How to Change a Tire

But the world has other plans sometimes. From sharp rocks to hidden debris, even the toughest tires can face the unexpected. Especially in off-road environments or remote Canadian terrain, knowing how to change a tire is an essential skill.

Here’s how it’s done, the BFGoodrich way.

Preparation is everything. When you’re travelling off-road, always carry a spare tire. If you get a flat, there’s no reason to panic, you’re ready for it.

Slow down and find a safe, stable spot to pull over. Look for flat, solid ground, somewhere clear of traffic and not on soft terrain like mud, sand, or snow.

Once you’ve come to a complete stop, shift into park and turn on your hazard lights. Then apply the parking brake to make sure your vehicle stays still while you work, especially if you’re on an incline or uneven ground.

Gather what you need before you start:

• A lug wrench

• A jack

• A spare tire

In many off-road vehicles, the spare is mounted on the back. In most passenger vehicles, these tools are stored under the floor of the trunk, in the tire well compartment.

If you’re pulled over along a rural or dimly lit road, it’s smart to carry a few collapsible safety cones in your vehicle. Place them about two metres in front of and behind your vehicle to alert approaching drivers that you’re stopped on the roadside.

A wheel chock is a heavy object that prevents your vehicle from rolling. If you don’t have dedicated chocks, use large rocks or wood blocks instead.

Place them in front of and behind the tires that will stay on the ground while you lift the vehicle.

Before jacking up the vehicle, slightly loosen each lug nut, no more than one full turn counter-clockwise. Doing this while the tire is still on the ground allows the vehicle’s weight to give you leverage.

Some lug nuts are on tight. If needed, use your body weight or carefully step on the wrench to break them loose.

Vehicle bodies include reinforced “jacking points” designed to support the weight safely. These are usually along the structural frame, not under plastic panels.

Check your owner’s manual to find the proper locations before setting up your jack.

Place the jack on firm, level ground and align it with the correct jacking point. Slowly raise the vehicle until the flat tire is clear of the ground.

If the vehicle begins to lean or feel unstable, stop immediately, lower it, and readjust before continuing.

Once the vehicle is lifted, fully remove the lug nuts. When they’re loose enough, you can unscrew them by hand.

Pull the flat tire straight off and replace it with your spare. Make sure the holes on the rim line up with the wheel studs. The air valve should face outward, that’s the side you’ll inflate later if needed.

Reinstall the lug nuts with your hands first, tightening them in a star-shaped sequence so the wheel seats evenly. The tapered end of each nut should face inward, toward the wheel.

Once they’re snug by hand, switch to the wrench and continue tightening, still in a star pattern. Avoid fully tightening one nut before the others.

Carefully lower the vehicle back to the ground using the jack. Once the tire touches down, remove the jack and use the wrench to give each nut a final firm turn.

If your vehicle uses hubcaps, now’s the time to snap it back in place.

Even in an emergency, tread lightly. Gather your flat tire, wheel chocks, cones, and tools, and store them back in your vehicle. Keep your workspace as clean as you found it, especially if you’re on a trail.

Congratulations! You’ve just changed your tire safely and successfully. Start your engine, release the parking brake, and turn off your hazard lights.

Before you continue your journey, double-check the air pressure (psi) of all your tires, including your spare, to make sure everything’s balanced and ready for the kilometres ahead.

Whether you’re back on the highway or off the beaten path, confidence comes from being prepared.