Carcility

Whether you own an SUV, a Sedan, Hatchback, or a Convertible, the upkeep of your car is usually the topmost priority. Regular car wash and timely servicing are important for keeping it in the best condition.

Washing your car regularly helps prevent dirt, muck, rust, and corrosion that your vehicle is subjected to constantly while on the road. Choosing the type of car wash that fits your needs is an essential aspect of maintaining the health of the vehicle in the long-run.

It allows you to safely hit the road knowing that you’ve taken the right steps to help protect your car and make it look its best.

Types Of Car Wash Services Available: 
Hand Car Wash Service
Steam Car Wash Service
Automatic Car Wash Service

Know more about Car wash services

Changing a flat has a lot to do with your experience rather than knowledge. No matter how much you read on the subject, an actual flat tire on a desolate highway can be a very unnerving experience! Having faced this numerous times now, I can tell you from experience that there is nothing better than the experience itself. So make sure you try changing tires at home in the safety of your garage with assistance a call away before you have to actually face it on the streets. 

Changing Car Tires

Now that you know the basics of maintaining a car tire, let’s delve deeper into the method of changing the tire itself! For starters, make sure you have all the equipment you need handy, have ample space to work on and we highly recommend taking help from an experienced friend if this is your first time. 

With that being said, let’s take a closer look at all the equipment you will require to get the job done.

Equipment:

Needless to say, the first step actually begins at home. You need to know the correct size and proper equipment required for you to fix a flat so that you can keep it handy. Don’t use the same equipment for all your cars as chances are they won’t match. Also, change your equipment if you happen to replace your car.

Following are a list of things you will need in case of a flat:

• • • Jack
    • Lug Wrench
    • Hub-Removal Tool (if required)
    • Lug Nut/Bolt Key (if required)
    • Flashlight
    • Small Piece of Wood to Secure the Jack
    • Gloves
    • Wheel Wedges (bricks also work fine)
    • Owner’s Manual
    • Spare Tyre (Duh!)

Make sure you have all these items handy. Most models come with its own lug wrench, jack and spare but in case it doesn’t, refer to the owner’s manual. It should contain the correct specifications of the equipment you will require. 

Preparation:

In the case of a flat tire on a highway or a freeway, make sure you follow the local traffic rules. Whatever you do, do not panic and block the way for others. Do NOT apply your brakes immediately. Instead, turn on your emergency lights and start making your way towards a flat safe spot away from traffic.

Following are a list of things that one should always keep in mind in case of a sudden flat:

• • • Always turn on your emergency lights
    • Do not block the way for others
    • Search for a flat surface
    • Do not come to a sudden halt
    • Reduce your speed slowly and come to a slow stop
    • Keep your emergency lights turned on while you work
    • Always wear gloves

Once you have come to a stop, get your spare and equipment out of your trunk and get ready to get your hands dirty. Also, inspect the flat for any other damage and try to ascertain the point of impact. If it’s a natural flat, there is nothing for you to worry about, but if the rims come in contact with the ground, contact roadside assistance immediately.

Process:

The first step is to ensure that you are parked on a flat surface. Use bricks or wheel wedges to secure the wheels of your car and make sure they don’t slip. Apply the parking brakes and make sure the emergency lights are turned on. Take the hub-removal tool and pry away the hub cap.

Next, loosen the lugs before you jack up the car but not all the way – just get rid of the resistance. After loosening, place the jack on a flat surface (use the wooden plank if need be) and align it with the metal frame of your car. Most cars nowadays have points on which you can fix your jacks (refer to the owner’s manual for this). After you have secured the jack, start lifting the car slowly.

Once you have the car jacked up, start removing the lugs one by one. Once the lugs come off, replace the flat tyre with the spare. Make sure you align the nodes correctly so that the ones on the spare match the ones on the rim. Tighten the lugs back on using a star pattern. Do not screw them all the way in at once. Instead, go in the star pattern one full crank at a time. Once the lugs are sufficiently tightened, lower your car but not all the way. Use the wrench to tighten the lugs all the way. Once they are locked in place, pop the hubcap back on and lower the car all the way. Remove the wheel wedges and place the flat in your trunk along with your equipment. The following is the process tree:

• • • Park on a flat surface
    • Secure the wheels of your car using wheel wedges
    • Take off the hubcap
    • Loosen the lugs
    • Lift your car using the jack
    • Remove lugs
    • Replace tyre
    • Screw on the lugs
    • Lower car
    • Tighten lugs
    • Place hubcap
    • Tuck away equipment

Hopefully, this helps you. As stated earlier, changing a flat is more about your experience rather than knowledge. We always recommend keeping the contact of local garages handy. If you are traveling, make sure you pick up the contact from gas stations. This helps a lot, trust us! If you are still struggling to find a proper service provider, then we highly recommend Carcility, a modern approach to getting cars fixed and serviced in the UAE. It has a list of all local garages and you can get instant quotes from each of them according to your needs. The app has streamlined the entire process and also tracks your records so that you never miss another car service again. The offers and discounts on the app are just a bonus, so get started with Carcility today and witness the change for yourself.

We can, with Carcility!