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What you need
Wheel block
Car jack
Car jack handle
Lug wrench
Spare tyre
What to do
1. Park on a level, solid surface. For an automatic car, shift the gear stick to P (photo A) and for a manual car to R, and turn on the hazard lights.
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| Photo A (left) and B (right) |
Place the breakdown sign at least 20m behind (photo B) and open the boot cover so that motorists can see you better.
Block the wheel diagonally opposite the flat tyre. That is, block the right front wheel if the rear left wheel is flat.Always place the wheel block in front of the wheel when blocking a front tyre and behind when blocking a rear tyre.
2. Force the bevelled end of the lug wrench firmly between the wheel and centre cap (photo C). Push the lug wrench towards the car and prise off the cap. Loosen the lug nuts by turning them counter-clockwise with the lug wrench. Turn on each lug nut just once, to loosen but not remove the wheel.
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| Photo C (left) and D (right) |
3. Place the car jack under the jacking point recommended by the carmaker (photo D). Insert the jack handle and turn it clockwise until the tyre is about 3cm off the ground.
4. Remove the lug nuts and the wheel (photo E). Mount the spare tyre onto the tyre axle.
Re-install the lug nuts by placing them with the bevelled edges facing inwards and tighten them by hand.
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| Photo E (left) and F (right) |
5. Turn the jack handle counter-clockwise to lower the vehicle (photo F). After the car is lowered, remove the jack. Use the lug wrench to finish tightening the lug nuts (photo G), in the following order: top right, bottom left, top left, bottom right. Always ensure that the lug nuts are securely tightened before moving off.
Note: If you get a flat tyre on an expressway, do not try to change the punctured tyre.
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| Photo G |
Contact the Expressway Monitoring Advisory System (Emas) to take you to the nearest carpark where tyre-changing can be done safely.
Read also:
» How to change engine oil
» How to wax your car
This article was first published in The Straits Times on Feb 1, 2009.
For more The Straits Times stories, click here.
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