Did you know that approximately 15,000 car crashes yearly are due to tire issues? And to make matters worse, only 20% of vehicle owners and drivers properly maintain their tires.
Failure to maintain your tires can have dangerous or even fatal results. If you aren’t keeping your tires in the best shape possible, your chances of getting into an accident can increase significantly.
One of the most important things to remember is never to drive around on a flat. For this reason, you must know how to change a tire on a truck. This truck tire changing guide will prove useful in keeping your tires in good shape.
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Things To Do Before Changing Truck Tires
Your vehicle should be equipped with certain items for changing a tire on a truck. You should have a jack, a lug wrench, an inflated spare tire, and the vehicle owner’s manual. If you are missing any of these items, you should purchase them and always have them in your truck.
You should also keep a 2×6 piece of wood on hand to place under the jack. This will keep the vehicle from coming off balance. This is especially helpful if you’re on a rougher surface such as asphalt or a dirt road.
When you realize your tire is flat, you need to get to a safe location. You will need a straight and flat area to change your truck tire safely. While an empty parking lot is ideal, you may need to settle for the safest area at the side of the road you can get to.
As a bonus tip, turn on your hazard lights when you are at the side of the road.
Before you do anything, make sure to apply your emergency parking brake. When you’re vehicle is lifted, there is a possibility of the tires rolling which can result in injury or death. You should also use wheel wedges, bricks, or large stones as a substitute if needed.
How to Change a Tire on a Truck
It’ll be much easier to remove your hubcap and loosen your lugnuts if the car is still on the ground. This way you won’t have to deal with the tires turning during the process.
Lift the vehicle about six inches off the ground. Completely unscrew the lugnuts and remove the flat tire. Mount the new tire on, and start tightening the lugnuts as much as you can.
Lower the vehicle to the ground, and give the lugnuts another tightening. Remember to put the full weight of your body onto the lug wrench when tightening.
From that point, you should get your truck and your flat tire to a repair shop as quickly as possible. A spare tire is made for emergencies, and it should not be used for long-term driving. Get a proper tire on your vehicle fast.
When it comes to knowing how to prevent truck crashes, having this truck tire changing guide is remarkably useful. Keep your tires in good shape for your truck, your safety, and the safety of others.
More Tips for Vehicle Maintenance
Now that you know how to change a tire on a truck, you’ll be far less frustrated when you encounter the inconvenience of a flat tire. More importantly, you will extend the life of your truck, and you’ll be less likely to get into an accident.
For more tips on vehicle repair and maintenance, visit our Auto section.
