Ever wonder on what are the things that you would need to do when you change your tires? Then this tutorial is for you!
First, park in a safe place, such as emergency shoulder lane, or find well-lit areas with lots of other people. Set up red and yellow triangular Early-Warning Device reflectors 20 – 50 meters behind your car to warn other motorists. Pull the handbrake all the way up, making sure the car is secure, and get your tools out. Try to find a sizeable rock to use as wheel-chock (kalso) for the other tires. Now, you’re ready to change your tire:
Wedge jack underneath a solid portion of the car’s under-chassis near the wheel you’re changing. Raise jack ever so slightly so it exerts just enough pressure under the chassis but not enough to lift it yet. You need to slightly loosen the wheel lug nuts before you jack the car up.
Loosen lug nuts in an x-pattern. The lug-nuts should be loose enough to turn with the jack, but not too loose that you can turn them with your own fingers.
Once lug nuts have been loosened slightly, raise jack completely until the car tire is 2 – 3 inches off the ground. Remove lug nuts completely then install spare tire. Tighten lug nuts in an X-pattern as well, but not completely as too much pressure might topple the car off the jack.
Lower jack completely until car tires are fully resting on the ground, and then tighten the lug nuts until you hear that clicking sound. You can slot a bar onto the jack for added leverage in loosening or tightening the lug nuts.
Extracted from Smart Parenting Magazine March 2006, “Road Smarts” pp. 69-70