Changing a Flat

[RivkahChaya]

When I bought my car, I was told I could not change the tire myself, and therefore, my "spare" was a can of Fix-a-Flat. Aside from the facts that Fix-a-Flat is nasty, and doesn't work, I didn't see why I couldn't change my own tire. I've been doing it all my life, including being in a military motor pool, and changing tires on huge, military vehicles.

The saleswoman said I couldn't jack it up, it was too heavy.

So I said that I have a 1.5 ton hydraulic floor jack, and know how to place it safely under the undercarriage. I also Googled, and my car is heavier than similar-sized ICE cars by just a couple hundred pounds, coming in at less than 4,000, so a 1.5 ton jack should lift a quarter of it.

I'm capable of getting a wheel from a junkyard that will fit it, and putting a used tire on it, so I have a spare-- I have done this for most of the cars I've had, because they came with 50 miles/50mpg doughnuts, and I wanted a real spare in case I had a blow on the highway.

But maybe there is more I don't know-- I have a very good 1/2" extension with a cheater bar, for which I can buy any socket the car needs, if I don't already have one.

I know the brakes are very different from brakes I am familiar with, so maybe the whole wheel assembly is.

What else do I need to know? I hate the idea of having it towed for a blow-out.

Oh-- and while we are on it-- any reason I couldn't plug up a hole in a tire? That's my usual fix when I pick up a nail. The plugs are very cheap. I have one of those inflators that hooks up to the axillary outlet (what we called the "cigarette lighter" in the 20th century). I can plug and inflate a front tire without taking it off the car, usually.

 

[cornbinder89]

You were told wrong, there is nothing special about changing a tire on the Leaf. However the car doesn't come with a spare tire more for weight a space considerations.
There is a thread on this site where adapting a spare tire under the rear is discussed.
There is no reason you can't fit a spare if you have a way to carry it with you.
There are even the "notches" in the pinch-weld under the sill to indicate where to jack (like most cars in the last 40 years.
The cars come with a little compressor in the left rear panel inside the hatch (or at least my 2015 has it there).
I wonder about the "fix a flat" stuff provided by Nissan or the aftermarket, I suspect it will render the TPM unit in the wheel unusable, requiring a replacement and reprogramming ($$).
SO, what are the options?
Find a way to fit and carry a spare, get a jack for a similar weight car and a 4 way wrench to remove the wheel and change in the conventional way. For me, the car never travels far from home so I may keep a spare tire at home and have my wife come with it, or bring it to her as the case may be.
I learned to avoid plugging from the outside as it doesn't seal the inner liner on a tubeless tire to the casing, the way patching from the inside can. Mainly a issue on truck tires that get re-capped, you want the casing to last.

 

[RivkahChaya]

You were told wrong, there is nothing special about changing a tire on the Leaf. However the car doesn't come with a spare tire more for weight a space considerations.

Thanks!

 

[hradek]

When I bought my car, I was told I could not change the tire myself, and therefore, my "spare" was a can of Fix-a-Flat. Aside from the facts that Fix-a-Flat is nasty, and doesn't work, I didn't see why I couldn't change my own tire. I've been doing it all my life, including being in a military motor pool, and changing tires on huge, military vehicles.

The saleswoman said I couldn't jack it up, it was too heavy.

So I said that I have a 1.5 ton hydraulic floor jack, and know how to place it safely under the undercarriage. I also Googled, and my car is heavier than similar-sized ICE cars by just a couple hundred pounds, coming in at less than 4,000, so a 1.5 ton jack should lift a quarter of it.

I'm capable of getting a wheel from a junkyard that will fit it, and putting a used tire on it, so I have a spare-- I have done this for most of the cars I've had, because they came with 50 miles/50mpg doughnuts, and I wanted a real spare in case I had a blow on the highway.

But maybe there is more I don't know-- I have a very good 1/2" extension with a cheater bar, for which I can buy any socket the car needs, if I don't already have one.

I know the brakes are very different from brakes I am familiar with, so maybe the whole wheel assembly is.

What else do I need to know? I hate the idea of having it towed for a blow-out.

Oh-- and while we are on it-- any reason I couldn't plug up a hole in a tire? That's my usual fix when I pick up a nail. The plugs are very cheap. I have one of those inflators that hooks up to the axillary outlet (what we called the "cigarette lighter" in the 20th century). I can plug and inflate a front tire without taking it off the car, usually.

