How to change a tire on your Mazda
Changing a tire is a necessary and inevitable part of maintaining a vehicle (yes, even for reliable Mazda models). No matter how dependable the car is, every vehicle is susceptible to popped tires, therefore every car owner should know how to put a spare tire on. Keep reading to see ten easy steps to changing a tire.
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Steps to changing a tire
Okay, first off, let's go over some of the equipment and items you will need.
- Spare tire. This should be obvious. There should be a spare tire in a compartment of the trunk/hatchback area.
- Jack and lug wrench. Both of these items should also be in the compartment containing the spare.
- Flares, flashlight, gloves, wheel wedges (all optional, but recommended). While each of these items is not vital, they will make the job safer and easier.
Again, the spare tire, jack, and wrench should all be in your car anyway. If they are missing for some reason, replace them immediately. The optional items are not vital to complete the task, but they ensure the safest possible environment. Okay, here are the steps to changing a tire.
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1.) Get to a safe area. If your tire pops on a busy street, do your best to push your car to a less crowded area. A parking lot, off-ramp shoulder, or quiet side road are ideal.
2.) Remove hubcap. Once you've got your tools and spare out, get the hubcap off of the flat tire so the lug nuts are exposed. If you have wheel wedges, now is the time to place them around the tires opposite of the flat tire.
3.) Loosen lug nuts, but don't remove yet.
4.) Place jack underneath car. Most jacks operate with a crank. Check your car's manual for specifics, but ideally, you will place the jack in line with the vehicle's frame.
5.) Raise jack until the flat tire is about six inches off the ground. Remember not to put yourself or any part of your body underneath the car. This isn't a mechanical problem!
6.) NOW you can remove the lug nuts. Put them somewhere safe where they won't get lost.
7.) Remove flat tire from hub.
8.) Put spare on exposed lug bolts and replace lug nuts. Don't tighten completely until the jack is lowered.
9.) Lower jack and tighten lug nuts with wrench.
10.) Replace hubcap and check tire pressure on spare.
Bam! You've just changed a tire! That wasn't so hard, was it? Keep this list in mind and share it with friends.
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