads and pull it straight toward you. It should slide off the wheel bolts and come off easily.
Place the Tyre Aside:
- Set the tyre down flat so it doesn't roll away.
If you're replacing the flat tyre with a spare:
- Position the spare tyre on the wheel bolts.
- Hand-tighten the lug nuts as much as you can.
- Lower the vehicle off the jack.
- Fully tighten the lug nuts in a crisscross pattern using the lug wrench.
Remember to always check the pressure of your spare tyre periodically and ensure it's properly inflated.