A flat tire can happen at any time, and you don’t want to have to wait for help. If a tire has failed, you can easily change it yourself and be back on the road again in no time. As your Chevy dealer, we’d like to guide you through the easy steps to replace that flat like a pro.
Find Somewhere Safe
Changing a tire isn’t difficult, but you want to do it in a safe place as far from other moving vehicles as possible. If your tire goes flat, you’ll hear a strange sound, and your car’s handling will become slightly more difficult. Look around for a relatively flat area ahead of you and pull over ASAP.
Switch off your engine and apply the parking brake so your car won’t move. It’s very important to switch on your emergency lights so other drivers will realize that you’ve stopped. You can also raise your hood and trunk lid, as this warns other drivers that you have a problem.
Collect the Tools
Changing a flat requires only three tools: a lug wrench, a jack, and a spare tire. These items are usually stored in the trunk, but the spare could also be underneath your vehicle. Your car manual will show you their exact location.
Loosen the Nuts
Use the lug wrench to loosen each of the lug nuts. You’ll probably have to use some force to turn them. The easiest way to do this is to attach the lug wrench to a nut and then use your foot to press down on the wrench’s handle. Loosen each nut in turn until they can easily be turned by hand.
Position the Jack
Look underneath your vehicle for a flat metal place. One of these is mounted on the frame behind each tire. These jacking points provide a solid and safe place to place the jack. Once the jack is in place, raise your car a few inches off the ground.
Replace the Tire
Remove all the loose lug nuts, then remove the flat and place it on one side. Mount the spare tire on the wheel hub and rotate it until the holes on the tire and wheel hub match up. Screw the lug nuts back in place and turn them as tightly as possible.
Lower Your Chevy
Lower your Chevy to the ground and remove the jack. Use the lug wrench once again to tighten each nut as securely as possible. All that’s left to do is to put the jack, lug wrench, and flat back in their places. You’re now ready to drive away.
You now know the easy steps to replace a tire. Drive over to our service department at Orr Chevrolet of Fort Smith in Fort Smith, AR, and we’ll replace your spare.
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