Most of us can agree that there is nothing worse than driving along, just minding your own business, when suddenly you hear a “POP” and then realize you have a flat tire. Now you have to pull over to the side of the road and make sure you have the right knowledge and the correct tools to remove your wheel.
Changing a tire can be a huge annoyance, especially when you are in a hurry and have somewhere to be. Here are five tools you will definitely want to have when the time comes that you have to remove a wheel.
1. Car Jack
It is hard to change your tire if you can’t lift up your car. A car jack is a tool that you put under your vehicle that slowly lifts it up to a point where the tire isn’t on the ground anymore. This makes it easy to take the wheel off since the jack will hold the weight of the car. It is recommended that you loosen the lug nuts a bit, before you jack it up.
2. Lug Wrench
This is the tool you use to remove the lug nuts on your wheel. If the lug nuts are tight, position yourself where you can press down on the wrench and then apply a lot of force downward to try to loosen them. If the lug nuts are being particularly stubborn, the Cheater Wrench was made for the purpose of removing all types of lug nuts. It is a super helpful tool that does most the work for you! It can be difficult to loosen lug nuts on a wheel (especially RVs and semi’s) and having the cheater wrench will make it almost effortless. The Cheater Wrench utilizes gears to multiply torque, and it can generate more than 2,500 lbs of it! It is a great tool to have if you are ever worried about your ability to remove lug nuts in a tough situation. Lastly, if the tire rotates while you are trying to loosen the lug nuts, apply your emergency brake to keep the tire in place.
3. Wheel Wedges
These are important to have when removing a wheel simply because they help keep the car in place while used with conjunction with the jack. If you are changing a rear tire, put these in front of the front tires. If you are changing a front tire, put them in front of the rear tires.
4. Car Owner’s Manual
Having the owner’s manual is important because it tells you the details of how to change the tire on your car specifically. It has information on where to place the jack and where all your tools are. It may also give you information on what speed you should safely drive with the spare tire or even help you with a step by step guide to the whole process. Consult the manual before removing a wheel for important information you may need.