# How to Change a Car Tyre Swap a flat tyre for the spare, step by step: loosen, jack, swap, tighten By Numa Topic: Home & DIY [Open the interactive Jig](https://ask.jig.com/j/zNKOXRdFZG7r) ## Guide ### 1. How to Change a Car Tyre This car has a flat tyre at the front\. You need the spare wheel, a jack \(a tool that lifts the car\) and a wheel brace \(a long spanner for the wheel nuts\)\. Tap any part to see its name\. First stop somewhere safe, flat and firm, away from traffic\. Hazard lights on, handbrake on, everyone out and waiting somewhere safe\. ### 2. 1 · Loosen the Wheel Nuts Fit the brace on a wheel nut and push down to turn it anticlockwise about half a turn\. Do this for every nut\. The tyre is still on the road, so friction stops the wheel from spinning while you push\. Loosen now, take off later\. Push with your arms, never jump on the brace\. ### 3. 2 · Jack Up the Car Slide the jack under the jacking point, a strong spot on the sill just behind the wheel\. Wind it up until the flat tyre is clear of the road with room for the spare\. A jack only lifts\. Never put any part of your body under a raised car\. ### 4. 3 · Take Off the Nuts The nuts are already loose, so they spin off by hand\. Keep all five together where they cannot roll away\. ### 5. 4 · Remove the Flat Wheel Hold the tyre at both sides and pull the wheel straight towards you, off the studs \(the threaded bolts on the hub\)\. Lay it down flat so it cannot roll\. A wheel and tyre like this weigh roughly as much as a big bag of potatoes: lift with your legs\. ### 6. 5 · Fit the Spare Lift the spare up, line its holes up with the studs and push it on until it sits flat against the hub\. This one is a space\-saver, a slimmer spare made to get you home\. ### 7. 6 · Nuts On by Hand Screw each nut back on by hand, clockwise, with its tapered side \(the cone\) facing the wheel\. The cone centres the wheel as the nut tightens\. ### 8. 7 · Lower the Car Wind the jack back down until the spare carries the weight, then slide the jack out\. Now the tyre grips the road again, so the wheel will not turn while you tighten\. ### 9. 8 · Tighten in a Star Tighten the nuts clockwise with the brace, jumping across the wheel in a star: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5\. Crossing over pulls the wheel on evenly\. Go round once more until every nut is firm\. Your car handbook gives the exact tightness, often about 110 newton\-metres; a garage can check it with a torque wrench\. ### 10. Done\! Put the flat, the jack and the brace away\. Check the spare’s tyre pressure soon, and check the nuts are still tight after 50 to 100 miles \(80 to 160 km\)\. Space\-saver spares are for short trips at up to 50 mph \(80 km/h\)\. Get the flat repaired or replaced\.