As you know, today a car is not a luxury at all, but a real necessity, and sometimes it is quite acute. At the same time, modern vehicles undergo more and more tangible changes every year, improving in their configuration and gaining more and more new opportunities. However, despite numerous innovations, motorists periodically still have to manually perform some procedures that no on-board computer can handle. One such event is tire fitting. With their own hands, not every car owner dares to carry out this work, many prefer to entrust their vehicle in the hands of service station employees. But in order to easily replace summer tires with winter tires or, for example, quickly remove a wheel in an unforeseen situation, there is no need to pay a lot of money. It will be much more correct to learn how to do home-made tire fitting with your own hands, to be ready for any breakdown and save a significant part of the financial resources.
But first you need to consider what tasks are assigned to the wheels of the car from a technical point of view.
The main purpose of car tires
The structure of these structural parts of the vehicle is a tire, balloon and rubber. At the same time, while the car is moving, tires perform a number of important functions:
- they reduce, and sometimes completely absorb, the vibrations and shocks of the car caused by driving on rough roads, which is especially important for residents living in rural areas;
- the power is distributed evenly, which contributes to a comfortable ride for the driver and passengers;
- thanks to the tires, the car adheres to the roadway much more reliably;
- the car does not swing from side to side, but moves smoothly.
Before you consider in detail the features of performing such work as tire fitting with your own hands, you should study all varieties of tires for cars. In addition, these elements also differ structurally, which is also important to mention.
Design features and tire types
Not only professional drivers, but also ordinary motorists know that the choice of wheels is a very responsible occupation. Based on the structural features of tires, it is customary to distinguish the following samples:
- Chamber. Inside the tires of such wheels there are special rubber elements. In addition, the design also includes details such as the main frame, tread, and sides.
- Tubeless, that is, having empty space between the rim and tire.
If we talk about seasonal types, then tires are usually divided into the following types:
- summer samples that should be used in dry and warm weather;
- winter tires equipped with a special tread that improves the grip of the wheel with the road, which is extremely necessary in conditions of low temperatures and when icing the roadway;
- all-season samples, which can be operated under any weather conditions.
Why control tire pressure?
As you know, do-it-yourself tire fitting does not only include repair activities. This also includes a procedure that should be performed regularly - this is checking the atmospheric pressure inside the tires. The safety of the driver and his passengers directly depends on its frequency, since the air gradually leaves the wheels, and this can cause an emergency.
The design of modern electric pumps usually includes a manometer - a special device that helps control tire pressure. In addition, it is important to note that this short procedure will not only protect the driving process, but also save some of the fuel, as due to poorly inflated tires, the vehicle consumes more than is required.
When is a tire replacement necessary?
If we talk about what time of the year it is necessary to remove the so-called summer tires, then everything depends entirely on the weather outside. It is important to remember that the urban climate is somewhat different from the rural one; therefore, on busy roads, it is possible to equip wheels with winter tires immediately before the onset of cold weather. Approximate temperature indicators, signaling the need for “re-shoes” - 5 - 6 ° C.
In turn, changing winter tires to summer ones is not necessary immediately after the onset of calendar spring. It is important that the temperature around 9 - 10 ° C lasts for several days. But driving studded tires for too long is also not worth it: it is fraught with premature tire wear and can be dangerous in case of emergency braking.
Tire materials
Of course, every motorist should always have with him a minimum set of tools like a wrench, heads of different sizes, etc. But if we talk about the procedure for changing wheels, then there is no such thing as a main fixture for tire mounting, you need to have several tools :
- jack required to lift the vehicle;
- cylinder type wrench needed to remove the bolts from the wheel;
- pressure gauge with which to control the pressure;
- a pump (optionally a compressor) to fill the cylinder;
- mounting blades, called mounts. This tool allows you to remove the tire from the wheel without any problems.
In addition, the use of a soap solution will make the whole procedure easier (some car owners prefer silicone grease).
Dismantling a damaged wheel
Before performing repair work, the tire must be removed from the vehicle together with the carcass. For such an event, it is imperative to have tools such as a jack and a spray can. It is recommended to carry out all work exclusively out of the blue, and if there is some slope, then some support should be put under the wheel.
Next, the side on which the damaged tire is located should be lifted with a jack. It is not necessary to achieve a great height, it is enough that the tire is 3-4 cm from the ground. After that, using the spray can, you can unscrew the nuts and remove the wheel.
This whole event also applies to a procedure such as tire fitting. DIY drawings It is very problematic for an ordinary motorist to make the entire process of work, so in order for the repair event to go quickly and correctly, you should be guided by the recommendations described below.
Tire Replacement Process
One of the main difficulties that occurs during tire fitting is the separation of the rim from the tire. To do this, use a special blade using its wide side. To make the whole procedure simpler, it is recommended to pre-moisten the rim with a soap-based solution or silicone grease so that the parts slip better.
Do-it-yourself tire fitting is a tedious event, and sometimes a long one. As a rule, the speed of work depends primarily on the skills and patience of the performer.
Having removed the old tire, the new product should be put on the rim according to the same principle, without rushing and with the help of two mounting blades.
Installing a wheel with a new tire
After equipping the rim with a new tire, the entire structure must be installed in its original place and all bolts carefully tightened. Carrying out tire fitting with your own hands, the fastening of all parts should be approached very seriously, since the safety of further driving depends on this. It is best to start tightening the bolts from above and then move diagonally. A similar method of mounting allows you to accurately center the wheel.
Only complete the procedure when the machine is completely on the ground. All bolts must be tightened as tight as possible.
Thus, we can say that, when deciding how to do tire fitting with your own hands, you need to strictly follow all the recommendations, and then the result of the work will definitely be positive, and it will be difficult for even the most demanding station staff to determine that the entire procedure was performed by a motorist on their own. Maintenance.