2. Step 1 – Required Tools
Before you begin, you will want to be
sure to have everything ready to
perform the task considering both
efficiency and safety. Things you will
need:
Jack, Jack Stand, Impact Wrench,
Spare Tire, Spare Lug Nuts (4),
Permanent Marker, and Light Colored
Duct Tape (optional).
3. Step 2 – Preparation (Wheel)
Before the car needs it’s tire changed, you
will want to prepare for the worst.
Be sure to attach the proper socket required
for your vehicle to your impact wrench. On a
common race car, a 1 Inch socket is
needed.
Take your lug nuts reserved as spares and
string them together using something easily
breakable, for example hanging wire, wire
tie, or string. This ensures that nothing will go
missing in the heat of the moment.
4. Step 3 – Preparation (Jacking)
A standard race car already has a jacking
point marked out on the side of the car. If
your vehicle is not equipped with this, move
on to step 4.
Take your jack and move it under the car,
aligning it with the frame of the vehicle.
Stand at the approximate angle in which you
would be pumping the jack and visually pick
a point where you can no longer see the
jack under the car. If you have duct tape,
place it with the edge on this point. Take the
marker and identify where this point is.
This way you know approximately how far
you need to push the jack under the car and
don’t have to waste time making sure it will
make contact with the frame.
5. Step 4 – It’s time
This is the moment you have been waiting
for. The car is coming in to get a tire
changed. The first thing you need to do is
spot which tire has to come off the car.
With your jack in one hand, impact
wrench in the other, a jack stand at your
feet, and the spare lug nuts in your pocket,
you’re ready.
6. Step 5 - Jacking
Push the jack under the car at the spot indicated to ensure contact
with the frame of the car and quickly pump the jack to raise the tire up
in the air. Always consider its better to go too far than not far enough.
Once you have the car at the appropriate height, place a jack stand
under the frame to ensure your own safety when working on the tire
should the jack happen to fail.
7. Step 6 – Tire Removal
Gloves are highly recommended for this
step. Apply your impact wrench to
each of the lug nuts and allow them to
drop on the floor, be aware that they
are HOT. Pull the tire off, also
considering that every moving part in
that area is HOT.
8. Step 7 – Tire Replacement
Take your predetermined replacement tire, and visually align one of the
holes with the top stud. From here it is easy to align the other 3 (or 4
depending on your car). Take out the cold lug nuts from your pocket
and break apart the string or wire you had holding them together.
Apply each one to the stud on the car with just enough turns so that
they wont fall off.
9. Step 8 – Applying Lug Nuts
Take the impact wrench and pick a random lug
nut to apply it to. Pull the trigger and make sure
the lug nut seats with the wheel. Repeat for each
of the remaining lug nuts. The order of which you
tighten them is important for safety purposes. For
each of the following lug nuts, you want to go
opposite from the previous. View the picture on
how to do a four studded wheel.
Once all 4 have been tightened, for safety
reasons go over them again with the impact
wrench. Pull the trigger enough to be sure they
have all been adequately tightened. This is based
on your own feel, and serious consequences are
unlikely.
10. Step 10 – Move Along
While you are still on the
ground, remove the jack
stand from under the car. Be
sure to have removed any
part of your body from under
the car. In one swift motion,
stand up, turn the jack
handle counter-clockwise,
and while the car is being
dropped back onto the
ground, pull on the handle to
ensure the jack is no longer
under the car.
The driver of the car should
be aware that once the car
hits the ground, he or she is
free to go. But for added
efficiency, be sure to shout a
signal word such as “go”.
11. Step 11 - Satisfaction
You have successfully completed
a tire changing pit stop for a race
car. Feel free to make your way
back into view of the track with a
smile on your face knowing you
helped out your friend. Now sure,
this task can be easier done if
there were more people involved
in this operation. But you can be
just as quick, if not quicker, if all
the right steps have been taken
to ensure maximum efficiency.
