How Do You Change a Car Tire?

Whether you’re attempting an at-home tire rotation or you’re dealing with a flat on the side of the road, you’ll need to know how to change a tire in order to take the next steps. The process itself is pretty simple, and we’ve covered everything you need to know below.

Changing Your Land Rover Tires: Step-by-Step

We know how stressful these moments can be, but learning how to change a tire really only takes a moment! First things first: make sure that you have everything you’ll need on hand.

• Jack
• Lug Wrench
• Spare tire or new tire

Make sure that you’ve chosen a safe, flat location before you get started. If you’re on the side of the road in Norwalk or Wilton, give yourself as much room as possible and turn on your hazard lights. 

Here’s how to change a tire, step-by-step:

1. Apply your parking brake and place wheel wedges beneath all the other tires.
2. Remove the wheel cover or the hubcap from the tire that needs to be replaced.
3. Loosen the lug nuts on the wheel with your lug wrench. Don’t take them all the way out yet.
4. Find the jack point beneath the vehicle and use the jack to raise the flat tire off the ground.
5. Remove the lug nuts and place them in a safe location.
6. Remove the flat tire and put the new tire in its place.
7. Tighten the lug nuts as much as you can by hand.
8. Lower the vehicle and finish tightening the lug nuts with your wrench. Work in a diagonal pattern to ensure an even finish.

How Long Can You Drive on a Spare Tire?

If you’re replacing a flat with a spare, you should head straight to a local service center to replace the original. Most spare tires are only good for 50 miles or so, and they should never be used at speeds of more than 50 mph.

How Often Should You Change Car Tires?

Maybe you’re learning how to change a car tire because you think that your vehicle is due for a new set! How can you be certain?

The lifespan of your tires will vary depending on how well you take care of them, but most experts will tell you that tires last around six years or 60,000 miles. If the tread depth on any tire falls below 2/32 of an inch, you need to replace it at the earliest opportunity. You can pick up a tire tread gauge at our parts department.

How to Put Air in Your Tires

At the end of the day, keeping your tires at the proper air pressure is just as important as changing them every so often. If you want to keep your tires at their best, here’s what you’ll need to do.

It’s best to check your current tire pressure before you start to drive. (Here again, you can pick up a pressure gauge at our parts department.) When your tires are rolling on the pavement, they heat up and the air inside expands, making it impossible to get an accurate reading.

1. If you do need air, reference your owner’s manual or give us a call to get the proper air pressure for your tires. Then head straight to the closest air dispenser–you can find one at virtually any gas station.
2. Park your vehicle by the air dispenser and make sure that the hose can reach each tire. 
3. Remove the cap on each tire, one at a time. Be prepared to replace it as soon as you’re ready to move onto the next one.
4. Use the hose to fill each tire to the proper level. Use your gauge to check each tire’s pressure as you go.

Our Service Team is Here to Help!

The next time you’re in need of new tires, don’t hesitate to let us know! Our service center is easy to reach from anywhere in the Stamford area, and we’re prepared to help with any and all of your maintenance needs.