Are you tired of calling one of your guy friends every time you find yourself in a sticky situation? Are you tired of getting that condescending look they give you when they know that they can do certain things you can’t? It’s OK to ask for help, but if you can learn simple fixes yourself, you won’t have to call for help very often.
One of the things you should learn is how to change a flat tire. Nothing can put you in such a predicament than getting a flat tire. But before you start learning a new skill, you need to understand that changing a tire on a car is different for a woman than it is for a man. This is due to the fact that women don’t have the upper body strength to lift a tire into place or loosen the nuts. The tips listed below are especially created for women.
Don’t Let Your Tire Go Flat:
First of all, you should not let your tire go flat while you’re on the road. Before you take your car out for a drive, you should check your car’s tire pressure. Check if your tires are still in good condition.
Keep A Spare Tire:
You should always have a spare tire in your car and don’t let it go flat either. You should also keep the following supplies in your car:
- A pair of sturdy gloves to protect your hands
- A jack that is rated for your car’s weight
- A lug wrench or a drill that works in the car lighter
- Bricks or wooden wedges
- Orange road cones
Of course, to avoid car and tire troubles, you need to regularly bring your car for maintenance and tune up. Click here to find out the different services that your vehicle needs. But in the event that you get a flat tire while on the road, here’s what you need to do.
Get A Ramp:
Ramps can be found at most car parts store. These are usually used to lift the front end of the vehicle so that a mechanic can work underneath the vehicle. You will use the ramp for rolling the tire up to the point where the tire goes on the car. You can also use it to bring the flat tire back down. Use the brick or wooden wedge to secure the other end of your car. This will keep your vehicle from rolling straight into traffic.
Use The Drill That Works In The Car Lighter:
You can buy this in your local hardware store. Make sure you get the drill that fits the lug nuts on your vehicle. This will come in handy if the lug nuts are screwed too tightly. Simply plug the drill and use it. Set it to counter-clockwise to loosen the lug nuts.
Pull The Tire Straight Out:
You need to know that tires are a bit heavy. You can roll the flat tire down the ramp or drop it straight down then roll it towards the end of your vehicle. Lay it flat down in a safe location.
Place The Spare Tire:
You should then roll up the spare tire to the point where the holes match up and fit into the lug bolts.
Screw The Lug Nuts Back:
You can use the lug wrench to screw the lug nuts back or you can use the drill again, this time setting it to clockwise to ensure that the lugs nuts are secured enough.
Practice:
Changing flat tires is not an easy task to accomplish; therefore, you need to practice. You can check your owner’s manual to see whether there are instructions listed in there.
These tips for changing a flat tire can mean the difference between getting stuck in the middle of the road and being self-sufficient. As a woman, you need to learn this quick fix because you never know when you might be on the road looking at a flat tire.
Citations:
- Robert Couse-Baker.”girl helping around the house”. October 25, 2008. Online Image. Flickr. Nov 29, 2013
Featured images:
License: Creative Commons
image source
This guest post is written by Kris Hopkins, a lifestyle blogger who offers practical tips and advice for women.
