Having a car is a glorious thing. The freedom to go wherever you want or need is like nothing else. Cars can be used to transport people and things anywhere! However, if you don’t properly keep up with a car’s maintenance, it won’t get you very far. Certain things, like an oil change, should occur after a certain mileage or date. But other things can be replaced as you see them start to break or fail to do its job correctly, such as windshield wipers, batteries, or Firestone tires Greenville NC. These repairs can start to add up and can end up costing you a lot of money, and we at Pugh’s Tire Pros want you to stay on the road! If you happen to get a flat and can’t make it back to us, here’s how to change it yourself.
Changing a tire
Changing a flat takes a short amount of time, and is relatively easy to do, especially if you get your tires from Firestone tires Greenville NC. Make sure you have your spare tire, car jack, wrench, and the car’s owners manual (in case your car has unique requirements).
- First, find a safe place to park or pull off the road and put your hazard lights on. Try to avoid parking on dead grass, as it could catch fire from your hot engine. Parking lots or gas stations are good places to go if you have a flat.
- Put on your parking brake and check your owners manual in case there are specific ways that you need to change your car’s tires.
- Make sure you have all of the required tools to change it. They should be in or around the trunk of your car.
- Take off your hubcap or wheel cover if you have one, then loosen the lug nuts. Position the jack next to the flat (there might be a spot under the car designed for it) and lift the car with the jack.
- Make sure your tire is completely off the ground, and remove the lug nuts.
- Take off the flat, replace it with the spare, and screw the lug nuts back on the car.
- Gently lower the car back to the ground, remove the jack, put on the hubcap (if applicable), and put everything back in your car.
- If you’re at a gas station or have a pressure gauge with you, it might also be good to check your tire pressure. Having low pressure can cause more problems than it would if you filled it at a gas station or car wash with an air compressor.
After you change your tire, head to your local Firestone tires Greenville NC shop to get another spare or to replace an old one. The Pugh’s Tire & Services Centers professionals will make sure your tires are in tip-top shape to get you back on the road in no time.
