REMEMBER BEFORE YOU LIFT
Make sure your jack fits underneath the axle when the tyre is flat. Also make sure it can lift the axle high enough to fit an inflated spare tyre onto the wheel hub. Always pull the handbrake up and put the vehicle in gear before going to work. You can also put large stones in front of the three wheels that remain on the ground. It’s best to make 100% sure your vehicle won’t roll off the jack. If you use a high-lift jack to change a tyre (but you really shouldn’t), you need to hoist up your vehicle, put tripod stands underneath the axle, and lower the high-lift until your vehicle rests on the stands. Change the tyre before lifting your vehicle one last time, removing the stands and lowering the car onto its wheels. Never keep your vehicle hanging on a high-lift while you wrestle a tyre. You will probably also have to replace the jack that came with your vehicle. Car manufacturers spend the absolute minimum on these kinds of equipment, and although the original jack might have been good enough to lift your new vehicle in the past, changes such as larger diameter wheels, taller shock absorbers, and longer coil springs could result in the original jack no longer being able to lift your modified vehicle. South Africans also tend to overload their vehicles, and an entry-level jack will probably snap if you try to lift a Land Rover packed for a transcontinental trip. Remember to push the spare wheel down flat underneath your vehicle while you use the jack and remove the damaged wheel. Then place the damaged wheel underneath the vehicle when you install the spare wheel and lower your vehicle. If your vehicle falls off the jack, it will at least land on a wheel and not flat on its belly.