Question for car drivers

1. 61

   Junksterposted 15 years ago

   I had a pretty scary/awesome car tire blow out on the motorway last night on the drive home from work and had to change my tire (or remove the shredded one) in the cold wind and mud!
   
   I got taught how to do this when I started driving and went away to university but a lot of people I've spoken to do not know what to do and don't even know that all the necessary tools are there in your car for the job!
   
   I just thought I'd check with the driving community if anyone knows how to change a tire or perform some minor maintenance like checking oil levels etc. 
   
   If there's enough people who don't know then I may do a hub on the subject as my dad works at a car manufacturer so I may know a few tips that could help you new drivers!

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   1. 66

      aka-djposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Every car should come with the neccessary tools to change wheels, not neccessarily tyres. (BTW, that is the "correct" way to spell it. ) Replacing the tyre (rubber) for the tyre sales place to do, when you buy a new one. They remove the old one, and put on the new one (that they sold you) and balance it too.

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2. 60

   hsofyanposted 15 years ago

   What if I started driving from the right, and on the treatment machines, etc.?

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3. 61

   Junksterposted 15 years ago

   Re: hsofyan
   I'm not sure I get what you mean there, do you mean driving right hand drive cars?
   
   Re: aka-dj
   you knew what I meant, no need to be pedantic. Also it can be tires or tyres, depending on whether you're using UK english or US english, whatever one the spellchecker adheres to is clearly the one I used.  Although I did have to go to the local tyre place once I had the spare on and gave them the knackered wheel (coincidentally the tyre fell off whilst I was talking to them haha)
   
   Anyway, anyone else?  Also, anyone have a front or rear one go?  My rear left tyre/tire went and luckily didn't have too much effect on my Fiesta but it could have been different if it had been the front wheels that went.
   
   Moral of my story: always check your tyre/tires before driving 10 miles to work!

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4. 65

   Mishaposted 15 years ago

   I actually service my cars myself, except for the cases when too expensive specialized equipment is needed. But I came from the country where car service was non-existent at the time I was growing up
   
   Never had a tire to blow up on me on a high speed though, but this is not too hard to handle on modern cars - providing you keep your hands on the steering wheel and pay attention to what is going on Don't touch the brakes, slowly release the gas, and carefully correct the drift by turning steering wheel, until car comes to a complete stop. Don't forget to switch on your hazard lights, and try to steer to the right shoulder (in USA, to the left in UK of course).
   
   Most horror stories about high speed tire blows come from the times when there was no power steering, and it really required quite an effort to correct the trajectory, or from the cases when driver did not hold the steering wheel firmly and let it slip out of the hands at the moment of tire blow...
   
   Glad you learned your lesson about tire pressure, cause like all other things, tires blow for a reason, not just by chance, and usually there is a warning well in advance
   
   And thanks for the idea, I think I will write an article on this for my site

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   1. 61

      Junksterposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Great info there Misha, I'll probably quote you if I end up writing a hub on tire/tyres, hope you don't mind.  My car doesn't have power steering and luckily is front wheel drive and the back left was the one that blew.  Funnily enough I did exactly what you said: stepped off the gas, no sudden braking, banged the hazard lights on and held on tight to the wheel, I was only doing around 40/45mph at the time anyway.
      
      The only trouble I had was finding somewhere on the hard shoulder of the new motorway as it's all mud!  Luckily I found a service grid that I was able to push the car up to and use the jack on that! phew! 
      
      I've been analyzing almost everything I do when driving to see if I had caused a slow puncture or if it was out of my hands, the only possibility is that tire clips a little bit of the kerb outside my house when I pull on to the drive sometimes, I suppose over time the tyre/tire would end up catching a fair bit of abuse.  Needless to say I'm much more careful and check my tyre/tires before I leave the house or return home!

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5. 60

   knolyourselfposted 15 years ago

   You may need a tool to get the hubcap off. Need a tool to take off lug nuts, which hold the tire on. Need to jack the car off the ground high enough to get the flat tire off and the spare on. Loosen the lug nuts before jacking up the car. Most cars come with these tools, but often
   hide them so they are difficult to find for the uninitiated.

