Country living at it’s finest MUST include quiet, winding back roads. The only downside is: help isn’t always a phone call away!
Today was an adventure
As we were driving into town this morning, I noticed the road-noise change. (Praise God for hearing aids.) The shoulder on the road I was on was quite narrow, so I turned onto the next side road and pulled over. (Praise God it had a wide, flat shoulder.)
I turned on my hazard lights, got out, and looked around at the van…and immediately noticed the problem: the front driver’s side tire was flat. I sent a quick text to Ryan, but I didn’t have enough of a signal for it to go through.
Knowing I was “on my own,” I got to work: I attempted to pump the tire up with my portable compressor, but I didn’t seem to be filling well, and I had no confidence that it would hold air well enough to get anywhere. SO I followed these instructions.
Five Simple Steps
1) Find your spare and tire kit. (Actually, do this tonight if you can’t say where it is right now. And while you’re at it, check to make sure your spare isn’t flat. HA.)
2) With the parking brake on, loosen (do not remove) the lug nuts with the lug wrench before raising the car with the jack.
3) Place the jack behind the tire (or in front if changing a back tire), ensuring that the top part makes contact with the frame and not the body panels as you raise it. Continue to raise the jack until the tire is lifted off the ground.
4) Once the tire is off the ground, finish loosening and remove the lug nuts. Gently pull the tire off the car and place the spare on the car (it may take a bit of rotating to line the holes up with the bolts). Put the lug nuts back on the bolts and finger tighten.
5) Carefully lower the jack. Once the spare is on the ground, use the lug wrench to finish tightening the nuts (pull up and squat).
The Rest of the Story
This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”
I hope you never find yourself in a similar situation, but if you do, I pray these instructions will come to your mind.