How to Fix A Flat Tire

Jan 7, 2016

tire Flat tires happen to everyone, usually at the most inconvenient times. There are plenty of roadside services that will fix your tire for you and get you back on the road, but they can take a long time to arrive. Arm yourself with the knowledge to fix your own flat tire and be back on the road in no time.

Take the Tire Off

With the car on level ground, use a tire wrench to loosen the lug nuts but don’t take them off completely yet. Use the car jack to lift the car off the ground at the jacking point. Your owner’s manual should tell you where the jacking point is. Once the car is stable on the jack, remove the lug nuts and pull the wheel off the hub.

Seal the Tire

Check the wheel with your eyes and hands for a foreign object like a nail. If you do find something sticking out of the tire, use a pair of pliers to pull it out and mark the spot with a piece of chalk.

Use a tire sealant to plug the puncture hole. Sealant is a sticky, fiber-filled liquid that coats the interior of the tire. Escaping air pushes the liquid toward the hole and the fibers create a plug on the inside. Unscrew the valve cap on your tire and pump the sealant into the tire through the valve stem opening. Make sure to read the owner’s manual so you know how much sealant to apply.

If you can’t find the tire hole, mix soap and water together until it becomes a lather. Apply the mixture to the tire and look for bubbles at the site of the air leak. Mark the area with chalk.

Use the tire plug kit’s rasp tool to roughen and clean the area so the fix will stick. Then, use the insertion tool to put the plug in the hole. There should be about an inch of plug sticking out of the tire. Let it dry for about a minute, then cut away the excess plug and fill the tire back up with air.

When you get a chance, check the tire pressure and balance the tires after applying sealant. It’s important to note that you should only try to plug a tire that has a puncture less than 1/4-inch wide; don’t repair gashes and deep punctures this way.

Put the Tire Back On

Now that you fixed the leak, you’re ready to put the tire back on the hub. Tighten the lug nuts using a star pattern. Then, lower the car down using the jack. After this, you’re ready to go!

Plugging a hole in your tire is a temporary solution. It will allow you to drive to a professional shop where they can look at your tire and patch it permanently. Don’t drive around on a plugged tire longer than you have to get to a professional. If your tire goes flat again, don’t keep driving; driving on a flat tire can cause irreversible damage to it. Also, make sure to check your warranty about using sealants before using one of these products.

Image via Pixabay