puncture repair
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
changing a flat tyreSo you've got a puncture?
the symptons are kind of hard to explain, but I'm assuming you'll know it when it happens
Step 1 Control the car! especially important if you are firing down the fast lane of the M1
Step 2 Bring the car to a halt in a safe place like the hard shoulder, avoid blind corners and just over the brow of a hill. Apply the handbrake/Parking brake. Now put on your hazard lights.
If you carry a warning triangle, or road flares(USA) go back down the road and place them to warn approaching drivers.BE CAREFUL
Step 3You'll need the jack and a wheel brace. Before you jack the car up get the wheel nuts loosened on the offending wheel, (if you try this when the car is in the air you wont get anywhere fast), now is not the time to discover that your wheel nuts are insanely tight; if you've got a spare morning I reccomend that you practice this at home, sure it may sound a bit anal but you'll thank yourself later when it's raining on a dark verge somewhere.
Step 4 Find the correct jacking point on your vehicle ( check the booklet in the glovebox if your not sure) and gently raise the wheel. BE CAREFUL it's not totally safe. You only need the tyre JUST off the ground.
Step 5 Undo the nuts and rock the wheel off the hub.
Step 6 Place the spare tyre on the hub, what do you mean that's flat too?...hmmm
Do up the nuts 'finger tight' then tighten them up a bit more with the brace, you wont be able to do them right up 'cos the wheels off the ground.
Step 7 GENTLY lower the car and stow the jack with the old tyre in the boot.
Step 8 Tighten the nuts Don't do them one at a time all the way up. You need to tighten them in sequence opposite bolts a bit each time till they are tight ( you don't need to wrench them in, tight is tight enough). If you wheel is held by 5 nuts the booklet will tell you the tightening sequence
Step 9 You're done happy motoring!
Step 10 Realise you've left your £10 warning triangle in a B-Road near Chipping Sodbury.
the symptons are kind of hard to explain, but I'm assuming you'll know it when it happens
Step 1 Control the car! especially important if you are firing down the fast lane of the M1
Step 2 Bring the car to a halt in a safe place like the hard shoulder, avoid blind corners and just over the brow of a hill. Apply the handbrake/Parking brake. Now put on your hazard lights.
If you carry a warning triangle, or road flares(USA) go back down the road and place them to warn approaching drivers.BE CAREFUL
Step 3You'll need the jack and a wheel brace. Before you jack the car up get the wheel nuts loosened on the offending wheel, (if you try this when the car is in the air you wont get anywhere fast), now is not the time to discover that your wheel nuts are insanely tight; if you've got a spare morning I reccomend that you practice this at home, sure it may sound a bit anal but you'll thank yourself later when it's raining on a dark verge somewhere.
Step 4 Find the correct jacking point on your vehicle ( check the booklet in the glovebox if your not sure) and gently raise the wheel. BE CAREFUL it's not totally safe. You only need the tyre JUST off the ground.
Step 5 Undo the nuts and rock the wheel off the hub.
Step 6 Place the spare tyre on the hub, what do you mean that's flat too?...hmmm
Do up the nuts 'finger tight' then tighten them up a bit more with the brace, you wont be able to do them right up 'cos the wheels off the ground.
Step 7 GENTLY lower the car and stow the jack with the old tyre in the boot.
Step 8 Tighten the nuts Don't do them one at a time all the way up. You need to tighten them in sequence opposite bolts a bit each time till they are tight ( you don't need to wrench them in, tight is tight enough). If you wheel is held by 5 nuts the booklet will tell you the tightening sequence
Step 9 You're done happy motoring!
Step 10 Realise you've left your £10 warning triangle in a B-Road near Chipping Sodbury.
