Tips For Changing Your Own Tires
Changing a tire may seem like a daunting task, but with the right information it can be easy. Here are 10 tips to help make the process go smoothly.
- Make sure you have all of the necessary tools before you start. This includes a lug wrench, socket set, and jack.
- If your car has wheel locks, make sure you have the key before you start.
- Loosen the lug nuts before raising the car off of the ground.
- Raise the car with the jack and place blocks of wood or metal underneath it to keep it from moving.
- Remove the lug nuts and take off the old tire.
- Put on the new tire and reverse these steps to put everything back together again.
- Double-check that everything is tight and secure before driving off.
- If youre not comfortable changing tires yourself, take your car to a mechanic instead.
- Keep a spare tire in good condition just in case something goes wrong on a road trip
- Practice changing tires so that youll be prepared if anything happens while youre out on the road.
If you have a flat tire, dont try to drive on it. This can damage your wheel and make the situation worse.
With these tips in mind, changing a tire should be easy and stress-free. Just remember to take your time and be careful, and youll be back on the road in no time.
How Long Does It Take To Install 2 Tires
If you are the type of driver whos good with tools, it can take you 30 to 40 minutes to change two tires. If, however, you are yet to perfect your tire-changing skills, you may take an hour to two hours to change both tires.
Often, you need a tire change, but there isnt a tire service center or a tire expert you can call nearby. In this case, its time to take business into your own hands, literally. Roll up your sleeves, get your spare tire and jack from the tire compartment, and start changing your tires.
Provided you have the right tools and know how to change tires, the process should be a walk in the park.
Essential tools you will need to change your tires include
- An inflated spare tire
- Alignment studs
- Instruction manual
Other convenient tools you may need include, A flashlight, workers gloves, wheel lock, and emergency triangle.
How Do You Know If My Car Needs An Alignment
There are several tell-tale signs that your vehicle has gone out of proper alignment. If you notice that your vehicle is pulling hard to one side of the road or the other, it probably means that you aren’t in alignment.
Try taking your hands off your steering wheel the next time you are on a lone stretch of highway. If the road is flat and the vehicle begins to drift or pull, then you have an alignment issue that should be examined.
Another way to tell is to look at your tires. If your vehicle is out of alignment, then you will notice that your tires will be worn out unevenly from the inside out. This can be particularly dangerous, as tires with severely uneven tread are much more prone to a blowout.
Don’t Miss: Southern Tire Mart Las Vegas
How Long Does It Take To Replace 4 Tires At Walmart
With an average of 240 million weekly customer visits, Walmart is one of the most prominent tire retailers. Yes, you read that correctly. Walmart estimated that 240 million service visits were made in 2021. Thats a colossal figure.
Due to its popularity, getting a car repair service at Walmart will take some time. According to online sources, replacing your tires at Walmart could take up to 5 hours. As a result, if you have a tight schedule and dont have a backup vehicle, you should carefully assess Walmarts service hours.
If you have another vehicle, you might want to consider Walmart. A large number of client visits, in my opinion, indicates that the service is of high quality and dependable.
How Long Does It Take To Change A Tyre
Changing a tyre should take you anywhere between 10 minutes and half an hour to do properly. But, if it takes a little longer, thats ok. The main thing is to ensure that you follow all of the steps and have a safely fitted tyre once youre done.
A tyre professional will be able to check and replace your tyres as required and you can pick up a replacement spare while youre there.
If youve recently had a flat tyre, speak to the team at Jax. Whether you need a tyre repair, replacement or simply want the peace of mind that comes with seeing a professional, youll find an affordable option to suit your budget and keep you safe on the road.
Need to book in your car
Weve made it easy online.
Wheel Alignment :
Weve matched your registration number Sorry, we couldnt find a match for registration number!
Usually with the right tools, you can change your tyres by yourself safely and without any problems, but it does involve getting your car up in the air. However, there are instances where you should seek help. Suppose your vehicle has a direct Tyre Pressure Monitoring System . In that case, it is advisable to have the tyre swap done professionally in a garage.
To replace a tyre by yourself, you will need:
Suppose the vehicle youre changing a tyre on has a manual gearbox. You dont want your car to be in neutral as this causes the connection from your engine to your wheels to disconnect. In that case, its essential that you put your vehicle into the correct gear.
