HOW TO: Change a Tire

Welcome to the next installment in our “How To” series. Make sure to visit the “How To: A Helpful Series” page for previous lessons. Today my sweet and patient husband teaches me another valuable skill that is important to know for emergencies:

I have been fortunate enough to never experience a flat tire while out on the road. However, I did recently run out of gas and was stranded for about 45 minutes in a hot car with 3 grumpy kids while we waited for help. This experience made me think about what I would do in a more serious car emergency. I asked my husband to help teach me (and YOU) how to change a tire so that we can help ourselves in case we get a flat tire and aren’t in a situation where we can easily get help.

Make sure to watch the last minute of the video where I embarrass myself demonstrating my ineptness at “handyman” stuff. It’s kinda funny 😉

Sorry for the poor lighting near the end. It was getting dark and it took longer than expected because we were learning how things worked for our particular vehicle. Here are some tips for you to make it faster and easier for you should a situation arise where you need to change a tire:

Know where your donut is located and how to access it
Know where the tools (jack, wrench, etc.) are located in your vehicle
Make sure you have all the tools needed to change the tire (it’s possible they have been removed if you didn’t buy your car new)
Test your ability to lift the tires you are working with
Ensure that using your tools, you are strong enough to remove the bolts

*HINT* If you are signed up for the Seven Day Challenge you will probably want to take special note of this video. Just sayin’ …