A roadside tire change means swapping the flat wheel on your vehicle for the spare it carries. KLN Towing Service provides tire change service for drivers in and around Lawrenceville, GA.
To set expectations honestly: we fit the spare your vehicle already carries. We are not a tire shop, so we do not repair punctures, sell tires or mount new ones. Once the spare is on, you can drive to a tire shop and have the flat dealt with properly.
When to call for a tire change
Changing a wheel at the roadside means kneeling beside your vehicle, often close to passing traffic, and working with a jack on ground that may not be level. There are good reasons to let someone else do it.
- You are stopped somewhere close to moving traffic
- You do not have the tools, or the jack and wrench that came with the vehicle are missing
- The lug nuts are seized and will not move
- It is dark, raining, or you are not able to do the work safely
- You would simply rather not do it yourself
What your vehicle needs to have
A roadside tire change only works if your vehicle is carrying what the job requires. It is worth checking before you call, because it changes what we bring.
- A spare wheel that holds air — a full-size spare or a temporary compact spare
- The jack and wrench, usually stored with the spare
- A wheel lock key, if your wheels have wheel locks
- Somewhere reasonably level and firm to place the jack
If you have no usable spare
Plenty of newer vehicles ship with a sealant kit and an inflator instead of a spare wheel, and plenty of spares have quietly gone flat in the trunk over the years.
If there is no spare, or the spare will not hold air, a tire change is not possible and the vehicle will need to be towed to a tire shop instead. KLN Towing Service also provides emergency towing and flatbed towing, so we can move to that on the same call.
About temporary spares
If your vehicle carries a compact temporary spare — the narrow one, often with a bright cover — it is designed to get you to a tire shop, not to be driven on indefinitely. Manufacturers usually set a reduced speed limit and a limited distance for these.
Check the sticker on the spare itself or your owner's manual for the specific limits on your vehicle, and get the proper tire dealt with promptly.
Staying safe while you wait
If you have a flat while driving, ease off the accelerator, keep a firm hold of the wheel and bring the vehicle to a controlled stop as far from moving traffic as you can manage. Turn on your hazard lights.
Do not attempt a wheel change on the traffic side of the vehicle, on a narrow shoulder, or anywhere you would be working with your back to passing cars. If that is your situation, stay buckled inside the vehicle and wait for help rather than getting out.