Getting a flat or a punctured tyre can put a damper on a trip.

And, changing a tyre always looks so easy, but that is usually when someone else is doing it. Even as a passenger, it is a good idea to know how to change a tyre.

Here are some dos and don’ts:

DO

Travel with a spare ALWAYS: Getting back to your trip as soon as possible is only possible if you have a spare. It does not have to be a full regulation type but it must be in good condition, and correctly inflated, so that it can take you to your destination.

Have a well-stocked toolkit: The kit must include the car-jack and locking wheel nut key and flashlight for night time breakdowns. You may want to have a sturdy piece of board or stone to ensure the stability and safety of the vehicle. Safety cones with reflective lights are a bonus.

Ensure your vehicle is in a safe area and on stable ground: This is two-fold, as flats can happen in the most inconvenient and unsafe places. If it’s in an urban area, ensure that you secure the area around you with traffic cones or have someone standing by you to alert other road users that you are changing a tyre. Secondly, if it is dark and you are alone, drive to a well-lit area before you start to change the tyre.

Remain calm: If there is a tyre blow-out, slamming the brakes or attempting to swerve the road immediately is not ideal. Panicking may also cause you to lose control of the vehicle. Accelerate slightly and steer the vehicle as straight as possible. Slowly remove your foot from the accelerator. Turn on your hazard lights and steer the vehicle to a safe area to change the tyre.

DON’T

Overtighten your lug nuts: This happens often and leads to damaging the nuts, making them difficult to remove later on. If you can’t move the wrench around, that is tight enough.

Cross-thread your tyres: When the lug-nut and stud threads do not mesh up together, you have cross-thread your tyres. This can happen if you over-tightened the nuts or have fastened the nut at a wrong angle. Avoid cross-threading by using the correct lubricant on your threads.

Drive on your spare any longer than is absolutely necessary: Spares are for emergencies; so return to a full-sized tyre as soon as possible. Also, remember to fix the damage on the original tyre.

Every vehicle owner should be able to do some basic checks before they drive out, especially on a long trip. And a good part to check them every once in a while are TYRES.

Do you know the type of tyres you use; their appropriate pressure and importantly, when to upgrade and change a worn tyre?

1. Identify the various types of tyres

Depending on the vehicle, tyres fall under different groups. Vehicles such as sedans and minivans require tyres that offer a smooth and reliable ride like “all-season” or “touring” tyres. A truck or a sports utility vehicle (SUV), however, may require more aggressive tyres such as “Highway”, “All-Terrain” or “Ribbed” tyres.

In the Caribbean, we do not need snow and ice tyres, so they should be avoided as they may lead to fatal accidents. Meanwhile, you can identify tyre sizes by looking at the side of the tyre; on each tyre, there is a series of numbers and letters. The letter may identify the speed rating, while the numbers refer to width, profile and rim size.

2. Appropriate tyre pressure

Knowing the correct tyre pressure ensures your tyres last longer and secures a comfortable and safe ride.

To be clear, what is best for a sedan may be different when compared to a luxury SUV. Find your vehicle’s recommended tyre pressure on a sticker somewhere inside the driver’s door, on the lid of the car’s trunk, in the console or even on the fuel door.

 3. Know when to upgrade your tyres

This is always important as upgrading (or changing) your tyres improves the safety, performance and look of your vehicle. Depending on the frequency of use, tyres tend to last three to four years before the threads begin to wear. You should routinely check your vehicle and its tyre health; also considering the journeys it has taken you on. Quick dashes around town will have less impact on your tyres when compared to weekly business trips to the countryside.

It is important you check the tyre tread depth — each tyre should have a minimum of 6mm — if the tread is below that, it is recommended that the tyre/s are replaced before a long journey.

BONUS CHECK

4. Wheel Balancing and Alignment

Imbalanced or misaligned tyres make the journey uncomfortable and possibly unsafe.  A shaky or juddering vehicle could mean that your car needs wheel alignment, especially if the areas you traverse have a lot of potholes.

Wheel balancing allows smoother rides at higher speeds. The process involves equalisation of the combined weight of tyre and wheel. The weights are added to the wheel to reduce the imbalance.

Front tyres always wear a little faster than rear ones as they experience more stress/wear. Be sure to rotate tyres, to the rear, so that the tyres can wear evenly.

Accidents do happen, but always bear the above tips in mind to ensure safety and efficiency wherever and whenever.

Knowing your car’s levels before heading off on a long journey is a great idea. When you drive your vehicle every day, there are some oils and fluids that will be used more than others. While running out wiper fluid might not be detrimental to your trip, the ‘check oil’ light halfway up a mountain can.

Driving Legally

It is illegal to operate a vehicle without a current driver’s licence, proper road licence/registration, certificate of fitness and insurance.  A quick, simple check could save you the embarrassment, the possible police stop and the (possibly quite substantial) fines for committing this criminal offence.

Gas/Petrol levels

Running out of fuel can actually damage your car. The fuel injectors (and the fuel pump in diesel engines) can be harmed if a car draws in air instead of fuel. If the vehicle runs out of gas/petrol it can cause blockages to form in the filters due to debris from the fuel tank. This will deteriorate  and reduce your car performance and life-expectancy.

Engine oil level

One of the most important things to check before a long journey is the engine oil.  As the blood pumping through the heart (engine) of your car, engine oil is essential for the health of the moving internal parts and preventing wear from friction. Ensure that the correct engine oil is used as the wrong lubricant can cause chemical reactions such as corrosion or could damage key components.

Brakes

Checking your brakes before a long trip is very important to the safety of the people in the car and other road users.  Safely stopping and controlling the speed of your vehicle is compromised if there are worn brake pads or discs. You should also check the brake fluid levels. Brake fluid should be a light golden brown colour and the level needs to sit between the MIN and MAX marks.

Here are some other checks:

1. Windscreen for damage
2. Tyre condition for damage tread depth
3. Correct tyre inflation levels
4. Spare tyres
5. Car jack and locking wheel nut key
6. Battery levels
7. All lights, indicators and hazards are working
8. Working wipers
9. Coolant and radiator fluid levels
10. Power-steering fluid