It’s happened to all of us. You’re driving down the road, sipping your pumpkin spice latte and jamming out to the latest radio hits, when suddenly – POP goes your tire. That's why you need to know how to change a tire like a boss babe.
And, of course, there’s no cell service and no knight in shining armor to stop and help. Well you don’t need a knight to save you when you know how to change your tire like a boss babe.
Here’s how to do it:
1 Find a Safe Place to Pull over
Now’s not the time to panic. Take your foot off the gas and glide your vehicle to place that’s level and straight. That's the first step for how change your tire like a boss babe.
Frequently asked questions
2 Turn on the Hazard Lights
Do this ASAP so anyone behind you knows you need to slow down and get over.
3 Get the Emergency Brake Engaged
As soon as you stop, go ahead and engage the emergency brake. It will help keep your car from rolling away while you change your tire.
4 Get Your Gear Together
You’re going to need your spare tire, the lug wrench, and the jack.
5 Loosen the Lug Nuts
It may take a bit of elbow grease, but use the lug wrench to get those puppies loose.
6 Get the Jack into Position and Jack Your Vehicle up
The jack needs to be put in place so it lifts your vehicle via the metal frame near the flat tire. Once you’ve got the jack set, raise your vehicle so the flat tire is about 6 inches off the ground.
7 Unscrew the Lug Nuts
Go back to those loosened lug nuts and get them unscrewed and taken all the way off (make sure you don’t lose them).
8 Remove the Flat
This sucker is heavier than it looks, so make sure to squat down to get a good grip and pull it toward you and off your car. Use your legs, and not your back.
9 Put the Spare on
Again, this sucker is heavy, so remember to lift with your legs. Slide the spare in place (just do the opposite of what you did to pull the flat off). Make sure it’s on all the way.
10 Hand Tighten the Lug Nuts
You didn’t misplace those lug nuts, did you? Good, because now is the time to screw them back on. Get them as tight as you can with your hand.
11 Lower Your Vehicle and Tighten the Lug Nuts
Using the jack, lower your vehicle slowly so it’s touching the ground, but not fully on the ground. Grab that lug wrench and give the lug nuts another go to make sure they are on good and tight.
12 Lower Your Vehicle the Rest of the Way
Use the jack again to lower your vehicle the rest of the way so it’s fully on the ground.
Boom! You’re done. Throw the flat tire, the jack, and the lug wrench back into their hidey hole. If you’ve got a tire pressure gauge, check the pressure on the spare. Drive carefully until you can get to a tire professional (don’t forget spares aren’t meant for high speeds or long distances). There it is, Boss Babe. You just changed your own tire in 30 minutes or less. No man needed!
