As a parent, you have the responsibility of teaching your child many things, including changing a tire. This is one of the most important things you can teach them about their car. Tires are an essential part of a vehicle, because without them, their car won’t drive. Since tires are exposed to so much wear and tear each day, your child is bound to get a flat at some point. When this happens, knowing how to change a tire is crucial. Teaching your child about changing a tire does not have to be difficult; it is easy-to-teach when you use the following guidelines
Changing a Tire 101
Preliminary Precautions
When changing a tire, there are some things that your child will want to do before they even begin removing their tire. If they are in a safe and convenient location, they may want to slip on a set of clean clothes. This process can be a dirty one, so your child will want to be careful if they are in nice clothes. Next, your child needs to create a safe environment if they aren’t already in one. On the side of the road? Encourage them to pull off as far on the shoulder as they can, turn on their emergency lights, and if they have reflector cones, to set them a few feet behind the perimeter of their car. They will also want to secure their car to prevent it from rolling. This means that if they are on a hill, they need to make sure their emergency brake is activated.
Gather Tools
Once your child is in a safe, tire-changing environment, it is time to gather the necessary tools. Have them move the spare tire near the side of their car that needs tire repair. Next, instruct your child to get a scissor jack or hydraulic jack. If your teen opts for a hydraulic jack, show them how to place the handle into proper place before pumping up and down, explaining the importance or function of that process. And last but not least, have your child locate their owner’s manual.
Ready for Action
After your teen has all of the essential tools together, they are ready for action. First, have them pry off the tire’s wheel cover. To easily achieve this, instruct them to place the point of the tool where the tire’s cover meets the wheel. Next, they will need to loosen the lug nuts. After loosening the lug nuts with the appropriate tool, it is time to remove the flat tire. This can be difficult, but grasping the tire with both hands can make things much easier. It is also helpful to demonstrate how to slide a tire along the bolts, so it clears them. Once the tire has been removed, it is time to secure the spare tire in place.
The next order of business is sliding the spare tire on and giving each lug nut a twist to temporarily secure them. For the best results, tightening the car’s lug nuts should be done when the car is resting on the ground. After this, instruct your child to replace the hubcap and wheel cover. Once everything has been secured well, the spare tire is safe to drive on for a short distance.
When it comes to teaching your kids about changing a tire, remember that when you are practicing together, the majority of the tire-changing actions should be completed by your child. Doing this will help them gain the required experience that is needed to do this on their own. Practice makes perfect, so if things are difficult the first time around, make sure the process is repeated until your child feels comfortable enough to do this on their own.
To learn more information about changing a tire or tire repair, contact Meyer’s Service today.