Do you know how to change a tire?

Yes, because its one of the most basic things you can do as a driver.

But Im also a 17- year USAF aircraft mechanic.

Hell, I find changing some wiper blades to be more complicated lol. OE ones can be a real bitch.

So you can change tires on weird planes

The mechanics of it are rather simple. Of more importance is knowing where and how to properly seat the car jack. Also, if the default kit of the car has a small, handheld wrench for the lug nuts you might want to purchase a larger crossbar model; shows it being about $15 on average.

I do and I learned by following along to a YouTube video when I was on the side of the highway with a flat

I have changed plenty of tires but now I drive a big ass truck and not sure exactly how to even get the spare out from under the bed.

I need to read the manual.

Everyone born before 1970 has left the chat.

I've never done it but I know how to do it. The only part I find difficult is jacking the car up because I'm nervous about choosing the wrong spot. But in a pinch I'd be fine. Loosen the bolts first, jack it up, it only comes off and goes on one way, then reverse. No?

This was written by AI.

with the only potential source of confusion being related to the jack. You should really put it in the right place.

Yeah. Swapping the whole wheel out is pretty self-explanatory, with the only potential source of confusion being related to the jack. You should really put it in the right place.

Now putting a different tire on the same wheel (or a different inner tube), I can also do, but I would honestly rather pay someone. It's considerably more irritating. I did one for a bicycle on Xmas Eve, and my inner Yosemite Sam came out.

I would also stress the importance of loosening the lug nuts before one jacks it up.

A little overkill, but it's good that you at least learned how to do it. I once pulled over to help these two college aged kids change their tire. The driver was on with AAA, and his friend was trying to jack the car up. Little did he realize, he didn't place the jack under the place properly and was fucking up the outer frame covering and not getting the car off the ground at all. He wanted to argue with me about it until I got my jack, placed it in the proper spot, and he saw it actually come off the ground.

Point is, these damned kids need to be learned.

I guess I've never tried to loosen the lug nuts with it off the ground. Is this just because the tire spins?

No, it's because you don't want to be bouncing on a tire iron with your full weight/strength while your car is balanced on the smallest and cheapest jack that the manufacturer is legally allowed to provide.

My dad tried to teach me these things

But his idea of teaching was to put me in front of it, then scream his head off and end up doing it himself while I watched

then scream his head off at me for crowding him and end up doing it himself while I was way far away digging in the dirt or whatever

then scream his head off at me for not knowing how to do it

*shrugs*

He had a pretty stressful life.

Hey my dad has a similar style of teaching too. I think a result of his 20+ years in the Marines.

My dad tried to teach me these things

But his idea of teaching was to put me in front of it, then scream his head off and end up doing it himself while I watched

then scream his head off at me for crowding him and end up doing it himself while I was way far away digging in the dirt or whatever

then scream his head off at me for not knowing how to do it

*shrugs*

He had a pretty stressful life.

No, it's because you don't want to be bouncing on a tire iron with your full weight/strength while your car is balanced on the smallest and cheapest jack that the manufacturer is legally allowed to provide.