That’s funny. I should have held on to my 2012 Fiesta as some kind of rarity as it had a spare and just regular tires. The owner’s manual even had a page on how to change a tire.
Damn, I could have been rich with such a rare car.
Not if you’re in a cell phone dead spot. Or if you depend on AAA which, the one time it happened to me, was so lame they couldn’t find the highway (a Mass. state numbered hiway) on their map. I changed the tire (with the help of a state trooper) and four hours later the garage 10 miles away finally called to ask if I still needed help.
Not screwed at all, I have, in my trunk;
The stock crappy scissor jack
A small trolley jack (should replace it with a small bottle jack)
A “cross-style” lug nut wrench (which I could also use to repel vampires in a pinch, I guess)
The stock lug nut wrench
And the best feature…
A FULL SIZE spare tire on a standard steel rim (gotta love Volkswagen for including a FSST…
And, I know how to change a tire
A flat would be a minor inconvenience for me
I am 20-30 minutes late for my scheduled arrival time depending on how much stuff is in my trunk.
Changing a tire? Piece a cake
I can change a tire. Not a problem.
Happened to me about a year ago. I drove another mile on I-5 and got off at the exit and parked near a ramp (too near a curb it turns out) and changed the tire. Took me an hour as I had to get the car up very high to get the tire over the curb while coming off. Did I mention the curb? The tiny donut spare was way underinflated, and the tiny air pump I had wouldn’t get it to 65 ppsi, only about 40. So I went the rest of the way home with an underinflated temporary tire. I now have a professional grade portable air pump that connects directly to the car battery. Still have the somewhat inadequate jack and tire iron.
been there, done that. Lonely back road, about 30 years ago. Around 11PM. Driving in a rather (ahem) sporting manner. Slipped my right rear tire off the tarmac in a curve, and the edge of the road pinched the sidewall. Instant flat. No problemo. My car was equipped with a full size spare that I had faithfully rotated in, so it was the same brand, size, and about the same wear as my other tires, even mounted on the same style alloy wheel.
15 minutes later, I’m tossing the dead tire in the back and buttoning everything up. But, hmmmmm, something still isn’t sitting right. Why is the right side of the car still at an angle? Oh Shit. Apparently I didn’t just slip the rear tire off the road, I did the front right tire as well. It’s flat too. Well, I don’t carry two spares, so I’m walking to the nearest house, which was a good mile down the road.
Both tires had almost identical slits cut into the sidewall. My Dad just looked at me, and asked if I was driving like an idiot. I said “maybe”, he chuckled.
Today, I’d be all set in the Subaru with a full size spare, all set in the Porsche with the spacesaver, and probably all set in the truck, although that spare has a habit of leaking down.
I’ve also changed dozens of other peoples tires when i see them on the side of the road. Trying to build up some karma points, you know!
When I got my first full time job, before I was allowed to use a family car to commute I had to demonstrate to my Dad that I could change a tire. I was also taught to change the oil, the air filter, and the spark plugs, and to grease the wheels, but being allowed to drive daily to Van Nuys didn’t depend on those. It depended on being able to change a tire.
The best way to learn is to find someone who’s comfortable changing tires and drive them to someplace with enough space to give you access, but out of the way enough that other cars won’t be driving nearby. In the summer, shade might be nice. If you don’t know what equipment you have, parking in a far corner of the parking lot for a hardware store may be desirable. If you like, you can bring a folding chair or two.
After that, it’s a treasure hunt and a puzzle. Check the glove compartment for, possibly, an instruction manual. Actually, you can do that step the day before. If you don’t have a manual, you can download instructions specific to your model from the internet. Then you get to hunt for the spare, the jack, and any other tools that came with the car.
Don’t allow your friend to do more than talk you through, point at things, offer support, and possibly demonstrate how to grip something. Make sure you have a couple of hours, although it won’t take that long. You just don’t want to feel pressed for time.
If you need a better jack or lug wrench, or if you need gloves, WD40, or other things, the hardware store is right there. Although you’ll probably be doing this in bright daylight, this is also the time to get flares, reflectors, and a flashlight, if your vehicle does not carry them.
If your car has hub caps, after removing the hub cap, turn it over and put it on the ground to the side, where you won’t kick it. When you remove the lug nuts, put them in the hub cap. That way they won’t roll away or get bumped where you can’t see them. Losing a lug nut is embarassing and looking for one that’s lost is frustrating.
If you don’t have a hub cap, brainstorm some other way to keep track of the nuts. Pockets work. Paper cups work. Drawing a circle on the asphalt, off a little to the side, works.
When you’re done, you’re going to get more practice as you take off the spare and put the regular tire back on. This will go faster and will help lock the new skill into your memory. This is mandatory for donuts and a good idea for most spares. There’s usually a reason that the spare is the spare.