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   1. 61

      Junksterposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Yeah, my wheel trim (or hub cap as you'd call it over the pond) pops off, but it confused me as it had "fake lug nuts" which made me laugh a bit, all the trim needed was a little leverage and it popped off nice and easy. 
      
      Luckily the wrench that is needed was attached to the jack, it also is used to loosen the little metal hammock my spare wheel sits in (mk4 Fiesta has the tire under the car, not in the boot) but the bolt must've been massive as I was turning it for ages before I could get the spare out!
      
      #
      Sorry about the mix up

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6. 66

   aka-djposted 15 years ago

   RE Tyre/tire. I wasn't being pedantic. Just my dry sense of humor. It doesn't come accross on the computer screen as it would in real life.

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7. 74

   AEvansposted 15 years ago

   Honestly, they put the lugs on my tires so tight , that I couldn't break them , even when I have tried to jump on them , so I can change a tire but am thankful that I have never had to do one as when I had them twice both times men pulled over and changed the tire for me.

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8. 60

   knolyourselfposted 15 years ago

   "even when I have tried to jump on them"
   You know what you are doing, or should I say you been there. Try putting penetration oil on them.

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9. 0

   sandra rinckposted 15 years ago

   yeah, the crow bar thingy that fits the tire nuts things is supposed to be in the trunk (or somewhere else if you a weird car lol) with the spare tire and a car jack.
   
   -did you want people to explain what to do or just what you need, oh well I am bored anyways so I will just tell anyways-
   
   jack up the car, put the jack under the chase -the frame of the car, jack it up not too high, oh maybe you should loosen the nuts before you jack up the car too just to make it a little easier.
   
   then swap tires!  put the nuts back on kitty corner ordered.  top left, bottom right, make them snug, then do top right bottom left and then make sure all the nuts are good and tight but not so tight you strip them cus then it would really suck if you got stuck out in the cold and couldn't get them off. 
   
   check the oil on a flat surface and let it sit for a little before your check to make sure you get an accurate reading.  The dipstick should have a fill and full line soo...pretty self explainitory. 
   
   Changing oil!
   
   get an oil filter, you can find the model you need at the parts store, get some oil and an oil pan -don't forget to take it to a place where they can dispose of it properly for ya, they charge but whatever.
   
   might want to get one of the fram special oil filter getter offer tools too cuz those things can be a pain in da butt. 
   
   first- unscrew the screw from the oil thing under your car and let it all drain out.  (into the oil pan)
   next-remove the old filter- let the rest drain out
   then-take some of the oil from the pan and lube up the top silver part of the new oil filter lightly and put it on.
   after that...
   
   DONT FORGET TO PUT OIL BACK IN!
   
   of course double check to make sure you put enough oil in. 

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   1. 61

      Junksterposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for that, I meant I know what to do but was wondering if there were any people who didn't.  But still, great info, and it would be a lot easier to take the nuts off if the car isn't already jacked, otherwise the wheel would just spin whenever you put any pressure on!
      
      I have never changed the oil/oil filter on my car and thinking about it with it being just over ten years old maybe it could do with one, I'll have to see the logbook for when it last had an oil change done...hmm

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10. 61

    britneydavidsonposted 15 years ago

    well its worse nighmate that on the moterway and in the dark night when something wrong happen to your car.it is really important to take care about your car....i prefer check the air in your tyres every week.check engine oil,break oil and colling liquaid if available.if you cure your car then it will take care of yours on motorway...simple....

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11. 61

    Junksterposted 15 years ago

    That's some sterling advice Britney, and I have bought a digital tyre pressure guage at the weekend.  A bargain at £4.
    
    Better than my previous method: give the tryes a kick

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12. 0

    Rainbow Briteposted 15 years ago

    I disagree with the order mentioned of putting the lug nuts back on .... my grandfather and my uncles are mechanics and we were all taught that lug nuts go back on in a star fashion....like drawing a pentacle.

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    1. 65

       Mishaposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       LOL I don't see you guys saying different things. Just looks like Sandy is talking about 4-lug wheel, and you are talking about 5-lug. The principle is the same though

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