Sunday, April 09, 2023

Gotta Know How To Change a Flat Tire - April 4, 2023

On April 3rd, just before we got on the freeway with my yellow car Sunshine, we noticed the right front tire was flat. So I drove slowly back home, ripping it up as I went. 

I feel it's important to know how to change flats, so instead of calling AAA, or any of that nonsense, I was determined to put on the little donut tire myself. So, that evening, I read the relevant section of the Owner's Manual. 

Changing the tire was something else. There was some kind of lubrication fail on the jack. I was exerting so much force on the bar used to rotate the jack's screw that I bent the bar. It took me an hour and a half to change the tire, but the donut tire was flat too. I drove to the gas station to put some air in it, but the valve stem was non-functional, and the tire wouldn't hold air. 

Now under the gun - the hour was late - I finally called AAA. The tow truck driver hastily took Sunshine over to Big-O tires, with just half an hour to spare before closing time. Still, they were able to get a replacement tire for me (plus I bought another tire - good to buy them in pairs, you know), as well as fix the valve stem on the donut tire, all before closing time. 

Yes, self-reliance. That's the ticket.

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