Ladies: Do you know how to change a flat tire?

[LarlaB]

Yes I can (and have) but would call DH because usually I have the kids w/ me and really, why add to chaos?

[nd293]

In theory I can do it. In truth, the jack scares me!

[DarlaS]

In theory, I can. In practice, the nuts are usually too tight and require man muscles to get them undone. It's embarrassing.

 

Rosie

 

Which is precisely why I would call someone. It was likely put there by a man who over tightened it in the first place. :glare: (I have rebuilt an engine by myself in the past, so I understand a certain amount of torque is necessary to keep things from loosening, but really, some guys take it way too far.)

 

I do know how to change the propane tank on the grill. In fact dh is not allowed to touch it because of the aforementioned over tightening thing. I can relight the water heater when it goes out, hook up and start the (*&^%^$#%ed generator (even when it's 8 degrees and snowing sideways). I know how to use the weed whacker, the rototiller and every darned saw & power tool on the property (including one freaky old belt-driven table saw that sounds like a jet plane) safely--and properly.

 

I'm not touching the stinkin' tire. No way. A girl's gotta draw the line somewhere. :D

[WishboneDawn]

I can change a tire and have changed quite a few. The last time I had a flat though I got the kids out of the car and was unloading the spare when a guy stopped and did it for me. Must have figured I had enough on my hands with the kids. :)

[Nestof3]

No, but I have AAA.

[KidsHappen]

I put yes, but I would call someone else the reason being that although I technically know how to do it, I am not physically strong enough to do it.

[MamaSheep]

I do know how, and I know where the jacks and the spares are for both vehicles. The only time I have actually changed a tire, though, was when my dad taught me how to do it way back when I was learning to drive. I have had flats a couple of times, but both times I was wearing dressy clothes and by the time I got the jack out nice gentlemen had stopped and offered kindly to do the job for me. I like gentlemanly behavior, and although I have no problem changing tires for myself, I also have no problem allowing a gentleman to do the job for me. :)

[Mrs Mungo]

In theory, I can. In practice, the nuts are usually too tight and require man muscles to get them undone. It's embarrassing.

 

Rosie

 

Especially since they are often put on with a hydraulic tightener. That makes them almost impossible to get off. So, while I know how to do it, I would call someone.

[KJsMom]

My dad insisted that I know how to maintain my car. I was the oldest of 4 girls and I guess it was just too much to teach us all so I'm the only one who can do anything. I haven't changed my oil since high school, but I have changed a tire many times. Once with my little sister who never learned while I had a cast on my arm. :glare:

[chubbyhugs]

I've changed the tire once to replace it with an emergency spare, but that was thirty years ago. We have AAA so I would call them anyway. Two and a half years ago two tires leaked air from the stem while I was on the freeway in the fast lane - it was scary - trying to get over to the right side almost as fast as possible. Dd was with me. I'm glad we had AAA.

[Delighted3]

I said yes, but it has been 20 years.:lol:

[Barb_]

I just had a conversation about this with my 16yo today. I told her she is never to attempt to change a tire herself because I believe it would be more dangerous than simply waiting in a locked car for aaa or her dad. She's 5-1 and not quite 100 pounds, doesn't have tbe upper body strength, and will look entirely too vulnerable struggling with a car jack. As for myself...it wouldn't even cross my mind to struggle with my 2 ton van. I'm self sufficient, but not suicidal.

 

Barb

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I've changed a few tires in my life, but none of them were mine. :) I helped a lady change her tire in a parking lot this winter, in snow. That was a new twist! We had to jump on the tire-iron to get the lug nuts loose, but we had no problems otherwise. We just jumped on the other side of the iron when it was time to tighten them.

[KAR120C]

It's really not that hard! But the first thing is I'm perfectly happy to drive on the rim (ruining the old wheel) to get to a safe location. Getting the jack in the right place very nearly requires lying down on the ground and I'm sure as heck not doing that on the side of the expressway!

 

The second thing is, start loosening the lug nuts before you jack it up. When it's on the ground you can stick the tire iron on and kick it to get them started. There's no way I could do that with my hands, but a good swift kick does it every time. And if you're really clever, you'll stick a good pair of work gloves in with the spare (assuming it's inside the car, not under like a truck). I've changed four tires in my life... with two skinned knuckes and six broken nails. :glare:

 

I do have AAA, and if there were no safe place to change the tire I'd call them, but honestly I can do it myself faster than they can get there.

[Mommyof4ks]

I would probably call dh, my dad or the number on the back of my driver's license for assistance. I can do it, but I don't want to lol.