There is no way to learn quite like doing it. Show gratitude to whoever is helping you. Be patient with yourself. But just set up the appointment and do it. That’s how to learn. You don’t have to, of course, but that’s how.
Do people still rotate tires? (Not the same thing as spinning them.) According to wikihow and youtube, yes. If it’s not part of your regular maintenance, rotating them yourself is a great way to practice.
I haven’t actually changed a tire yet on the car I’m currently driving, so I’d need to add a couple extra minutes for determining proper jack placement and what not. I’ve got a Maglite in the car, so that shouldn’t pose to much of a problem; I should be on my way in 10-15 minutes.
Spare tire? Inflated? Jack and the other tools? I’m 71 and in a powerchair… Take me 30-45 minutes
If it’s impossible for one to remove the lug nuts on the road, even with proper tools, then we’re all screwed, aren’t we?
Aside from that possibility, I’m in pretty good shape. Back in the days when mobile phones were still a luxury item (and the idea of a cellular network was still in its formative stages in FCC proceedings) you pretty much had to be able to change a tire if you went off the main drags, let alone if you frequented the limestone belt along the lightly populated VA-WV border like I did. And I changed my share of tires in interesting locations. I’m sure I could still do that if called to do so, but flats just don’t seem to happen the way they used to.
Standing on the wrench handle probably won’t help. Use the jack under the wrench to rotate it. Which you need to do of course, before you use the jack to lift the vehicle.
Of course, did not help last time: the tire iron just bent. Had to call for help.
I was elk hunting alone in a remote location. After 3 days I had not seen or heard another human. Even an anti-social introvert like me was getting a little buggy. There was analog cell service (no longer any) at the time, but it was an hour of 4WD to get 5 miles off the paved highway.
On the way out the branch of a downed tree went through the sidewall of a front tire on my truck.
First problem: Due to the raised center of the two-track road, I had to jack the rear and pile rocks under the tires to get enough clearance to get the spare out. Just time to solve problem.
Next problem: The “key” for my lug locks turns out to be smaller hex size than the lug nuts, so my lug wrench won’t work. I have a socket that fits, but no 1/2" drive breaker bar. I was able to shim the 3/8" drive ratchet with pieces of tin can and got enough torque to remove lock.
Next problem: due to raised center of road, jack will not go under front axle. So I dig out enough of the volcanic rock to allow it to fit.
Spare is installed using plain lug nuts I carry because the stock acorn nuts that hold the stock alloy wheels well bottom on the stock studs when the stock steel wheeled spare is used. (In other words this was a factory design oversight, not a problem I created, like the lug locks)
Next Problem: spare is too low to drive on. No problem, I have a 12V compressor,
Next problem:12 compressor quits after a few minutes. I check fuse, which is not blown, but in-line fuse holder is bad. I cut out fuse holder and twist wires. (Not recommended, replaced fuse holder when returned to land of plenty)
So that was only 2-1/2 hours to change a tire, but hell yeah, a dead cell phone is a non-problem.
Yes both the Jetta and the momvan have a spare, a jack of the appropriate type/size and assorted tools, and I had changed tires previously being physically disabled prevents me from being able to actually change my own tires. I would have to settle in with a good book, my bottle of water and a snack until someone came along to call AAA or the authorities for me.
I can change a tire. It would take me a bit and I’d be late (and grumpy) for whatever I was going to, but it’s something that I can accomplish on my own.
And your pistol. Why do y’all always forget to the pistol? That is exactly the kind of carelessness that got my second cousin Bennie eaten by werewolves.
Before I got to use the family car, my father put me through a rigorous training session that included practicing changing a tire. The only time I’ve ever required outside help to change a tire was when I slid off an icy road into a ditch and blew a tire. Since a tow truck was coming anyway, I couldn’t see any sense in changing that tire myself.
Like many before me, I keep an extra tool in the trunk to apply some leverage to the lug nuts. I also keep a mallet to use with it. Like many women, my upper arm strength is no match for super tight lugs. I also keep a tarp and a blanket in the trunk. I can put both under me or the tarp under and the blanket over if the weather is bad.
Find the nearest crossroads and wait for the Devil to come to make a deal for your soul?
I used to drive through the Mojave Desert, alone, sometimes at night, on a regular basis. This was before cell phones. I am that old.
I had a sportscar and an SUV. I would swap a hydraulic jack and a classic lug wrench between the cars depending on which one I drove. Plus flares and a lantern.
I also did the most important thing, I stayed on top of the condition of my tires, regularly checking the air pressure and rotating them. I also replaced them the instant they needed it. I don’t think they had the bars on the tires then, I used the quarter method.
I never had a flat.
Now I live in the big city and I just call someone.
I have a concealed carry permit, and unless I am headed somewhere I can not carry it is with me =)