Torque Shop: How to replace a flat tyre on the road
Rule No. 1: Park the car at a safe spot before trying to replace the flat tyre. PHOTO: GEM MOTOR ASSIST
What should I do when I get a flat tyre?
Many cars today come with a tyre repair kit – which consists of a bottle of sealant or foam, and an air compressor to pump up the tyre. Others have a spare tyre, which may be a narrower-than -usual tyre or, in rare instances, a regular tyre.
The first thing to do when you think you have a flat tyre is to park the car safely. This should not be in the middle of a traffic junction or at the end of a blind corner. If you need to move the vehicle, do so very slowly to prevent damaging the wheels.
Then, get the tools out. If the car comes with a repair kit, chances are, it involves injecting the foam through the tyre's valve stem before using the air compressor to inflate the tyre. Read the owner's manual before doing anything.
For cars that come with a spare tyre, they will include tools such as a wheel jack and a tyre wrench. The steps are generally the same for most cars, but you should still check the owner's manual to know where the jacking points are on the car to avoid causing damage.
Place a wheel chock against the wheel that will not be raised. This is to prevent the car from rolling back as it is being lifted. This may not be part of the standard tool kit in the car, but can be bought online or at hardware stores.
After you have put the jack in place, do not start lifting the car. Instead, loosen the wheel nuts slightly while all four tyres are still firmly on the ground. Lift the car only after doing that.
Bring the car up high enough for the flat tyre to be slightly off the ground. Having it too high above the ground will make it more difficult to fit the spare tyre.
Next, fully loosen the wheel nuts and remove the flat tyre from the hub.
When fitting the spare tyre onto the wheel hub, make sure the holes on the wheel line up and the tyre is flush against the middle of the hub. Hand-tighten the wheel nuts.
Tighten the wheel nuts fully with the wrench only after the car is lowered back to the ground. Tighten the alternate nut – as opposed to the one immediately beside – to ensure the tightness is even and the wheel is correctly aligned.
Check that you have picked up all the tools and the flat tyre, and load them safely in the boot. After that, drive to the nearest tyre shop to either have the flat tyre fixed or replaced.
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