Changing a spare tire can be tricky but with these easy to follow steps you should be able to to be back on the road in a matter of minutes.

Warning! If you get a flat tire while driving pull far off the road or into a parking lot so that you are in a safe location to properly change the tire.

Step 1: Materials Needed

·--Spare Tire
-Car Jack
-Lug Wrench
-Pair of gloves (optional)

Step 2: Finding the Lug Nuts

If the flat tire has a hub cap simply pull it off, underneath the cap it will be just the tire, you should now be able to access the lug nuts.

Note: Not all tires have hub caps. If your tire does not then the lug nuts should already be exposed.

Step 3: Loosening the Lug Nuts

Begin with the tire still on the ground. Place the lug nut wrench on the top lug nut and begin to loosen them in a star pattern. Do not take the lug nuts off, just get them started so that when you jack up the car it is easier to get them off.

Step 4: Jacking Up the Car

Look under the car and find something sturdy for the jack to press against. Once that you have found a sturdy beam, jack the car up until the tire is completely off the ground.

Warning! Once the car is jacked up be sure to not position yourself under the car. The jack may slip or collapse trapping you underneath the car. Also be sure not to lean on the car due to the same danger.

Step 5: Taking the Tire Off

Now that the tire is up. Use the lug wrench to completely remove the lug nuts.

Tip: If you have a hub cap place the lug nuts in the hub cap so that you do not loose any of them!

Take the tire off and place the spare tire on.

Step 6: Putting Lug Nuts Back On

Use the same star pattern to put the lug nuts on that was used to take them off. Tighten them as much as you can while the tire is still up in the air.

Step 7: Letting the Car Down

Once the lug nuts are as tight as possible loosen the jack and SLOWLY let the car down.

Warning! Do not just release the jack and allow the tire to coe crashing down on the pavement. Slowly let the tire absorb the weight of the car so that it does not bend the rim and so the tire does not get damaged.

Step 8: Putting the Hub Cap Back On

-Now that the tire is firmly on the ground pull the jack out from under the car. Continue to tighten the lug nuts, making them as tight as you can.

- On the hub cap there is will be a groove in it where the stem of the tire goes. The stem is where you put air into the tire. Line up the stem with the groove and with the palm of your hand hit the hub cap around the edge to get the hub cap back on the tire.