Practice runTips on changing a car tyre

If you haven't changed a tyre before, consider a training run. Choose a dry day, a flat surface and when you've got plenty of time.

Be prepared

Keep these in your car:

  • Small plastic sheet
  • Pair of gloves to protect your hands
  • Torch

Always make sure:

  • The spare is inflated. Check it regularly
  • The jack in the right place
  • You read the car manual

Instructions on changing a car tyre

Right, here's how to change your car tyre:

  • Apply handbrake
  • Place the jack on a firm ground, as flat as possible
  • Loosen the nuts while the car's weight is on the ground. This can be difficult, especially if the nut wrench is short
  • The longer the wrench handle, the better the leverage and the easier it is to remove the nuts
  • If the wrench handle is long enough, it can be angled in a way that allows you to stand on it to loosen stubbornly tight nuts
  • If your wrench is too short, buy a knuckle bar and socket to fit (try Repco). Or get a piece of pipe to slot onto the wrench handle
  • Remember to wind anti-clockwise to undo nuts, clock-wise to do them up
  • If you have a space saver, do not travel faster than 80 km/h and get the tyre fixed as soon as possible
  • Jack the wheel high enough to fit the spare tyre on
  • Remove the nuts and remove the wheel
  • When you've finished kneeling on your plastic sheet, use it to protect your boot from the dirty tyre
  • Lift the new wheel on and screw the nuts back on, starting with the bottom one
  • When the nuts are finger-tight, lower the car, then tighten them properly - standing on the wrench handle to give a light bounce, if you had to stand on it to loosen them
  • If you over-tighten the nuts you can warp the brake components, but not to tighten them enough is dangerous

Changing tyres on tricky car models

Some models, such as Alfa Romeo and Fiat, do not have bolts extending from the hub to hang the wheel on. Instead their wheels have centring flanges with small pins. The tool kit includes a longer pin which screws into a bolt hole. Lifting the wheel onto this lines it up perfectly.

To prevent theft, alloy wheels have locking nuts, which won't fit a standard socket. When buying a car with alloys, check for a locking nut and the correct socket.

To fit a heavy wheel, such as a van wheel:

  • Roll it close to the hub
  • Tuck your left foot under its left side and insert the thin end of the wrench under the right
  • Balancing the top with one hand, use the wrench as a lever to lift the tyre slightly and to move it back in small increments
  • When close enough, use the wrench to lever the tyre up
  • It helps if you haven't jacked the car up too far

More information

Our friendly AA Technical Services Helpline can help and advise all motorists on many general problems, including repairs and car buying advice:

  • AA Members enjoy this service for free, call toll free on 0800 500 333
  • Non AA Members can call 0900 58 324 (a flat fee of $7 per call applies)