Read Also: Black Friday Tire Sales At Walmart
Experience Of The Technician:
The very last thing to mention is the experience and expertise of a technician. Experience matters a lot and it is one of the important factors once it involves any variety of services that you simply have done on your vehicle and not only alignment. If you went to an experienced technician, fortunately, you would have to wait for less time and get your work done earliest.
ASE-certified technicians can be able to reach the associated alignment in half-hour or less. Seemingly, a new person could be troubled to line it upright.
S Adjustment And Associate Alignment:
As is already mentioned that a new vehicle is easier to align and create changes in the adjustment of different parts. If you are at the service center for the 2018 Honda Civic and 2001 Ford F-250 make up your mind for a long time.
On the Honda Civic, the nuts and bolts are considerably new and possibly they would have less rust or no rust. On F-250, the nuts and sleeves could really be rusty and it would take more time in alignment.
If the condition is really bad and technicians find difficulty while aligning it could add time and energy and alignment would take much longer than the Civic.
Recommended Reading: Slow Leak In Tire Fix
How Long Does It Take To Change 4 Wheels And Tires
I was sitting in the driveway trying to figure out how to change my cars tires. I looked online, but I couldnt find a step by step guide. I decided to go to the car dealership and ask for help. The guy at the counter said it would take about an hour to change all four tires. I was really disappointed. I thought changing tires would take less time than that. I went home and searched for a step by step guide online. I found one that told me how to change tires in 10 minutes. I was really happy that I found a guide that would help me in a hurry. I followed the guide and changed my tires in less than 10 minutes. I was really happy that I found a guide that would help me in a hurry.
When Should I Change My Car Tires
Now that you know how much it would take to change a tire, you might wonder when it is right to change it.
Tires wear down over time. This means that even if you check the air pressure, regularly align your wheels and take care of tire service and tire maintenance regularly, tread wear over time is inevitable.
Be it because of the weather, road conditions, your driving style or the tread wear rating, every tire works for a limited time and sooner or later, youll have to replace it.
The maximum lifespan of most tires is 10 years. However, some factors can shorten their life.
For example, if youre a fast driver, youll probably need to change it sooner. Moreover, if you live in, or regularly travel to, very hot, cold or dry weather, the chance of getting a flat or wear and tears increases.
Here are a few other factors that will make you go for a tire change sooner than 10 years:
- Harsh sunlight.
- Too much rain or snow.
- Greasy, icy or damaged roads.
- Driving on curbs, mountains and uneven surfaces.
- Too many obstacles and speed bumps.
- Using a combination of tire types at once.
- Improper use of tire types
- Incorrect use of tire size.
- Transporting excessive loads with the car.
To know the right time to change your tire, you should do a thorough examination each year. If you observe any of the following issues, its time for a tires change:
Don’t Miss: Discount Tire Life Of Tire Maintenance
Wedges For The Wheels
To keep the automobile from rolling during the change, wheel wedges are placed against the tires. When changing a rear tire, place the wedges in front of the front tires, and when changing a front tire, place the wedges behind the rear tires.
If you dont have any wheel wedges, huge stones or bricks will suffice.
When Do I Tighten The Lugs While Changing A Tire
You need to first lower the car down with the jack. Be sure to do so slowly and gradually and let the tire support the entire weight of the car. Now you can remove the jack altogether and place it back in the trunk with your old wheel. To finish everything off, now its time to tighten the lugs to the correct level if possible. If not, just tighten them in order for them to be 100% snug, and later take the car to a tire shop for a retorque.
Recommended Reading: Ford Tire Pressure Sensor Fault
Factors Determining How Long You Would Take
As mentioned before, it can take an average of 15 minutes to change a tire. This is mostly for flat tires. However, expect that this timeframe is dependent on other factors we shall look at below.
- How many tires you are changing
If one tire is 15 minutes, what about 4? As you can see, having more tires to change means spending more time doing it.
For those who do not know how to change the tire, then an auto shop might be necessary to help in changing the tire correctly.
Auto shops take less time and you should be back on the road already.
Changing all four tires at once is mostly because you want to change worn tires.
This would be best handled at an auto shop where there is plenty of tools and lifts to make the job easier and faster.
- Location and tools
Sometimes you might be in a place that makes it easier or harder to change the tires fast. It is why you should always consider the two when you need to change your tires.
A good example is changing four tires at once is not an easy task. You may have to consider having a lift to help with the job.
Also, worn tires mean you have to remove them from the wheels first.
Do you have the tools to do that? It is expected that without the tools, you may have to take more time to get the job done.
