| Don't ever say it won't happen to you. Statistics show | | | | experience).4) Flares and reflectors - you have to be |
| that the average person will have 5 flat tires in their | | | | safe. If you have a flat in a hard to see area you want |
| lifetime. That means you will have a flat and it is best | | | | to warn other drivers of your predicament so you |
| to be prepared for it.I've seen people stuck on the side | | | | don't have a worse predicament. Also, pack a flashlight |
| of the road with no spare, no jack or lug wrench and | | | | and extra batteries for night use - all the tools in the |
| no cell phone. What if you get stranded down a far | | | | world won't help if you can't see (regularly change the |
| out, little traveled country raod at night? You will be | | | | batteries once a year).Now, for safety, when a flat |
| stranded for a long time. That is something we want | | | | occurs you need to pull safely off the road. If on a |
| to avoid. So here's a checklist of what to have with | | | | busy interstate drive slowly until you are in a safe and |
| you at all times in your car:1) spare tire - this may | | | | relatively flat spot. Put your car in park and put on the |
| sound mundane, but many people out their are driving | | | | emergency brake.Place reflectors or flares so as to |
| on their spare and take a big risk.2) jack and lug | | | | give adequate warning to other drivers. This spacing |
| wrench - many people never check to see if these | | | | will be different depending on whether you are in hilly |
| items are in their car. Its a fact that half of the used | | | | curves or on a straightaway.Place the jack under the |
| cars purchased in the U.S. do not have all the tools | | | | car on the jack mount area This is a area specially |
| necessary for a proper tire change. Also make sure | | | | designed for your jack and is covered in the owners |
| you have a lug wrench that fits your car. This may | | | | manual.Loosen all of the nuts and then crank the jack |
| sound stupid, but when I worked at a car dealership if | | | | until the tire is several inches off the ground. Remove |
| the car didn't have a lug wrench and the customer | | | | the nuts and wheel. Place the spare on and tighten |
| wanted one, they just took one out of any car and put | | | | each lug finger tight to make the whel flush.Lower the |
| it in (never looking to see if it would fit the lugs on the | | | | jack so the wheel can't turn and tighten all nuts with |
| car in question). If you have wheel covers you may | | | | the lug wrench. Then completely lower the jack and |
| need a large screwdriver to pop off the wheel cover | | | | remove. Drive to your nearest auto service station and |
| (some lug wrenches have this as one of their ends).3) | | | | have your flat replaced or repaired and reinstalled. This |
| lock adapter - many people get the chrome, alloy | | | | is essential as many spares are not full spares and |
| wheels and have a lug lock installed so they can't | | | | aren't as safe.David Maillie is an alumni of Cornell |
| easily be stolen. Just, never lose the lock adapter or | | | | University and specializes in automotive safety |
| you won't be able to change that tire without having | | | | products and information. He holds numerous patents |
| the car towed to a car dealership where they'll have | | | | and awards for his patented headlight cleaner and |
| to cut off and replace the lug spindle (a very costly | | | | restorer. |