Swapping spare tyre to front

hemophobic

Well no one actaully answered my question. I know how to de ice, check levels, jump start change tyre etc l just not keen on doing the tyre incase I can't get it back on.

Inactive

hemophobic wrote: »

Well no one actaully answered my question. I know how to de ice, check levels, jump start change tyre etc l just not keen on doing the tyre incase I can't get it back on.

You do not need to change the " tyre " you need to change the wheel.

Take it to a tyre company and pay them a small fortune to change it, if you cannot do it yourself.

Zanzibar

Its actually specifically advised NOT to change a wheel yourself in certain locations - e.g. a motorway as it has heightened risk - a fair number are killed every year there doing just that.

It takes less than 10 mins and that includes emptying all the junk from the boot to get to the spare

Thats only in the most ideal conditions, in daylight when you are familiar with the car and everything is where you expect on an even surface.

e.g. if its cold, dark and icy (seen some of that about perhaps?) on an uneven road surface with poor lighting simply using the typically rubbish jack - properly - that most cars have can defeat many. Plenty a car is jacked up on their sill trim rather than on the jacking point - many who think they know about cars don't even realise what and where these are.

Even if you don't know how to do it most cars handbooks have it in, pathetic that they even need to waste the paper to print it though.

It needs to be in there as mentioned already as the jacking points need to be used with the typical included jack. If you don't the car can slip off the jack - nice. This is actually NOT that clear on many cars. I had a car with oval lugs to accept the jack - the dealer managed to misalign their jack and split the steel jacking point - and they jack hundreds of the same car.

A practical demonstration should be included in lessons but expecting everyone to change a wheel when out and about isn't realistic. I've seen many a fitter have fun with replacing heavy larger size wheels, as are more common these days, as they not specially easy to locate on the hub/disk while lining up the first wheel bolt - and again that's in a warm lit garage. A greasy wet wheel with no lighting can be far from easy.

Zanzibar

Anyway, does anyone know how much it will cost to have somewhere change my spare wheel over to the front?

To answer you question a main dealer for any make of car shouldnt charge you too much - about £10 - £15. I had local Vauxhall fit tyres (more involved than just swapping to a spare wheel) for £15 per wheel.

One thing you could check first is that the spare is not worn too low - or that its a flat itself as they obviously won't switch to that. Also the spare may be a different wheel type to the others (steel instead of alloy) and have significantly different tread level so be aware when driving on it.

Also check the age of the spare tyre - its stamped on all European tyres - typically in a little raised oval e.g. 3404 would be 34th week of 2004. The reason is that very old tyres are not recommended for use as the rubber can degrade so if you do use keep speeds down. I think Michelin recommend 6 years as a limit. Older cars sometimes have the original spare so yours could be 10+ years old.

see the AA changing wheels here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzfGZWKoaFg

dudenstumpy

Wig wrote: »

No one should be allowed to drive if they cannot change a wheel.

While I agree with most of the sentiments expressed in this thread, I just can't imagine my wife ( an average woman ) being able to change the wheel on her Landrover Discovery. Even were she to receive intensive tutition, the main problem would continue to be physically lifting the new wheel onto the 5 stud/bolts.

The thought of her attempting to change the wheel, at the side of a road, in the wind and rain, with frozen hands doesn't bear thinking about.

thescouselander

Why change the wheel at all? The problem could be something as simple as a leaky valve or a puncture that is repairable. Surely its better to get the original tyre fixed rather than having 1) No working spare tyre and 2) different wear on between the left and right tyres on the same axel.


Fixing a puncture or leaky valve shouldn't cost much more than a tenner.

pitkin2020

Zanzibar wrote: »

Its actually specifically advised NOT to change a wheel yourself in certain locations - e.g. a motorway as it has heightened risk - a fair number are killed every year there doing just that.
Obviously you need a little bit of common sense and in certain situations are you feel really uncomfortable doing it then get help. The op probably has the car on a flat drive.

Thats only in the most ideal conditions, in daylight when you are familiar with the car and everything is where you expect on an even surface.
Obviously its going to be easier in those conditions, but even in the dark on an incline its really not that difficult. Again comes down to a bit of common sense, can you move the car to somewhere more flat and has a little light to help you do the job.

e.g. if its cold, dark and icy (seen some of that about perhaps?) on an uneven road surface with poor lighting simply using the typically rubbish jack - properly - that most cars have can defeat many. Plenty a car is jacked up on their sill trim rather than on the jacking point - many who think they know about cars don't even realise what and where these are.
The scissor jacks that are standard on most cars will do the job, all your doing is changing a wheel. Again common sense comes into play you make sure the jack has a good contact with the ground and its not on a pile of slippy leaves or ice.


It needs to be in there as mentioned already as the jacking points need to be used with the typical included jack. If you don't the car can slip off the jack - nice. This is actually NOT that clear on many cars. I had a car with oval lugs to accept the jack - the dealer managed to misalign their jack and split the steel jacking point - and they jack hundreds of the same car.
Im not disputing it needs to be mentioned, the jack points location and how to change a wheel are two seperate things. One changes from car to car the other is the same principcal on every car.

A practical demonstration should be included in lessons but expecting everyone to change a wheel when out and about isn't realistic. I've seen many a fitter have fun with replacing heavy larger size wheels, as are more common these days, as they not specially easy to locate on the hub/disk while lining up the first wheel bolt - and again that's in a warm lit garage. A greasy wet wheel with no lighting can be far from easy.
It depends how long you want to wait for a recovery truck I suppose, but the average car wheel can be replaced my 99% of the people that are able to drive the car! Obviously if your driving a tractor you may struggle on your own so get help or call a fitter in.

Responses above

TO THE OP.
If you don't feel confortable doing it yourself or even directing someone to do it then find someone who is and ask them to show you. A neighbour maybe. Once you have been shown once it should atleast give you the confindence to tackle it yourself next time.

pitkin2020

thescouselander wrote: »

Why change the wheel at all? The problem could be something as simple as a leaky valve or a puncture that is repairable. Surely its better to get the original tyre fixed rather than having 1) No working spare tyre and 2) different wear on between the left and right tyres on the same axel.


Fixing a puncture or leaky valve shouldn't cost much more than a tenner.

I think that is the OP's intention to get it fixed/replaced, but for the meantime putting the spare on just to give her a few days to get it done.

It doesn't cost a lot to get a valve fixed like you said, if its a puncture it will depend where it is as to wheter or not it can be fixed.

thescouselander

pitkin2020 wrote: »

I think that is the OP's intention to get it fixed/replaced, but for the meantime putting the spare on just to give her a few days to get it done.

It doesn't cost a lot to get a valve fixed like you said, if its a puncture it will depend where it is as to wheter or not it can be fixed.

I just got the impression the OP thought they would definitely need a new tyre which might not be the case. If the OP needs to get someone else to change the wheel its not going to be too much more effort to try and get tyre place to repair the problem tyre - if they cant fix it is shouldn't cost anything just to get it looked at and I'm sure they would fit the spare on for them at no cost too.

davetrousers

To the OP

Drive car to local tyre place, and ask them to repair the puncture, cost about £10 - £15.