Change a Flat Tire on a 1996 Chevrolet Lumina Sedan

If you do not have the knowledge of changing a tire, there is no time like the present to learn. Knowing how to change a tire is crucial information that everyone should possess in order to be a safe driver.

Steps

  1. Move the vehicle to a safe and stable location with a flat surface. Make sure there are no hazards such as traffic. Overall, moving your vehicle to a safe place will ensure a safe, injury-free tire change
  2. Make sure the vehicle is in the "Park" Position. If you want to be even safer, you can apply the emergency break.
    • Putting the vehicle in park ensures that the vehicle will not move and is essential in completing a tire change.
  3. Take out the vehicle's spare tire, jack, and lug wrench. The spare tire is usually in the rear of the vehicle; the jack is usually under the back seat.
  4. Place wedges in the front and back of one of the tires that are not being changed. If you do not have wedges, use a heavy object such as a brick or rock in place of the wedges.
    • Even though you put the car in park, you still want to make sure the car will not move.
  5. Take off the wheel cover using the lug wrench.
    • Loosen each lug nut and the wheel cover will come off quite easily.
    • Make sure not to take the lug nuts off all the way.
  6. Place the jack underneath your car at the appropriate jacking location.
    • You should always place the jack on the same side and near the tire that you are changing.
  7. Raise the jack until it is supporting the weight of the vehicle.
    • To use the jack, move the jack handle in an up and down motion.
    • Make sure the vehicle is not being raised off of the ground yet. This will make loosening the lug nuts much easier.
  8. Loosen the lug nuts one by one. Turn them counterclockwise using the lug wrench.
  9. Raise the jack until the vehicle is approximately one inch off of the ground.
    • After you have lifted the vehicle with the jack, make sure the car is stable.
    • If the car is not stable, lower the vehicle and reposition the jack.
  10. Finish removing the lug nuts and remove the tire.
    • After you have removed the lug nuts, the tire should come off easily.
  11. Place the spare tire up against the rotor or drum.
  12. Put the lug nuts back on in sequence with your hands. Turn them clockwise until they are hand-tight.
    • Make sure the rim is sitting flat up against the rotor or drum.
  13. Lower the vehicle until the tire is just touching the ground. When you lower the vehicle, make sure there is not a lot of pressure on the tire before continuing to the next step.
  14. Tighten all of the lugnuts until they are tight. Do this by turning the lug wrench in a clockwise motion.
  15. Lower the vehicle all the way to the ground and remove the jack.
  16. Place the tire and tools back in the trunk.

Tips

  • When loosening or tightening lug nuts, position the wrench so you are pushing down on it. This will make it easier to tighten and loosen the nuts by adding your body weight into the push.
  • Make sure the lug nuts are tight before driving off.

Warnings

  • The spare tire, also known as the "Donut" tire, has a certain maximum driving speed. Make sure you are aware of the speed and do not exceed the given limit.
  • Double check the tire pressure on the spare tire before installing it. This way you can make sure it is safe to use as a temporary tire.
  • If driving on unstable roads, such as dirt roads that have a lot of potholes, be careful and try to avoid these obstacles.
  • If the vehicle shakes while driving after replacing a flat tire, this means that either the tire isn't well-installed or you have a bad tire. When you're in this situation, you should make sure the tire is not a bad tire. To do this, check for any bumps or holes in the tire. If the tire is fine, redo the lug nut installation following the right sequence shown in the figure above.

References

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