March 18, 2023
You Can Easily Do It Like a Pro!
Photo by Вениамин Курочкин under Pexels License
Changing a flat tire may sound like a challenging task, but it’s not as complicated as many believe. You don’t even have to call a professional to do it for you.
What if we told you that you can fix a flat in under 15 minutes? We’re not kidding! Before we at Veteran Car Donations provide you with the steps on how to do it, here are the items you’ll need:
- Spare tire
- Jack
- Lug wrench
- Gloves
- 2 tiny wooden boards
- Wheel wedges
- Flashlight
- Owner’s manual
Once you have all these things ready, you can now change a flat like a pro — or close to one, at least. Here are the steps for fixing a flat tire:
- Look for a safe location.
As soon as you find out that one of your tires is flat, don’t abruptly step on the brake or make a turn. Instead, reduce speed slowly and find a level, straight stretch of road with a wide shoulder.
Straight roads are ideal because other drivers will be able to see you. Parking your car on level ground will prevent it from possibly rolling. Never try to change your tire on a narrow shoulder near oncoming traffic.
- Turn your hazard lights on.
Use your hazard lights to alert other drivers who are passing by. Turn them on as soon as you’re pulling over to avoid any accidents.
- Apply the parking brake.
Minimize the risk of your car rolling by activating the parking brake as you prepare to fix a flat tire.
- Apply the wheel wedges.
Another surefire way to prevent your vehicle from rolling is by placing wheel wedges in front or behind your tires. If you’re changing a front tire, the wedges should be behind the rear tires. If the flat is at the rear, position them in front of the front tires.
- Take off the hubcap.
If your vehicle has a hubcap that covers the lug nuts, remove it using the lug wrench. If there’s no hubcap, you can pry out the plastic lug nut covers with a lockpick.
- Loosen the lug nuts.
Turn the lug nuts in a counterclockwise motion until you break their resistance. Loosen them about 1/2 or 1/4 of a turn, but don’t remove them completely just yet. Since it may require a lot of force, don’t hesitate to use your foot or your entire body if you have to.
- Raise your car with the jack.
Place the jack beneath the car frame alongside the flat tire to keep your vehicle balanced and prevent any damage to it. Be sure to follow the instructions for jack placement as written in your owner’s manual.
Once the jack is properly positioned, raise the car until the flat tire is above six inches from the ground. Never put any part of your body under your car during or after you raise it.
- Unscrew the lug nuts.
Next, remove all the lug nuts you loosened earlier. You can unscrew using your hands this time.
- Remove the flat tire.
Now you can finally take out the flat tire. Grip it by the treads and gently pull it toward you until it’s free from the hub behind it. See to it that you set it on its side so that it won’t fall over or roll away.
- Mount the spare on the hub.
Line the rim of your spare tire with the studs. Push it gently until you can see the studs through the wheel.
- Tighten the lug nuts.
Return all the lug nuts on the studs and tighten each of them by hand. After you finish installing everything, check them again to ensure that they’re as tight as possible.
- Lower your car and tighten the nuts with the wrench
Lower the car using the jack. Then, tighten the lug nuts for the final time, using a wrench to turn it clockwise. Push down on the wrench with your body’s full weight. Remove the jack afterward.
- Replace the hubcap.
Put it in place the same way you removed it.
- Stow all equipment.
Stow everything before you take your flat tire to a tire technician. Don’t forget to check the tire pressure of your newly installed tire to make sure that it’s safe to drive on.
You Can Turn Your Old Car into a Tool for Transforming Lives
Do you have an extra car in your garage that you haven’t used in ages? What’s the point of letting it rust away there when you can turn it into a powerful tool for transforming the lives of the struggling veterans in your area? When you donate that vehicle to us at Veteran Car Donations, you’ll get to be a hero to our nation’s unsung heroes.
We’ll put your vehicle up for auction and use the proceeds to help fund the life improvement programs for veterans of our charity partners. These IRS-approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations are dedicated to helping former U.S. service members who are homeless and impoverished, those who are unable to find decent employment, and those suffering from disabilities and serious illnesses, including mental disorders.
Our charity partners use the funding they get from us to provide deserving veterans with housing and financial assistance, employment and livelihood opportunities, family support, free quality health care and medical treatment, psychotherapy services, scholarships, and other services meant to improve their living conditions.
To return the favor, our team will pick up and tow your vehicle for free anywhere in the country. We’ll also promptly send you the 100% tax-deductible sales receipt of your car via mail soon after its sale. You can use the receipt to claim the highest possible tax deduction in the next tax season.
However, the best reward you’ll get for making a charitable contribution to us is the joy of knowing that you’re giving back to the brave men and women who risked their lives to ensure our security and protect our freedoms.
We accept nearly all types of vehicles, including those that are no longer in good condition.
Want to learn more about our vehicle donation program, including our quick and easy donation process? Go visit our FAQs page. If you have any questions for us, call us through our 24/7 toll-free hotline at 877-594-5822. You may also write to us here and we will get in touch with you as soon as we can.
Support Our Hurting Heroes Today!
Photo by Benjamin Faust under Unsplash License
After everything they’ve been through, our former service members deserve to live healthy and decent lives. You can help make that possible with your vehicle donation. Call Veteran Car Donations at 877-594-5822 or fill out our secure online donation form now!
Last Updated: March 18th, 2023