[katemary63]

I know how to change a tire. However, I have never actually been physically able to change one. At least one lug nut is ALWAYS too tight and with all my strength I am unable to finish the job. I am not a wimp either. I am a strong country girl. One time, when I couldn't do it, a man stopped to help me and HE couldn't do it either. We had to call a tow truck who used an air thingy to undo it. I am never the one who tightens the lug nuts. It's always the garage, so maybe they do it on purpose? I don't know. :confused:

[MrsBasil]

Nope, not a clue. I understand that it involves a jack...

 

When I got my first car I was 17 and asked my dad to teach me basic car stuff, like checking the oil, changing the tire etc and he said he would be there to take care of it.

 

He did it right up until I moved in with my now DH and then he took over all that.

 

If I had a flat tire I would my DH, dad, or roadside assistance. I wouldn't even attempt to do it by myself.

[Truscifi]

Yep, I can and I have. I would rather have someone else do it for me if possible though. Last time I changed a tire I broke a nail. :tongue_smilie:

[IsabelC]

I can do it myself, and I have done so. But I still take the sexist line of getting hubby to do it if he's around at the time :D

[Matryoshka]

Yes, and once when my brother had a flat on the highway, he called me! He is soooo not mechanical! I drove out to help him, but he had this itty bitty wrench, and neither he nor I could budge the darned nuts. A highway helper van came by with a nice big T-wrench, and asked my brother if he was helping the little lady with her tire. Boy, did I have an earful for him! :lol:

 

Have to say, I have AAA now, and I'd probably just call them... because I still don't have one of those nice big wrenches, and they machine-tighten the nuts so that normal humans can't remove them without one of them.

[LauraGB]

You know, I wonder if the whole "You have to at least know how to change a tire" mentality changed when cell phones became the norm and we could just call dh or AAA or whoever. Because before cell phones (which really wasn't that long ago) if we had a flat, we'd be stuck on the side of the road, forced to know how to do this or accept the help of a passerby, or at least a nearby neighbor (if we were lucky).

 

My goodness, how the times have changed.

 

For the record - I really don't think I completely knew how to do it then, either.

[Laurie4b]

I went out to the garage this morning to find my car has a flat tire. I drove about 2 hrs round trip yesterday with my kids at roughly 70mph, and it occurred to me that A) I'm really glad that it didn't happen then! and B) If it had happened on the highway, I wouldn't have remembered how to change it (and I don't even know if I have a spare tucked under there or how to get it off). I know I learned how to do this in high school, but I don't think I would know how to do it anymore.

 

So, do YOU know this basic maintenance about your own vehicle?

 

Yes, I have a general knowledge, but I would call someone else, as I am not strong enough to deal with lug nuts that are stuck, etc.

[MrsMe]

Yes, but trying to get the tire out from wherever it's hidden would kill me. They are heavy. Then trying to get the first lugnut untightened. Not happening.

 

AAA does it all...AND it's safer.

[HelenNotOfTroy]

I have changed my own tire. The biggest problem is getting the lug nuts unscrewed. They are usually too tight for me to do it, so I would prefer to call someone to take care of it.

[Danestress]

I could if I had to. I've watched others doing it, and I have what I need in the car.

 

But I would be scared to do it on the side of a highway. I probably would stay in the car, call AAA, and wait. Whenever I have had to call AAA they have asked if I felt safe where I was. Both times I told them I had young children with me, and both times they got there very quickly.

 

Now that my boys are 12, maybe they would enjoy the process. If I as in a place where I felt safe from traffic and it wasn't dark, I might try just so that they could have the experience of doing that.

[lionfamily1999]

So, do YOU know this basic maintenance about your own vehicle?

Dh is a mechanic and he does most of the work on our cars and bike at home. I'm clingy :D So, I do some of the work with him as an excuse to spend more time together.

 

I can even change out my own head lights :lol:

[GoVanGogh]

The question is -- Can your DH change a flat tire?! :lol:

I grew up in a full-service Texaco station and - once upon a time - could change a flat tire and even repair it.

But - really - how often do you have a flat tire and have to practice that skill? Honestly, I hadn't had a flat tire in several decades!

Well, I had one last fall, just a few miles from home. I called DH to come rescue me. :glare:

In the meantime, I had two different men stop and offer to change my tire for me. I told both of them, "Thank you so much! But my dear husband is on his way!"

Um. It took DH over an hour to figure out how to get the jack out of my truck!!! :001_huh: There was nothing in the owner's manual and we were both clueless.

I told DH that the next time I have a flat and a guy stops and offers help, I'm going with the stranger!! :lol:

[Heidi7Sue]

Other: Yes, and I might be able to do it myself. I sometimes have trouble getting the lug nuts off, especially if my dad tightened them. But as for knowing how, I've done it several times, once someone loosened the lug nuts.