There are many reasons to remove a tire from your vehicle: to spending money a Apartment lodgings, advantage your brakes, or switch between all-season and snow tires. Changing a tire can be an intimidating engagement, however with the Correct tools and procedure, anyone can bring about it.
You'll obligation, at minimum, a jack and a lug devotee wrench. Don't employment your van's emergency jack unless you posses to. A more select Election is a floor jack that can be rolled into position to supply a else steady platform for lifting. Whenever credible, a jack stand should be placed under the vehicle after jacking (see below). An ordinary lug nut wrench works fine, but a cross-shaped wrench allows you to receive more leverage and makes your job easier. For the home mechanic, a pneumatic impact wrench is ideal. You also want to use a torque wrench whenever possible to make sure your lug nuts are correctly tightened.
The Right Procedure
After your vehicle is properly parked, chocked and the parking brake is set, it's time to go to work. Consult your owner's manual for the proper jacking points on your vehicle. This is where the jack will come into contact with
your vehicle. Get the jack into position and under tension, but don't lift the car yet. Loosen the lug nuts (but do not remove) one at a time, working in a star pattern. Lift the vehicle slowly, making sure that the jack does not shift position. Once the tire is completely off the ground, place a jack stand beneath the axle (or at another safe point) to act as a back-up in case the jack fails. Finish loosening the lug nuts, remove them, and remove and replace the tire. Reinstall the lug nuts until they are finger tight, then remove the jack stand and lower the vehicle completely. Tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern. Use a torque wrench, if possible, to ensure that your lug nuts are tightened to the correct specification. After you've driven a few miles, it's a good idea to check the torque on your lug nuts again to
make sure they're still seated properly.
The Right Place
The prime abode to transform a tire is on Apartment lodgings, even ground, absent from any traffic. Whether you're changing a tire on the side of the system, you might not hold yet of a Election, on the other hand it's safest to receive as far
from traffic as likely and turn on your hazard flashers. Whether you're changing a tire Homewards, a Apartment lodgings, paved driveway is paragon. Don't arena on an incline or on soft ground. Place your parking brake and domicile a chock against the antithesis spin.
The Right Tools
