By Michael, on May 1st, 2013 
by Stacey Thompson
You haven’t really owned a car until you’ve replaced a flat tire. In my over a decade-long ownership of two automobiles (an Altis was my first car, and now I have a Prius), I’ve probably encountered flat tire problems around eight times (I have the worst luck with sharp metal objects on the roads), and out of all those occasions, I had to do the entire procedure (unassisted) thrice.
I may not be your regular greasemonkey or automotive enthusiast, but those experiences did teach me a thing or two about how to get through this irritating but necessary ordeal with most of your sanity and humor intact. Along with wisdom from other more grizzled car owners, I found these handful of tips most useful concerning on-road flat tire changing:
Crappy Tools and Spares
Unless you got yourself an automobile model that’s worth six figures or more, you shouldn’t expect the extras like tools and spares to be anywhere near impressive. I found that the hard way as me and my brother were struggling with our first shared flat tire experience; the scissor jack the car came with was a chore to turn, the tire iron apparently wasn’t of high quality and was already rusted, the spare tire was under-inflated (our fault for not checking), and worst of all, we lost a lug nut.
Before you experience a flat tire on the road, do yourself a favor and purchase a few things: a high-quality hydraulic jack, reflectorized or even lighted warning beacons, extra lug nuts, and of course, a nice and solid tire iron. If the spare tire provided is one of those smaller, more temporary types, replace it with a full-sized spare tire that matches what you have on your automobile. If you have lots of room in your trunk (or you can mount it outside), get another one. Buy tires and wheels online so you can do some price and performance comparisons; getting the best deal is always good.
Anxiety
Rehearse the entire tire changing ritual. I’m not kidding. While you are in the comfort of your own garage or driveway, go through the actual procedure of replacing a tire. You’ll find out just how much force you’ll need to exert, where to position the jack (and not end up denting your upper chassis), and how much time you’ll need to accomplish the entire task.
Having rehearsed the steps before actually running into the problem will definitely arm you with advanced knowledge and the confidence to undertake the task.
Being a Sitting Duck on the Road
When you do experience a flat, do your best to roll your car away from traffic as you will be working hard on replacing your flat tire. If there isn’t a shoulder for you to park, don’t hesitate to go off-road, provided the ground is relatively level and solid; do not try to replace a flat while in the muck, obviously.
Set up your warning reflectors or lights a good ten meters away; fast vehicles won’t have time to react if your warnings are too close to your vehicle, and a nasty accident may just occur because of that. Getting sideswiped while preoccupied with your tire replacement is simply not fun.
A Living Road Hazard
Don’t run things over the road just because you can, keep your speed within the limits of the law, don’t tailgate, and overall, don’t be a pain in the behind to other drivers (and pedestrians) around you. If you’re a respectable driver, chances are you’ll receive assistance on the road, and things will be all the more smoother.
Happy and safe driving to you all!
Common Problems when Replacing a Flat Tire and How to Avoid Them
About the Author
Stacey Thompson is a professional writer, marketer, entrepreneur, and a lover of weird little animals. She is based in San Diego, California, and is feeling very lucky that she hasn’t had a flat tire for over a year now! She also maintains a blog with her gal pals, Word Baristas.
