How to Change a Flat Tire in Hagerstown, MD
When you’re driving around Hagerstown and encounter a small crater in the road, you do your best to avoid it. However, sometimes, you may not have enough time to dodge it. Rolling over these pesky potholes can often lead to a flat tire. Fortunately, this doesn’t have to be the end of your journey if you know how to change it. We go over the simple process below, but don’t be afraid to use our Ask a Tech form if you have any questions!
The Tools
Before you start driving to Pangborn Park, you’ll want to double-check you have all the necessary tools on board to change a flat tire. Without question, you’ll need an inflated spare tire to replace the damaged one. Along with this part, you’ll need to have a jack and lug wrench to complete the task. If your vehicle doesn’t have a tire pressure monitoring system, a tire gauge will be essential. Finally, the Owner’s Manual will be key to determining the correct placement of the jack. Optionally, you can also keep wheel wedges and a portable tire inflator somewhere in the vehicle, both of which can help with safety.
The Initial Steps
While our Service Department is capable of taking care of your vehicle’s flat tire, you can do so if you have all of the right tools on hand. Should that be the case, you’re ready to begin. If you haven’t already, pull over into a flat, well-lit area. Now is the time the wheel wedges should be put into place to steady the vehicle. Next, you can use your wrench to loosen the lug nuts a half turn. Find the place in your Owner’s Manual that provides the precise placement of the jack. You’ll want to use this device to raise the vehicle up a few inches until the tire is off the ground. It’s at this time that you should use the wrench to take off the lug nuts completely. Take the damaged tire off at this point as well.
The Last Stage
With your tire removed, you can go ahead and put on the spare, also commonly referred to as the donut. Carefully align and place this tire on the wheel. Use the wrench or even your hands to twist the lug nuts in a star pattern. Once you’ve done this, you can lower the car back onto the ground and finish tightening the lug nuts. Take a minute to look at the donut’s pressure with the tire gauge before you take off. If it’s not at the recommended levels, use the portable tire inflator to get it back up. You may be tempted to jump back on I-70, but it’s critical to refrain from traveling at speeds higher than 45 to 50 MPH. The spare tire is also not designed for long-term use, so you should replace it with an option suited for the long term as soon as possible. Head to our dealership, where you can shop new tires!
How Long Can You Drive on a Spare Tire?
- The recommend limit for driving on a spare tire is 50 miles, as a full-on replacement is needed for the sake durability and longevity.
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Testimonials
I will definitely be returning to Sheehy Volkswagen of Hagerstown for all of my future automotive needs.
We had a fantastic experience with Ashley and buying our new 2024 Atlas Cross Sport.
“ We had a fantastic experience with Ashley and buying our new 2024 Atlas Cross Sport. Ashley was extremely well prepared for our visit from the details I gave her before we came. She was very professional and knowledgeable. She was very detailed in her review and demonstration of the vehicles technology with my wife. She was so kind and patient and did an Excellent job start to finish in the process! We are very pleased and will recommend her to friends and family in the market. ”
My experience was good.
“ My experience was good. My car drove better than I expected. The young man, Brandon who helped me was kind, explained everything to me and had a wonderful personality. He made suggestions and made me feel comfortable. I was thankful for his good service. ”
We were thankful for the smooth process in shipping our car to a different state.
“ We were so thankful for the help of John Flowers and the Sheehy family in helping us select our dream car. John went above and beyond in ensuring he understood exactly what we needed in our car and we were constantly impressed with his prompt communication. We were thankful for the smooth process in shipping our car to a different state. ”
Ryan the Service Manager was great.
“ Ryan the Service Manager was great. He was professional, personable and was a seamless experience. I will be using this dealership for both of our VW's instead of Fitzgerald closer to my home because of their unwillingness to help. Worth the half hour drive. ”
“ I recently took my car to Sheehy Volkswagen of Hagerstown for a wheel alignment, and I was incredibly impressed with the service I received. Everyone I interacted with was friendly and professional, and they were able to get my car in and out quickly. My service advisor, Brandon, was especially helpful. He took the time to answered all of my questions and he kept me updated on the status of my car throughout the process. When my car was finished, Brandon took the time to go over the alignment results with me and explained what they meant. He also made sure that I was happy with the service before I left. Overall, I had a great experience at Sheehy Volkswagen of Hagerstown. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a reliable and trustworthy auto repair shop. Specifically, I would like to commend Brandon for his excellent customer service. He went above and beyond to make sure that I was satisfied with the service I received. I will definitely be returning to Sheehy Volkswagen of Hagerstown for all of my future automotive needs. ”