What skill takes <5 minutes to learn that everyone should know how to do?

Here's a step-by-step for the newbs:

  • Remove the spare from your trunk. It may be screwed down with a big wingnut, so unscrew it.
  • Take out the jack and lug nut wrench. The wrench also works to spin the nut on the jack to raise and lower it.
  • Loosen the lug nuts; not super loose, just break them free.
  • Position the jack under the side of the car. Under the car on each side are two jacking points; one in front of the rear wheel, and one behind the front wheel (so, under the doors).
  • Spin the nut on the jack by hand until the jack comes up to press against whichever jacking point you're using. Absolutely don't use the jack again the metal body of the car, or any plastic trim areas.
  • Put the jack's long hook tool in the nut on the end of the jack, and use the wrench to spin it.
  • Once the tire is no longer touching the ground, take off all the nuts, put them in your pocket, and remove the wheel.
  • Put the spare on, replace the nuts, and tighten them somewhat tight with the wrench.
  • Lower the car with the jack, and finish tightening the nuts in an X (or star) pattern as tight as you can get them. Re-tighten in the X (or star) pattern 2-3 times to make sure they're all really tight.

More shit to remember:

  • Practice this at home. Get to know all the tools, how to use them, where they're kept in the car, and how to remove the spare.
  • Check the air pressure of the spare at least every 2-3 months. There's no point in changing a flat tire to a flat spare, so make sure it always has air in it. I max mine out at whatever the max inflation says on the side of the spare tire. It'll hold air longer, and if it's over-inflated when I put it on, I can always remove a little air.
  • Keep a rubber mallet (not a plastic mallet, nor a metal hammer) in your trunk. Many wheels seize in place after months/years of not being removed, and smacking the backside of the tire with a mallet will break it free from the hub (after you remove the lug nuts). It's better than having the car fall off the jack because you're pulling on it with all your might.
  • Don't fuck up your back removing tight lug nuts. If one won't budge, turn the tool over so you can stand on it, then put one foot on it and hop on it a little.
  • Don't jack your car up on a hill; slowly drive to a flat area before you begin working on it.
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