A Guide for Dummies: How to Change a Tyre on the Side of the Road in New Zealand

If you're reading this because you've got a flat tyre right now, take a deep breath. Changing a tyre isn't difficult, but doing it safely is what matters.

I've changed tyres in driveways, carparks, and unfortunately a few times on the side of New Zealand roads. The process is actually quite simple once you understand the order of operations.

First Things First: Don't Become a Roadside Statistic

The most dangerous part of changing a tyre isn't lifting the car. It's standing beside it.

The moment you realise you have a flat tyre:

• Turn your hazard lights on.
• Slow down gradually.
• Find a safe place to stop.
• Get as far away from traffic as possible.

If I'm on a motorway or busy state highway, I'll often continue driving slowly to the next off-ramp, service station, or side road rather than stopping immediately on a narrow shoulder. I'd rather replace a damaged tyre than have trucks flying past me a metre away.

 

Quick Checklist

Before lifting the vehicle:

Hazards on

Safe location

Handbrake applied

Vehicle in Park or first gear

Wheel chocks in place

Wheel nuts loosened

Before driving away:

Spare tyre fitted

Wheel nuts tightened

Jack removed

Tools packed away

Flat tyre secured

 

Step 1: Secure the Vehicle

Put the vehicle in:

• Park if it's an automatic.
• First gear if it's a manual.

I always leave manual vehicles in first gear because it adds another layer of protection against the car rolling. Unlike an automatic, a manual doesn't have a Park setting, so leaving it in gear helps the engine resist movement if the handbrake isn't holding perfectly.

This is especially important in New Zealand. We have plenty of steep driveways, hilly suburbs, winding backroads, and rural roads that aren't exactly flat. Even if you've done your best to find a safe place to stop, there's a good chance you'll still end up changing a tyre on a slight slope. The last thing you want is a vehicle starting to roll while it's halfway up on a jack.

Apply the handbrake firmly.

If you've got wheel chocks, use them. If not, a decent-sized rock behind one of the wheels works surprisingly well.

Quick tip: If you're parked facing downhill, place the chock behind a rear wheel. If you're facing uphill, place it behind a front wheel. The goal is to stop the vehicle from rolling in whichever direction gravity wants to take it.

The goal is simple: make sure the vehicle cannot move while you're changing the tyre. When it comes to lifting a vehicle off the ground, I'd much rather have three layers of protection (gear, handbrake and wheel chocks) than rely on just one.

 

Step 2: Grab Your Tools

You'll need:

• Spare tyre
• Jack
• Wheel brace (lug wrench)
• Lock nut key (if fitted)

One thing I've learned is that manufacturers love hiding these things in different places. Some are under the boot floor, some sit behind trim panels, and some SUVs store them underneath the vehicle entirely.

The best time to learn where everything is isn't when you're stuck on the side of SH1 in the rain. Spend five minutes one weekend locating everything and making sure it's actually there.

Quick tip: If you've recently bought a used car, physically check that the spare tyre, jack, wheel brace and locking wheel nut key are included. You'd be amazed how many aren't.

 

Step 3: Loosen the Wheel Nuts First

This is the biggest mistake people make.

Do not jack the vehicle up yet.

Before lifting anything, crack the wheel nuts loose while the tyre is still touching the ground.

After changing more tyres than I'd like to admit, I've found this makes life significantly easier. Once the wheel is off the ground it wants to rotate, making stubborn wheel nuts much harder to remove.

Only loosen them about a quarter turn.

Don't remove them completely yet.

Quick tip: If they're ridiculously tight, carefully use your body weight on the wheel brace. Many tyre shops still over-tighten wheel nuts with impact guns.

 

Step 4: Position the Jack

Locate the correct jacking point in your owner's manual.

Place the jack underneath and slowly raise the vehicle until the flat tyre is just clear of the ground.

If you're parked on gravel or soft ground, I like putting a flat piece of wood underneath the jack to stop it sinking.

Important: Never put any part of your body underneath a vehicle that is supported only by a jack.

 

Step 5: Remove the Flat Tyre

Now remove the wheel nuts completely.

Place them somewhere safe where they can't roll away.

