20 Things everyone needs to know

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HOW TO CHANGE A TYRE
BY LARRY McREYNOLDS

Knowing where everything is and how to operate it all is the first step. Get familiar with where the spare tyre, wheel wrench and jack are located and look at the instruction booklet on where to jack up your car.

If you get a flat tyre on the road, drive the shortest distance you can to prevent irreparable damage to the tyre or damage to the wheel. Get as far off the road as possible. If you are forced to change the tyre on the road, get as far off to the side as you can.

Apply the handbrake, and make sure you put your hazard lights on. Put out a warning triangle, day or night, about 25m/75ft behind the car.

Once in the safest location possible, determine which tyre is flat. Get out the spare tyre, jack and wheel wrench. One side of the wrench can be used to take off the hubcap: put it under the back edge of the hubcap and prise it off. Use the wrench to make the wheel nuts loose by going counterclockwise. Loosen the nuts; don't remove them.