I wouldn't over think this. This worked fine on my 2015 Leaf. Give it a try and get back to us.https://www.ebay.com/itm/325908421456 gary

 

[hradek]

I wouldn't over think this. This worked fine on my 2015 Leaf. Give it a try and get back to us.https://www.ebay.com/itm/325908421456 gary

and be sure to use something to block it up before taking the tire off in case the sales person was right, eh

 

[pachai126]

I have had a Leaf for almost 8 years.

I visit my brother 50 miles away. Once I saw a tire getting low and saw a screw in it.
I headed to a flat repair shop nearby (fortunately it was not a National Holiday).
I did not make it. I ended up using the flat repair kit on the side of the road.
It didn't help enough to drive 50 miles, but I made it to the shop.
They put on a new tire and I went home

Since the whole flat-fill kit is one-time use, I needed to do something.

Then I asked Google and I bought this on eBay...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/253085746281
2012-2014 NISSAN ALTIMA SPARE TIRE WHEEL DONUT 135/90/16
$56.05Unit price $56.05


And then one time my daughter got a blowout, not far from home,
but I was working. She called a local volunteer team and
they were able to install that spare.
We still have it in the trunk along with a small floor jack and a folding 4-way lug wrench.

I did not try to hang it under the trunk - I just never had time.

 

[GerryAZ]

The compressor that is included with the Nissan flat repair kit is a good compressor that works well without using the bottle of sealant. I never use the sealant because it would make a mess of the tire and probably damage the TPMS sensor. It would also make a mess and require cleaning or replacement of the hose on the compressor. I carry a high-quality plug kit (has special insertion tool and mushroom-shaped plugs for permanent repair) and a cheap plug kit that has long string-like plugs with a tube of adhesive. I once used the string-like plugs to seal a sidewall cut long enough to get home (about 5 miles) so I could take the wheel off and go buy a new tire. I carry the same high-quality plug kit with the compressor from my 2015 LEAF on my motorcycle. I have successfully plugged tires using mushroom-shaped plugs numerous times.

If buying a spare wheel, it needs to have the correct offset and be large enough to accommodate the larger brake disks and calipers on the LEAF compared to other passenger cars. There is an old thread on this forum with suggestions for suitable wheels.

 

[RivkahChaya]

and be sure to use something to block it up before taking the tire off in case the sales person was right, eh

I've got jack stands and chock

 

[bruceha2000]

I too call BS on the sales person. The Leaf has no jack or spare. My Prius Prime has a jack but no spare. I just checked, the Prius is about 400 pounds lighter than the Leaf. The Nissan Armada weighs nearly 2,000 pounds more than the Leaf. The Leaf's weight isn't a reason the car "can't be jacked up", the Armada has a jack and a spare of some sort.

I've 'stolen' the spare from my wife's 2006 Prius which is going to the salvage yard tomorrow, frame rusted from 246K miles with Vermont winter salted roads. Were it not for the rusted frame the car would still be on the road. The tire rides behind the passenger seat or in the hatch if I need the seat.

I bought a plug kit on Amazon after taking cars to the local mechanic a mile from my house (who has since moved to MA) for tires that had been punctured. It is the same "cord plug" he used and we had several cars running on the plugged tires until they needed replacement for tread wear. I would definitely use that before I would use the "fix a flat" that came with the Leaf and a similar one for the Prius. The Prius version can't be used without the can of goo though I've read people have modified the pump so they can use it just to air up a tire.

 

[Eddie16]

When I bought my car, I was told I could not change the tire myself, and therefore, my "spare" was a can of Fix-a-Flat. Aside from the facts that Fix-a-Flat is nasty, and doesn't work, I didn't see why I couldn't change my own tire. I've been doing it all my life, including being in a military motor pool, and changing tires on huge, military vehicles.

The saleswoman said I couldn't jack it up, it was too heavy.

So I said that I have a 1.5 ton hydraulic floor jack, and know how to place it safely under the undercarriage. I also Googled, and my car is heavier than similar-sized ICE cars by just a couple hundred pounds, coming in at less than 4,000, so a 1.5 ton jack should lift a quarter of it.

I'm capable of getting a wheel from a junkyard that will fit it, and putting a used tire on it, so I have a spare-- I have done this for most of the cars I've had, because they came with 50 miles/50mpg doughnuts, and I wanted a real spare in case I had a blow on the highway.

But maybe there is more I don't know-- I have a very good 1/2" extension with a cheater bar, for which I can buy any socket the car needs, if I don't already have one.