Pull the wheel straight towards you and remove it.

Quick tip: If the wheel has seized itself onto the hub, give the tyre a solid kick with the sole of your shoe. Years of New Zealand weather can make them stick surprisingly well.

 

Step 6: Install the Spare

Lift the spare tyre onto the wheel studs and slide it into place.

Thread all wheel nuts on by hand.

I always tighten them in a star pattern rather than going around the wheel in a circle. This helps centre the wheel properly and ensures even pressure.

At this stage I only snug them up enough to hold the wheel in place.

 

Step 7: Lower the Vehicle

Carefully lower the vehicle until the tyre touches the ground.

Remove the jack.

Now do the final tightening of the wheel nuts.

One thing I've learned over the years is not to fully tighten wheel nuts while the vehicle is still sitting on the jack. I'll snug them up first, lower the vehicle, then do the final tightening once the weight of the vehicle is back on the wheel.

 

Step 8: Pack Everything Away

Put away:

• Flat tyre
• Jack
• Wheel brace
• Locking wheel nut key

I always do a final walk-around before driving off. I've seen people (myself included) leave behind wheel braces, wheel nuts and even entire jacks.

 

What If You Don't Have a Spare Tyre?

This is becoming increasingly common.

Many modern vehicles, especially hybrids and EVs, come with:

• Tyre repair foam
• Inflator kit
• Compressor

instead of a spare wheel.

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of relying solely on repair kits. They're great for small punctures but useless if you've destroyed a sidewall or hit a pothole hard enough to damage the tyre.

 

Why You Should Own a Spare Wheel

If your car didn't come with a spare, I strongly recommend getting one.

For safety reasons, I'd buy a new spare wheel assembly rather than hunting through Facebook Marketplace for the cheapest used one.

The reality is that spare tyres are already inexpensive compared to the inconvenience of being stranded.

Typical NZ pricing:

• New space saver spare: roughly $165 to $300+ depending on vehicle
• Used space saver spare: often $50 to $150 on Trade Me
• OEM-specific space savers: often $180 to $375+

Where I'd Buy One

In New Zealand I'd start with:

• Local wreckers (to identify the correct fitment)
• Bunnings, Mitre10, SuperCheapAuto
• Trade Me
• Dealership parts departments
• Specialist wheel suppliers

If the price difference between a used and new spare is only $50 to $100, I'd personally buy new every time. A spare tyre is emergency equipment. It's not something I want to discover is cracked or perished when I actually need it.

If Your Car Didn't Come With a Jack

This also happens more often than you'd think.

Fortunately, basic scissor jacks are very affordable.

Typical NZ pricing:

• Supercheap Auto 1200kg Scissor Jack: about $82
• Repco Mechpro 1200kg Scissor Jack: about $67
• Trade Me generic scissor jacks: around $30 to $60

Personally, I wouldn't cheap out here either. A quality jack from Repco or Supercheap is hardly expensive and it's literally supporting a vehicle above the ground.

Driving on a Space Saver Tyre

A space saver tyre is designed to get you home or to a tyre shop.

Most manufacturers recommend:

• Maximum speed: 80 km/h
• Short-distance use only

If I fit a space saver, I'm heading straight to have the damaged tyre repaired or replaced.

My Recommended Emergency Kit (Budget-friendly edition)

Every vehicle I own has:

• Spare tyre
• Jack
• Wheel brace
• LED torch (although a phone strapped to a metal water bottle can double as a hands-free flashlight. Just bite the tethered cap strap and point the light wherever you look)
• Reflective warning triangle (place them about 45 metres or roughly 60 paces behind your car on the same side of the road)
• Small piece of plywood for the jack (my personal preference and usually only for long road trips)

They take up almost no space and has saved me multiple headaches over the years.

Total costs:

1. Budget setup (mostly second-hand): $75-$240

2. Everything brand new: $230-$610+

 

Always Remember

Most tyre changes are straightforward. The biggest mistake people make isn't mechanical, it's rushing. Take your time, stay visible, work safely, and don't be afraid to call roadside assistance if the location feels dangerous.

A tyre can be replaced.

You can't.