Lug Nuts And Tires Are Removed
The professionals at the tire shop will have a collection of different sized tire irons and they will select the one that fits most snugly on the lug nuts on your cars tires. Sometimes, a simple manual tire iron or lug wrench may not be enough to do the job in case the nuts are rusty.
Most tire shops have powerful ratchets that can open even extremely stubborn lug nuts. Once all the nuts have been removed and placed in a small container, the tire specialists will remove the tires. They will release the air in the tires via the stem valve and remove them from the rims.
Don’t Miss: Mickey Thompson Baja Boss Tires
Removing The Old Tires
Once the technician removes the wheels from your vehicle, theyll unmount the old tires from the wheels using a tire machine. The tires must be deflated before the removal process begins.
Oh, and since youll be installing new tires, the stem will be pulled out to install a new one. This step could take up to 10 minutes.
Have A Friend Pick You Up
To make the most out of your day, have a friend pick you up from the tire center. While your tires are being changed, you can have lunch, do some shopping, or run any errands you need. This will allow you to get things done while your car is being fitted with new tires. Below is a list of things you can do while your tires are being replaced.
- Go on a lunch date with your friends
- Do some much-needed shopping
- Go out to the movies
- Take a long walk in a local park
- Read a book or magazine
- Play a game on your smartphone
The Takeaway
If you ever wondered how long does it take to change tires, now you know. Remember, it may take a little longer for the process to be completed if the tire center has a heavy workload. To ensure that your visit to the tire center is as short as possible, call ahead and make an appointment. Doing so will save you time and stress.
You May Like: How Often To Replace Tires
How Long Does It Take To Change Tires On Your Own
The time it takes to change a flat tire is determined by the vehicle you drive. It also fluctuates based on where youre attempting to adjust it and environmental factors such as weather. On the other hand, changing a tire is a reasonably simple procedure.
Youll be able to perform the task on your own if youre handy and know how to handle the most common car repair instruments. It shouldnt take more than 15 to 30 minutes to complete. However, if you require new tires, you may be required to replace all four, which would take longer.
Why It Can Take Long To Change Tires
Removing a tire from a car can be straightforward or sometimes a bit challenging. This is mostly because different car tires have different needs.
Most will be easy to remove, but others might need more care. This includes removing the wheel covers or hubcaps before removing the wheel.
Big tires also have many lug nuts you have to loosen before removing the tire. That is why if you have a truck, expect it to take more time to fully remove the tire or have it replaced.
The location matters a lot when seeking to change the tires. An example is changing the tire at home or at a shop should take less time.
This is because distractions are fewer compared to changing the tire by the roadside.
The worst can be when you lack the right tools for the job. You will have to work harder to get the job done.
Another reason a tire change can take longer is if the service center is crowded. Expect a good workshop to have more customers waiting in line.
Sometimes you now have to wait for your turn meaning more time spent not on your trip.
Also Check: Where Is The Tire Pressure Sensor Located
How Long Does It Take To Change A Tire At Walmart
Walmart stores have about 265 million customer visits per week. So, obviously, you wont be the only customer there.
Depending on how many cars are waiting in front of you, you might spend between one to four hours in a Walmart auto care center. So, although the long lines indicate its outstanding services, you ought not to consider Walmart if youre a busy bee.
How To Change A Tyre In 9 Simple Steps
The wild and vast nature of Australias landscape means that any time you could be hundreds of kilometres away from the nearest mechanic, without phone or internet service, and hours away from roadside assist. For the times that you find yourself stranded with a flat, knowing how to change a tyre is an essential skill.
While changing a tyre roadside is the ultimate inconvenience, its really not too hard to do. If youre prepared with a few basic tools, you can be safely back on the road in no time at all. To help you through the process, weve put together some easy to follow step-by-step instructions on how to change a tyre.
You May Like: 265/65r18 All Terrain Tires
Prevent Tire Puncture With Regular Tire Inspection
Needing new tires is never fun. Now, only do you need to change the tires mounted on your vehicle, but it can be a costly adventure. Therefore, it is important you do all you can to protect your current tires and wheels from damage.
Luckily, regular tire maintenance will give you a hand in this. Checking air pressure regularly, inspecting the tread area for irregular wear and damage, and using your mechanic’s services when you realize vehicle issues will go a long way.
In other words, they will minimize the possibility of you needing new tires. Completing these checks regularly will make sure your tires are running smoothly.