How to Change a Wheel Safely on a Slope

Changing a wheel safely on a slope requires a bit more attention than changing it on a straight road. There are more chances of the car slipping or even sliding without a wheel. Somebody could get hurt in the process. On a slope certain precautions have to be taken to avoid accidents.

First you have to see which tire needs changing, is it the front or the rear. The rears are easier than the fronts. When you are next to the curb and you have to change a rear tire then you steer the car into the curb, so it locks in position and cannot roll. That would be the front of the tire if you are going down or the rear of the front tire if you are going up.

Take the jack and its handle, the wooden blocks, the warning sign, the stepney and the wheel wrench out of the boot. Put the warning sign up for other motorists to see and the wooden blocks on the opposite side of the flat. This precaution further reinforces that you car will not move while you are changing the tire.

Open the wheel cover of the tire in question and loosen the nuts holding it. Then take the jack and attach it where the manufacturer says in the book. If you do not have the book the find a strong place so the jack will not penetrate the body of the car, like an axle. Raise the car up to where you can put the stepney in without problems.

Open the nuts fully and change the wheel to the stepney and hand tight the nuts in place, go criss cross when you do that to ensure the wheel is straight. Then lower the jack and tighten the wheel with a wrench again going criss cross. Remove the jack and put everything back into the dickey.

If a front tire has to be changed then obviously you cannot turn it to the curb, in which case you have to find some big stones to put behind the wheels on the other side. The wooden blocks may not take the weight of your car, and you don’t want it rolling at a vulnerable time. Accidents happen when people are in a hurry and they do not use common sense at the time.

If you have a flat and have to change your wheel always do things methodically and never in any rush. Think of the time you would lose if there is a mishap. Bad things happen and you have to cope with them. Always use the warning sign so others know that something is happening and they steer clear of your car.

Except for the basics there is a lot of common sense to be used in the entire process of changing a tire, putting the wooden blocks in for an example. See where the weight of your car is going to go and counter it accordingly with the blocks.