Flat Tire ? The Trick to Easily Repair It Without Calling the Technician

No one is safe from a puncture. In the morning when starting up, or worse, in traffic… when you perceive strange sensations in your steering wheel or when the vehicle is hunting. So let’s take things in hand with serenity! We are going to remind you here what to do in an emergency: get yourself to safety and protect your vehicle. Then, we will see together that it is quite possible to repair a puncture yourself.

Efficiently, inexpensively and in a very reasonable time, you can repair your tire. You will be serene and above all you will have saved. Here is how to proceed, but first of all, you will have to change your wheel.

Flat car tire – Source: spm

There are steps to follow to change a flat tire and get back on your way with peace of mind.

Stop the vehicle: sbe reasonable not to continue driving. There are two reasons for this: you can make the puncture worse and complicate its future repair by damaging the side strip of the flat tire. Result: instead of repairing a simple puncture, it may be necessary to change a tire or even two.

Stop in a safe place : signal your presence, with the fluorescent safety vest, and the warning triangle – it is compulsory since July 1, 2008, as specified in the site economie.gouv.fr.

On the highway, it is very dangerous to park on the “emergency lane”, it is also prohibited: the traffic lane on the right is reserved for emergency vehicles. Go to a “refuge”: a place equipped for unexpected stops. They are found every two kilometres. In any case, you will only have to cover one kilometer, it’s safer for you and for your passengers.

Changing a flat tire – Source: spm

Change the wheel : it’s relatively simple as long as you follow the guide. After parking in a safe place and applying the handbrake, shift into first gear. Take out the spare tire, jack and key. Loosen the nuts using the anti-theft wrench socket and rotate anti-clockwise. Place the jack to raise the car then remove the wheel. Fit the spare wheel by positioning it on its axle then refit the nuts, tightening them with the wrench. Operate the jack so that the wheels are on the ground. Tighten the nuts sufficiently then refit the hubcap.

We are going to learn how to repair a flat tire, and even to put a wick on it, in order to avoid buying a new tire. For this, you will need equipment, make an inventory of it before proceeding.

• A school chalk,
• a spray bottle of soapy water,
• a cutter,
• tire glue,
• gum wicks. They are found in all areas specializing in automotive repair.

Three tools:

• pliers, a drill screwdriver, to enter the rubber,
• another tool, with a hook, to insert the patch – in the same radius as the wicks.

How to proceed ?

Arrange the wheel on a table, or on your workbench, put on gloves to protect yourself, especially from the glue.

Palpate the surface of the entire rubber, to find the place where the nail got stuck in your tyre;

Remove the obstructing object with the pliers;

You haven’t found anything… This is when you need to spray the soapy water over the entire surface of the tire, don’t forget the side parts. Proceed quarter by quarter of the surface. Mark with chalk each place where a small soap scum appears. The air passes through it;

Now, use the drilling screwdriver: it will size the hole for the future drill bit;

Insert the wick on the hook, put some glue on it;

Introduce everything into the puncture hole and take care to leave only the wick, which must protrude;

Wait for the action of the glue – check the drying time on the instructions;

When the glue is dry, check again with soapy water that the air no longer passes;

Using the cutter, reduce the part of the wick that protrudes from the repair;

Go to the mechanic to check if necessary, and redo the tire pressure with the pneumatic compressor.

Repairing a puncture yourself no longer holds any secrets for you. With a minimum of material, patience and very little dexterity, you will achieve a very good result.

Read also Avoid breaking this rule concerning your tires: in the event of an inspection, you risk a fine of 135 euros

Via SPM