Where can I learn how to change a tyre?

[GoncourtBros]

I don't want to just watch some YouTube videos on how to do it. I want practical demonstration and hands-on practice. Is there somewhere (ideally in or near to London) where I can learn how to change a tyre and practice doing it a few times? Are there such things as basic road safety/car maintenance courses?

Are evening classes in car maintenance still a thing? Maybe Google that & your area and see if they still do things like that.

Many years ago I attended exactly this sort of thing. It's was run by the local ford dealership/ service centre, aimed at new drivers but there were people there with all sorts of driving experience. Couple of hours with drink and nibbles. Went through all the backs, changing tyres and oil with theory and practical sessions too. Can't say I've seen anything like that advertised recently (admittedly I'm not looking) but perhaps worth calling your local dealerships.

Really daft question but worth checking it's useful- our last few cars haven't had a spare wheel as omitting that gives more boot space- there's a magic can of sealant stuff in the boot instead, along with a pump. Still worth making sure you know how to use whatever you do have just in case!!

To be honest I also find that although I used to be able to change a wheel 20+ years ago, garages are doing the bolts up tighter now with hydraulic kit, and I'm now too much of a weakling to be able to get a wheel off without the embarassment of having to defer to a member of the male sex 🤪

It’s worth knowing that you don’t actually change the tyre. You can’t do that without powerful tools which aren’t carried in a normal car. You change the wheel, and replace the wheel with a punctured tyre on it with a spare wheel (which already has a non-punctured tyre on it).

But as PP have said, are you sure you have a spare wheel in your car? Because lots of them don’t now. If you don’t there’s no point learning. I reckon 80% of drivers on the road don’t know how to change a wheel. But they don’t need to, so it’s not really an issue.

I work in that area and I'm trying to get similar set up
Like a drop in evening once a month where you can turn up, have a coffee and ask stuff like
How do i do my tyre pressure/windscreen wash?
When is my service due and what do you do on it?
What do I do if this happens with my car?

My aim is to have
Sales available for people who can only come in the evening
A couple of technicians for car queries and demos
Service advisor for the other stuff and to book appointments

Get a neighbour/friend/relative to show you? Once you've been shown it's quite simple.

• untighten the bolts before jacking the car up

-you might have to jump on the wheel spanner when in place if bolts are tight

• place the jack to the rear of the front tyre/to the front of the rear tyre, perpendicular to side of car in a place that is solid and secure
• finish undoing bolts and remove tyre
• change tyre
• tighten bolts and remove Jack
• finish tightening bolts when wheel back on the ground.

You can get telescopic wheel braces that give significantly more leverage that the ones that usually come with the car. Well worth having if you're still lucky enough to have a spare wheel. Something like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spurtar-Extendable-Remover-Sockets-Storage/dp/B07DVHDZMJ/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=3EI7E99FYZQDN&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.NCvihbr2D6WFviNonFPGTA-m3l1BRYVUc2DEj2jjHtcoJajWjVTv3W72YZPuqFluv-bY42_tyGmycPGtHcLRJd64_wFIlvIQAFD_eCfcpPnI43_XOJ8qOB1UUhzAmvQ2iV90urjVBBPzUdCnXRuS_a1ZBqKSRt78NITvEk7FI0-wKuaJhFeyFJuMXGHHbGLORJ9lVOWluTuCpnAvmssgNTte3TX8GZn3Jk7095G4o7_nS3s0XDWeYFLA_OhVfxU6oOuSnVGuRww3s2IdZFSr3d7-0gx3ZhfXI3ZGNSXSw4k.tfqC0yJPUxNvwkcNgyBej8rqipznkujxkpGAUyhHYKU&dib_tag=se&keywords=telescopic%2Bwheel%2Bbrace&qid=1713047670&sprefix=Telescopic%2Bwh%2Caps%2C190&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

Before I jack the vehicle up I put the tyre lever on the nut parallel to the ground and stand on it to loosen the nut.

Like someone said up thread it's worth checking your car has a spare wheel in the first place.

Usually it's in the boot under the carpet, but sometimes in a different place.

But lots of modern cars don't have spare wheels at all though in which case you may have some puncture repair gunk that's designed to just get you to the nearest garage so it can be replaced.

Or some cars have run flat tyres (some Minis, some BMWs etc), so if there's a hole in it you'll still be able to drive on it to get you to a garage.

Random Tips
If you have a spare, there should be a small jack in the boot too. You'll probably have a locking wheel nut somewhere in your car too.

Make sure you find the correct jacking point under the car, it usually looks a bit thicker/more solid and certainly on our car there's a small triangle/arrow to indicate where the jack should go.

You'll be best off parked on something solid too - not shingle or a soft verge.

The tyre size is written on the sidewall along with the make. You'll need this to order any replacement.

Most cars have the same size front and rear but some cars don't. Always worth checking.

It will also say whether it is a run flat tyre there too if you're not sure - only some models of some car brands fit run flats as standard eg. Some minis/BMWs from what I can recall.

If in doubt check with your local garage.

Oh and don't underestimate how heavy the wheel you take off is, they are hefty things. Watch your back!

Thanks all. Yes, pretty sure the car will have a spare tyre. The reason I want to learn is that I will be driving on 4x4-only roads in Iceland. Last time I did this, I was with my DH and we experienced a burst tyre. This time I'll be on my own.
I remember DH could hardly unscrew the bolt thingys because they were so tightly screwed on...like you said @Canyousewcushions

A length of scaffolding bar, a good torque wrench and a can of plus gas/ WD40 (leave to penetrate for a few mins) are a girls best friend.

@Elleherd thanks... can you spell out for me what I'd do? Struggling to envisage where the scaffolding bar fits in!

You put the scaffolding bar over the end of your wrench, which gives you a lot more leverage. Added points if you stand/ gently bounce up and down on the end. You will usually find that you manage to get three of the wheel nuts to give using this technique, then the fourth sticks fast and you have to call the AA anyway. Also, this scenario never occurs when you're wearing mud splattered jeans and walking boots, but when you're in your nice clothes on the way to a meeting or something 🙄

This.

My boyfriend when I first started driving was a mechanic and he told me to loosen the nuts this way. 20 years on and I have never had the misfortune of having to change a wheel (touch wood).

Sorry. As crackofdoom has posted "You put the scaffolding bar over the end of your wrench, which gives you a lot more leverage" The longer the bar the more leverage you get. (used to drive large vehicles with big wheels needing serious leverage)
Don't stand and bounce on a cheap wrench, it will break (as will a long term good but much abused one eventually) with potential ankle injury.
The torque wrench is for doing the nuts back up at the correct pressure.

If you want to avoid discovering something is rusted on at the side of the road in Iceland, then have all your wheels off and back on, properly torqued, prior.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheater_bar#/media/File:US_Navy_030730-N-9455K-103_Seabees_use_a_breaker_bar_to_secure_a_bulldozer_before_transporting_it_to_Camp_Moreell_from_Camp_Castle.jpg

Ask a friend you think is good at explaining things and ask them to show you, buy them dinner or swap one of your own skills.

@GoncourtBros
You may already know about this, but if not it's real time: www.road.is

No, I didn't know about that. Thanks @Elleherd

If you're going south west, watch out for roads closed due to volcano!

Such a good idea op this should definitely be done regularly somewhere.