How do you change a wheel yourself, step by step?

What do you need to change a wheel?

To change a wheel you need the spare wheel or space-saver, the jack and the wheel brace, usually supplied with the car. Before you start, check you have everything.

• Spare wheel or space-saver inflated to the correct pressure.
• Jack and its handle.
• Wheel brace or wheel-bolt spanner.
• Locking wheel nut key, if the car has locking bolts (see locking wheel nuts and a lost key).
• Warning triangle, high-visibility vest, gloves and a torch if it's dark.

If all you find in the boot is a kit with a canister and compressor, your car has no spare wheel: read how to use a tyre repair kit.

How to change the wheel: the step-by-step procedure

The correct procedure always follows the same order: make safe, loosen, lift, swap, lower and tighten.

1. Stop on firm, level ground, away from traffic. Apply the handbrake and engage first gear (or P with an automatic); switch off the engine and turn on your hazard lights.
2. Place the warning triangle and get your passengers out to a protected spot (see how to stay safe after a puncture).
3. If possible, chock the diagonally opposite wheel with a wedge or a sturdy object.
4. Remove any wheel trim and loosen the bolts by about half a turn, with the wheel still resting on the ground.
5. Position the jack at the lifting point nearest the wheel (see where to put the jack) and lift until the wheel is a few centimetres off the ground.
6. Undo the bolts completely, slide the wheel off and lay it on the ground, under the sill near the jack, as extra protection.
7. Fit the spare wheel and screw the bolts in by hand, then with the brace without forcing them.
8. Lower the car, remove the jack and tighten the bolts in a crisscross pattern, i.e. alternating opposite bolts.

Why should the bolts be tightened in a crisscross pattern?

The bolts should be tightened in a crisscross pattern because that way the wheel centres evenly on the hub. If you tighten them in a circular sequence, the rim could seat crookedly and, once you're driving, cause vibrations or work loose.

Tightening should be firm but not excessive: don't stand on the brace with your full body weight and don't use improvised extension bars. Many manufacturers recommend rechecking the tightness after the first few kilometres; the correct torque is given in the owner's handbook and a tyre specialist can check it with a torque wrench.

Which mistakes should you avoid when changing a wheel?

The most dangerous mistake is putting any part of your body under a car supported only by the jack: the car's jack is only for lifting, not for holding the vehicle up while you work.

• Lifting the car before loosening the bolts: the wheel just spins.
• Using the jack on sloping tarmac, gravel, grass or soft ground.
• Placing the jack on plastic parts or on the underbody away from the designated points.
• Leaving people in the car while lifting it.
• Forgetting to check the spare wheel's pressure before setting off.

When is it better not to change the wheel yourself?

It's better not to change the wheel yourself when the location isn't safe or the technical conditions for doing it properly aren't there.

• You're on the hard shoulder of the motorway or ring road, or fast traffic is passing on the side of the wheel.
• The road is on a slope, the ground is soft or the jack can't find a stable footing.
• The bolts won't come undone or the locking wheel nut key is missing.
• It's dark, it's raining heavily or you don't have a torch.
• You have physical problems or don't feel confident.
• The car is an SUV or a heavy van and the car's jack doesn't give you any guarantee of stability.

In these cases, stay safe and ask for assistance: the same applies if you don't have a spare wheel.

Would you rather someone else changed the wheel?

If you're in Milan or the surrounding province, SOS Tyre comes out 24/7, in 30 minutes on average, with our wheel change service or, where possible, an on-the-spot repair. Call +39 377 326 0999 or send an assistance request with your location and photos.