Changing a tyre on your car is a relatively simple affair and something every car owner should know how to do. After all, the last thing you want to happen is to end up stranded by the road with a broken tyre and not knowing what to do. Besides knowing how to change a tyre you also need a few pieces of equipment which are required to get the job done. With that said, let’s take look at tyre changing equipment you should keep in your car at all times.
A pair of gloves and an old towel
Let’s start with two things you probably wouldn’t think of. Even though you can change a tyre without them, having a pair of gloves and an old towel in your trunk can really come in handy. Let’s say you’re heading to an important business meeting and your tyre breaks. In order to change it, you have to get on the ground and chances are your suit or dress will end up getting dirty. Having these two things in your car means you’ll have something to kneel on and get the job done without staining your clothes.
A jack and a lug wrench
Now we move onto equipment that’ll actually help you change your tyre. In order to be able to do it, you first have to jack up your car. The device you can use to do this is called “jack” and you simply have to keep it in your trunk. When jacking up your car, start by finding the jack point. Most cars have several points along the body that you can use. Raise the jack, lift the car off the ground and you can then remove the tyre using a lug wrench and attach the spare one. Once you ensure the new tyre is attached properly, slowly lower the car back down.
A spare tyre
You can’t change your tyre if you don’t have a spare one in your car. Most of the time, your car will come with a spare tyre but sometimes you’ll have to buy it yourself. The most important thing to mention is that driving with the spare tyre isn’t the same as normal driving. It might take you some time to get used to it, so drive slowly until you figure it out. Also, driving with the spare tyre affects other systems in your car and you should look to replace it as soon as possible. The good news is, you can now opt for tyres with zip pay and stop using the spare one even if you don’t have the cash.
Tyre pressure gauge
Another thing that can come in handy when changing a tyre is a tyre pressure gauge. This little thing allows you to measure the pressure of your tyres and decide whether there’s a need to put your spare tyre to use. Some drivers feel like using a pressure gauge is difficult and prefer having pros do this for them. However, checking the pressure in your tyres isn’t as difficutl as it seems and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t do it. Get a quality gauge and you’ll always be able to inspect your tyres.
A warning triangle
Not every road has a designated place where you can stop and change your tyre. Since you have to kneel on the ground, you won’t be able to stay in control of the situation and having something that tells other drivers that your car has stopped can prevent accidents. Having a warning triangle in your trunk is an absolute must and make sure the first thing you do once you stop your car is place the triangle. If you want the triangle to serve the purpose, it’s critical to turn it so that the reflective side is facing oncoming traffic and is easy to spot.
Over to you
No matter how much time you spend on the road, knowing how to change the tyre is extremely important. Keep all of these things in your car and you’ll have everything it takes to continue your ride safely every time something happens to one of your tyres.