MUST HAVE FLAT TIRE TOOLS NEAR MINNEAPOLIS – SAINT PAUL METRO IN WINTER
When your tire goes flat or blows out on the side of the road, you are stuck until help arrives. If you happen to pop a tire when it’s -20 outside you could be in a lot of trouble. Your insurance company might have a backlog of drivers seeking help. Although bending or cracking a rim is advised against you may need to pull off the road to safety during winter storms. Damaging a rim is the least of your worries when your about to be rear ended by a vehicle on the highway.
Once your in a safe spot and have the right tools – you may be able to kick the rim off the hub, replace it with your spare and drive to a tire repair shop or home. If you can’t do this, you’re stuck until help arrives or until your insurance company finds a company that is available to come help. Our winters might even cause you to pay unreasonable fees for roadside service.
Tools every vehicle should carry for roadside emergencies:
5-10 LB Rubber Hammer – To pound the stuck frozen rim off the hub so you can replace the tire quicker. Using the spare tire itself as a bettering ram is no fun, and dangerous with the standard scissor jack equipped in most vehicles.
1 Foot Long Flat Head Screwdriver – If your driving a GMC, Chevy, or Ford this will help you release the stuck safety latch holding your rusted spare tire in place under the vehicle. There’s some good YouTube videos that show you how it’s done…
Wine Bottle Opener – Lug caps can easily be popped out with one of these handy tools, like in Volkswagen or Audi. If all else fails make sure to stow away a nice merlot to feel warm while you wait several hours for help from your roadside assistance to arrive.
Spare Tire – Since 30% of new vehicles don’t have one you might want to get prepared for it now. Junk yards or used auto parts stores sell them for as low as $10 and having to get a tow because you don’t have a tire is going to cost you 2-3x in winter. If that’s not bad enough there is no tire delivery service in the middle of the night, so if your away from home you might be sleeping in your car until the tire shop opens.
Thick / Waterproof Gloves & Boots – Using a tire iron in -10 is painful and getting snow in your shoes when you have to walk out to get the tire replaced is no fun either.
Small 1-2 Ton Jack – These cost like $40 at harbor freight and are so much easier to use than the unstable scissor jack. It’s going to save you time and make a tire change a lot safer when there’s ice and snow under the wheels.
Jump Pack and Flashlight or Combo – We use the Noco GB150, it’s the absolute best car starter. You get a device that can be recharged with a cigarette lighter plug while driving, ultra bright led flasher and light, plus USB ports to charge electronics.
Last but not least – 12 volt tire inflator or worse case a large fix a flat bottle to use when your spare is low on air.