The danger of a flat tire in Alaska
What you will need to fix your flat
How you can change your flat tire
The danger of a flat tire in Alaska
Alaska is, by far, the biggest state in the US. There are many areas of vast wilderness and lonely highways. The population can be dense in city areas such as Anchorage or Fairbanks but it is quite sparse in most areas throughout the rest of the state.
That is exactly why getting stranded out on the highway because of a flat can turn out to be an incredibly dangerous situation in Alaska. Not only will help likely be quite far away, but you also might be in an area will cell service is extremely poor or non-existent. This obviously means that you might not be able to call for help either.
Areas like this are much higher in frequency in Alaska than anywhere else. This is why it is so dangerous to get stranded here without knowing how or being able to fix your own flat tire.
What you will need to change your flat
In order to change your flat tire, you will need a spare tire or at least a reliable donut. You will also need a few tools in order to be able to make the change. This includes a lug wrench, wheel wedges and a jack. This might also include alignment studs as well as a wheel lock depending on the type of car that you have.
This means you will also need your car’s owner manual. This will let you know what you specifically need to do in order to successfully change your tire as each type of car will vary in what you will need to do. Finally, you will also need a few miscellaneous items such as a flashlight, a small piece of wood, a rain coat or poncho and gloves.
How you can fix your flat tire
You will also need to know what you are doing before you ever even attempt to change one or more of your tires. As we mentioned before, the process will be slightly different for different cars. However, the general process will remain the same.
When you get a flat tire in Alaska it is “safety first” as always, so be sure that you find an area off the road that will be safe to change the tire. You should also turn on and keep your hazard lights on. With that in mind you should also turn your car off because changing a tire can take a while especially at night and/or in poor weather conditions. Leaving your car on for too long can result in your battery dying or your car running out of gas.
Next, you should apply the parking brake and put the wheel wedges under the other tires of the car to make sure that it does not start rolling as you are fixing the one tire. After that you can remove the hubcap.
After that you should loosen up the lug nuts and then you should place the jack under the car. You can then raise the vehicle using the jack. Once you have done that, you should remove the lug nuts completely and remove the flat tire.
After that is done you can put the spare tire or donut on the lug bolts. Then you need to put the lug nuts back on and tighten them completely. You then can lower the car by using the jack again. Once that is completed, check the lug nuts to ensure they are completely tightened. Finally, put the hubcap back on and you can be on your way.
Remember, if you have never changed a tire before and you have no one else with you, call for help instead. Do not attempt to learn on the fly in an emergency situation. This can result in your tire coming off while you are driving which can be extremely dangerous for you and your passengers.
