Change your car tyres yourself
Changing your tyres in your own yard saves money and time spent in seasonal queues. Safety comes from the right tools and tightening the nuts correctly.
You will need
- Jack (the car's own or a trolley jack)
- Cross wrench, or a socket and breaker bar
- Torque wrench
- Axle stands or the spare wheel as a safety measure
- Wheel chocks
- Work gloves
Steps
Check the condition of the tyres
Measure the tread depth. At least 4 mm is recommended for winter tyres and 3 mm for summer tyres, even though the legal limits are lower. Also check for cracks and the age of the tyres.
Park on level ground
Apply the handbrake and put the car in gear or in P. Place chocks behind the wheels on the opposite side.
Loosen the nuts on the ground
Loosen the wheel nuts about half a turn while the wheel is still on the ground. That way the wheel does not spin as you open them.
Lift the car at the right point
Check the jacking points in the car's owner's manual. Lift until the tyre is off the ground. Never go under the car when it is supported only by a jack.
Change the wheel
Undo the nuts, remove the wheel and lift the new one into place. Note the direction of rotation if there is an arrow on the tyre.
Tighten in a cross pattern
Tighten the nuts first by hand and then in a cross pattern so that the rim sits straight.
Lower the car and torque the nuts
Lower the car to the ground and tighten the nuts with a torque wrench to the manufacturer's value, which you will find in the owner's manual.
Check the pressures and re-tighten
Set the tyre pressures according to the owner's manual. Check the tightness of the nuts again after driving about 50–100 km.
Tips
- Mark the removed tyres with chalk, e.g. FL, FR, RL, RR, so you can rotate them next time.
- Store tyres in a cool, dark place, those on rims in a stack or on a rack.
- Winter tyres are compulsory in Finland from December to February; check the dates on Traficom's website.
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