How to change a spare tyre

Changing your own tyre can be quite daunting. Many people have it in their head that only a skilled mechanic can do it. However, changing a tyre is fairly simple as long as you take it one step at a time and remain calm.

Regardless of whether you are wondering how to change a car tyre, how to change a van tyre, how to change a 4x4 tyre or how to change a motorbike tyre, the steps are straight forward. If you are at all unsure though, please consult a trained mechanic.

Here is a nine step guide on how to successfully change your own spare tyre:

Step 1: Prepare the car

First, pull over onto the side of the road or motorway and try to make sure that you are on a flat, even section of ground. Then engage the handbrake and then switch the engine off.

Step 2: Take safety precautions

Set up your warning triangle, so that any oncoming traffic can see it before they reach you and your car. Put on a bright jacket to stand out – particularly if it is dark.

Step 3: Fetch spare wheel and tools

Remove the spare wheel from your boot (if you cannot find it, it is often located under a removable piece of flooring) along with a jack and wheel wrench.

Step 4: Loosen the wheel nuts

Before you jack the car up, loosen the wheel nuts using the wheel wrench (these are in the centre of the wheel – occasionally they are located underneath the hubcap).

Step 5: Raise the car

Raise the car slowly using the jack. Once the tyre is completely above the ground, finish loosening and removing the wheel nuts.Remove with the wheel with the damaged tyre and place it carefully to one side. The wheel can be deceivingly weighty, so be careful.

Step 6: Remove old wheel, replace with new spare tyre

Lift up and put the new wheel and tyre into the place of the one you have just removed. Then tighten the wheel nuts – like you did previously, when undoing the wheel nuts, do not tighten them entirely.

Step 7: Lower the car

Lower the car and then put the jack to one side. Tighten the wheel nuts fully.

Step 8: Tidy up the tools and old wheel

8. Tidy away your tools and put the old wheel and tyre in the boot.

Step 9: One last safety check

Make one last safety check, making sure that the wheel and tyre is on correctly.

The spare tyre

A spare tyre is only suitable to be driven on for a small amount of time. Do not exceed 50mph with you spare tyre fitted to the car. Once home, make sure to order a new tyre as soon as possible.

Please note: although this section refers to "changing a tyre" what we have described in this section is the changing of a wheel. We have not done this to confuse you. It is because this is the term most commonly associated with the actions described.