Changing a wheel is well within most people's ability, but it is a job where the order and a few safety rules matter more than strength. Done in sequence, it is straightforward; skip a step and it can go wrong quickly.
Before lifting anything
Safety comes first, before any tool comes out:
- Pull over onto firm, level ground, as far from traffic as possible
- Switch on the hazard lights and apply the handbrake firmly
- Get passengers out and away from the road
- Put out a warning triangle if it is safe to do so
- Chock a wheel diagonally opposite the one being changed if anything is to hand
A soft verge or a slope is not the place to jack a car, moving to firmer, level ground first is worth the effort.
Loosen before you lift
Get the tools ready, the jack, wheel brace, locking nut key if fitted, and the spare. Then, with the wheel still on the ground:
- Crack the wheel nuts loose by half a turn each
Doing this before jacking is important: on the ground the wheel cannot spin, and there is no risk of rocking the car off the jack. Leave the nuts loosened but in place.
Jack at the right point
Position the jack under the car's designated jacking point, a reinforced spot near the wheel, usually marked with a notch or arrow on the sill, and shown in the handbook. Raise the car until the flat tyre is just clear of the ground.
The absolute rule: never put any part of the body under a jacked car. A jack is for lifting, not for working under.
Swap and lower
With the car raised:
- Remove the loosened nuts and lift the wheel off
- Fit the spare, lining up the holes
- Hand-tighten the nuts to hold it
- Lower the car until the tyre takes the weight
- Tighten the nuts fully in a star or diagonal pattern, not a circle, so the wheel seats evenly
Afterwards
A few finishing jobs: stow the flat tyre and tools, check the pressure of the spare against its marked figure, and observe its limits if it is a space-saver. It is worth having the nuts properly torqued with a torque wrench at a garage soon after, and the flat tyre inspected and repaired or replaced.
Decide whether to attempt the job before taking tools out
A firm, level surface away from traffic is essential. A motorway hard shoulder or exposed roadside is not an appropriate place to practise a wheel change. If the location or equipment is unsuitable, arrange assistance. Read the handbook before lifting: jacking points, suspension precautions and spare-wheel arrangements vary. Keep passengers away from the work area and never place any part of your body beneath a vehicle supported only by its jack. If the correct torque cannot be established, obtain professional help before normal driving.
Common questions
How do you change a car wheel safely?+
Park on firm, level ground away from traffic with hazards on and the handbrake firm. Loosen the wheel nuts before jacking, raise the car at its proper jacking point, swap the wheel, hand-tighten the nuts, lower the car, then tighten the nuts fully in a star pattern.
Should you loosen wheel nuts before or after jacking?+
Before. With the wheel still on the ground it cannot spin, so the nuts can be cracked loose safely. Trying to loosen them once the car is jacked up can rock it off the jack, which is dangerous.
Where do you put the jack to change a wheel?+
At the car's designated jacking point near the wheel, usually a reinforced spot on the sill marked with a notch or arrow. The handbook shows exactly where. Jacking anywhere else can damage the car or let it slip off the jack.
How tight should wheel nuts be after changing a wheel?+
Firm and even, tightened in a star or diagonal pattern with the car back on the ground. They should be properly torqued to the maker's figure, so it is worth having them checked with a torque wrench at a garage soon after a roadside change.