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How to Replace a Wheel on Your Vehicle

  • January 22, 2022
  • 4 min read
How to Replace a Wheel on Your Vehicle

You’re driving along the road one day when suddenly, you hear a loud pop. You find to your dismay that your tire has burst and the wheel needs changing. What are you going to do?

To prevent issues like this from disabling you on the side of the road, it’s best to be prepared ahead of time. Find out more about car towing services by checking out Sheen Group.

Many people don’t know how to replace a wheel, but it’s a straightforward car repair process. In this article, you’ll learn all the steps you need to take to replace a wheel like a pro. Keep reading to learn more. 

Step One: Prepare

The first thing that you need to do is get prepared for this task. There are a few basic bits of equipment and material that you’ll need. Such as:

  • Floor jack 
  • Jack stands
  • Tire iron
  • Wheel chocks
  • Torque wrench 

Before you replace a tire, you’ll also want to make sure you have a spare. If you’re in need of any tires or wheels just head over to https://www.ozzytyres.com.au/wheels

Once you’ve got all your equipment, make sure that your car is parked on a hard, flat, and level surface. Be sure to put the parking brake on. Next, put the wheel chocks on the outside of the tires that are going to remain on the ground. 

Step Two: Remove the Wheel

Now you’re ready to start removing the tire. Take your tire iron and loosen the lug nuts on the tire you’re changing slightly, only about 1/4 of a turn for each lug nut. 

Now, position your floor jack wherever your car’s lift point is, and lift it off the ground so that you can easily get to the tire in question. Next, place the stand jack underneath the car so that it stays in place. 

A quick tip if you’re changing more than one car tire, make sure to only lift the car one corner at a time as trying to lift the entire car or an entire side of the car can lead to accidents and injuries. 

Take your tire iron and completely remove the lug nuts from the tire you’re changing. Now you should be able to simply slide the tire off of the vehicle.

Sometimes the tires can stick and become a bit trickier to remove. If this happens, take a rubber mallet and gently but firmly tap at the back of the wheel until it starts to loosen. 

Step Three: Replace a Wheel

Now, take your new tire and place it onto the lug studs. Pop the lug nuts back onto the studs by hand but don’t tighten them just yet. You’ll need your trusty auto repair tools for that. 

Take your tire iron and tighten the nuts in a five-pointed star pattern.  This is a very important step as tightening them up in any other way could cause them to come off while you’re driving, and nobody wants that.

Once you’re sure the new wheel is on securely, you can go ahead and lower your car back to the ground and pack your equipment away. You’re all done!

Back on the Road, Just Like That

That’s how easy it is to replace a wheel all by yourself. You just need to make sure that you have all the right equipment and a basic bit of know-how, and you’ll be back on the road in no time. 

If you enjoyed this article, check out more of our great motoring content today. 

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