Tyre Change | 4 Steps To Remove A Hubcap Before A Tyre Change
Posted on: 11 February 2016
If you have never had to deal with a flat tyre ever before, then chances are you don't know how to go about it in the first place. While regular car servicing will take care of any tyre problems, everyone should have basic knowledge of changing a flat tyre because it could happen to you at the most inopportune time in the middle of a highway or late in the night. This guide is designed to help you first learn how to remove a hubcap before you change your car's tyres.
Keep Hubcap Removal Components Handy
When it comes to changing tyres, you will need to ensure that you keep certain hubcap removal components handy to use them when necessary. For this task, you will need a screwdriver and a lug nut wrench. Ideally, you should get your tyres checked every time you get car servicing to minimise the chance of a flat tyre.
Inspect The Hubcap To Check For The Lug Nuts And Loosen Them
You will now have to inspect your hubcap to check for lug nuts or bolts near the tyre centre. Once you have your lug nut wrench, remove the lug nuts by loosening them from the hubcap surface following the clockwise or anti-clockwise rotating direction. This will depend on how the lug nuts have been attached to your tyres.
Remove Lug Nuts From Hubcap Using Your Hand
Once they have sufficiently loosened off the hubcap, use your hands to remove them completely. If you don't want to dirty your hands, or if the lug nuts are full of grease, then put on a pair of gloves. Keep the lug nuts in a safe location or in a container because you will need to put them back on the hubcap after the tyre change.
Remove The Hubcap With The Screwdriver
Once the lug nuts have been removed from the hubcap, you can use the end of a screwdriver to pry it open from the tyre surface. Pry open the hubcap in different areas to make sure you remove it without damage. Some hubcaps come with small handles, which can simply be pulled away from the tyres. In this case, you can use your hands to remove the hubcap from the tyre surface. Once the hubcap is removed from the tyre, you can now proceed with changing it.
While these steps are important for you to follow before a tyre change, keep in mind that getting your tyres checked during car servicing will prevent the problem from occurring too often.
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