Some tire change services in Vaughan might charge you quite a bit for changing a tire, but the simple matter of fact is that changing tires isn’t a very difficult task. All you need are the right tools and the job gets much easier. In this blog, we’ll take you through the ten easy steps for changing a tire. And remember: should you not feel like doing so, there is a service for a tire change in Vaughan, Ontario, that won’t rip you or your tires off: Magnum Autoclub.
Let’s examine how to change a tire in ten easy steps. But first, let’s list some things you will need beforehand.
Obviously, changing a tire requires specialized tools for different purposes. Luckily, most of these tools come with the car. You can find most of them in the boot or the trunk of the vehicle, under the carpeting. Here’s what you will find in it and what you will need.
Additionally, if you aren’t aware of your car’s mounting or jacking points, you will need to consult the owner’s manual. Be very precise; mounting the vehicle on the jack stand at the wrong points can seriously damage the underside of the car, and since the vehicle won’t be lifted properly, it might put you at risk while you’re changing the tire.
Now, let us take you through the ten steps required to change a vehicle tire.
If you are driving the car while you burst a tire or notice a flat, you need to get off the road and park it somewhere safe, where oncoming traffic won’t be disrupted, preferably off the road. Once there, engage your handbrake and put the car in park. Get your equipment out from the trunk of your vehicle and place it next to the wheel.
Firstly, place your wheel chocks on the wheels, not deflated. These chocks will keep the tires in place and won’t let the car roll when you mount it on the jackstands. While many cars do not come with chocks, you will need to make use of nearby bricks or stones if necessary.
Start by taking your wrench and loosening the lug nuts while the tire is still in contact with the ground. A pro tip for loosening lug nuts is to always follow up the first lug nut with the diagonally opposite one, as this puts an equal amount of pressure on two opposite sides. Be mindful that if the tires haven’t been changed in a long time, considerable force might be required to lose the lug nuts.
Once the lug nuts have been loosened, don’t remove them just yet! Now, it is time to mount the car on the jack stand and hoist the tire in the air. Start by locating your vehicle’s mount points or jack points (usually located at the back of the front wheels or at the front of the rear wheels). Once the mounting points are identified, place the jack under it and pump it up until the wheel is completely off the ground.
Once the tire is in the air, loosen and remove the lug nuts and pull the tire out of the bolts attached to the wheel. Be gentle and careful, as excessive force might damage the parts or the wheel itself.
Once the deflated tire is out of the way, it’s time to mount the spare. Line up the bolts with the holes on the spare and mount the spare tire to the wheel, pushing it all the way to the back till it reaches the end, and you feel a thud, stopping the wheel.
Get the lug nuts on the spare wheel, and while the tire is still in the air, start tightening them. Just like before, don’t tighten them all the way. Just get up to the point where the nuts start getting tight, and then remove the wrench.
Once the spare is tightened up and in place, start by lowering the car using the jackstand and bringing it to the ground. Once the suspension tenses up and the car is entirely on the road, remove the jack stand and tighten the lug nuts as much as possible.
Place the equipment back in the tool kit or the cutouts for each located in the boot. Whether or not you have passengers in the car and whether you think it’s safe to put the deflated tire in the back, don’t do it. Always make sure you place the tire in the trunk if the cutout allows for the tire to be mounted in it. Many newer cars use a space-saver spare tire, whose cutout is not designed to hold a typical tire, so place it in the trunk and preferably tie it with the rope so it doesn’t move about in the trunk.
If you have the necessary equipment, and since spare tires are rarely checked except when needed, check the air pressure in the spare tire and ensure it is up to the required pressure. If not, you could be putting additional strain on the engine while trying to drive with a deflated tire. Get your tire repaired as soon as possible, and using the same steps, mount it back in place.
If that was too much work and you’d rather pay someone to do so, get the best service for a tire change in Vaughan, Ontario, that won’t mess your car up and your tire up! Bring your car to Magnum Autoclub, and we will give your vehicle the best service ever for a tire change in Vaughan. Whether it’s new tires, tire repair, or tire rotation, Magnum Autoclub does cars the best. So, trust a service that understands your vehicle the best and prioritizes customer experience above all.