Fixing a Flat on Your Car

It happens to practically everyone- you are driving down the road and all of a sudden you either here a weird sound or feel a thump, thump, thump.  You just got a flat.  While today’s tires are much more resistant to many type of punctures, getting a flat still happens to be a common occurrence.

Here are some tips to fix a flat.

Always have a Spare and the Proper Tools
Make sure you always have a working spare and the proper tools.  The proper tools include a workable high tech jacks, tire on and other helpful items such as a safety cone to alert motorists (or flare), wheel blocks to keep other tires from moving, a rag and even a tire sealant or fix a flat kit and an air compressor. Fix a flat kits or sealants don’t necessarily fix your flat, but seal up the hole for a long enough time for you to get to the service station safely.

Fix a Flat on Level Ground
Do not try to fix a flat on an uphill or downhill grade.  You want your vehicle to be as flat as possible and unable to move.  When getting ready to fix a flat, make sure you are in a safe area from other traffic, use a flare or safety cone if necessary.  Put blocks or rocks in front or back of other tires to stop them from moving.  When jacking up your vehicle, make sure to follow the directions and to only place the jack where it is intended to be placed.  However, before you lift up the vehicle, it is a good idea to loosen the flat tire’s wheel nuts, the reason being is that when the jack has the car up in the air, turning the tire iron strongly can actually pull the car off the jack.  Now simply raise the car, resume loosening the wheel nuts and change your flat.