I know the brakes are very different from brakes I am familiar with, so maybe the whole wheel assembly is.

What else do I need to know? I hate the idea of having it towed for a blow-out.

Oh-- and while we are on it-- any reason I couldn't plug up a hole in a tire? That's my usual fix when I pick up a nail. The plugs are very cheap. I have one of those inflators that hooks up to the axillary outlet (what we called the "cigarette lighter" in the 20th century). I can plug and inflate a front tire without taking it off the car, usually.

I also have a hydraulic jack, but I noticed that there are 2 notches in the sheet metal flange in front of the rear wheels, and behind the front wheels, on my 2016 Leaf. So I took the bumper jack out of wife's car, put it between the notches, and up it went. Easily. This car was made to have a bumper jack but Nissan was too cheap to actually supply one with the car.

I'll never use Fix-a-Flat. Dislike the stuff.

 

[LeftieBiker]

A screw type mechanical jack is what was intended to be used, but if a bumper type ratchet jack works well, that's fine. I associate bumper jacks with crappy old American cars, but they are at least fast.

 

[Deleted member 25281]

If you look in inside the left side trunk / boot panel you will see that the layout has been designed to securely hold a screw jack and tools (without rattling).

The jacking points are very clearly marked under the sill.

Personally I carry a full sized tyre with me at all times and I actually had to use it a couple of months back. Thanks TPMS sensors!

That salesperson who told you that Leafs are too heavy to lift with a jack needs to go back to school. My wife' Leaf is one of the lightest cars I have ever had to jack-up.

 

[TronJockey]

I wouldn't over think this. This worked fine on my 2015 Leaf. Give it a try and get back to us.https://www.ebay.com/itm/325908421456 gary

 

[TronJockey]

When I bought my car, I was told I could not change the tire myself, and therefore, my "spare" was a can of Fix-a-Flat. Aside from the facts that Fix-a-Flat is nasty, and doesn't work, I didn't see why I couldn't change my own tire. I've been doing it all my life, including being in a military motor pool, and changing tires on huge, military vehicles.

The saleswoman said I couldn't jack it up, it was too heavy.

So I said that I have a 1.5 ton hydraulic floor jack, and know how to place it safely under the undercarriage. I also Googled, and my car is heavier than similar-sized ICE cars by just a couple hundred pounds, coming in at less than 4,000, so a 1.5 ton jack should lift a quarter of it.

I'm capable of getting a wheel from a junkyard that will fit it, and putting a used tire on it, so I have a spare-- I have done this for most of the cars I've had, because they came with 50 miles/50mpg doughnuts, and I wanted a real spare in case I had a blow on the highway.

But maybe there is more I don't know-- I have a very good 1/2" extension with a cheater bar, for which I can buy any socket the car needs, if I don't already have one.

I know the brakes are very different from brakes I am familiar with, so maybe the whole wheel assembly is.

What else do I need to know? I hate the idea of having it towed for a blow-out.

Oh-- and while we are on it-- any reason I couldn't plug up a hole in a tire? That's my usual fix when I pick up a nail. The plugs are very cheap. I have one of those inflators that hooks up to the axillary outlet (what we called the "cigarette lighter" in the 20th century). I can plug and inflate a front tire without taking it off the car, usually.

Why would the "friction" brakes be any different on a Leaf? They're pretty much standard disk brakes on all four corners. They operate the exact same way as they do on a gasoline vehicle albeit much less frequently. I say less frequently because the Leaf uses its friction brakes far less. This is because braking in the Leaf depends largely upon regen (reconfiguring the electric motor to act as a generator when the brake pedal is pressed which acts to induce significant braking force - not unlike downshifting a manual transmission in a gasoline vehicle). But the disk brakes don't operate any differently when employed.
I too dislike driving without a spare tire so I went on eBay and purchased a used Nissan Leaf wheel and a proper tire then had the tire mounted and balanced. It sits in the back of my Leaf quite well. I also purchased a scissor jack (should be at least 2 ton), and a long-handled ratchet and socket all of which rests comfortably in the back as well. Haven't had to use it yet but it is comforting knowing it's there.

 

[AlanD]

I figured if I had a slow-enough leak I would just pump up the pressure using the 12V electric pump and drive either until I reached a repair shop or until the pressure fell too low and then I would pump it up again. I can monitor the pressure using LeafSpy as I drive along. I wouldn't take the screw or nail out of the tire since that would probably increase the leak rate.

 

[cornbinder89]

Has anybody come up with a donut spare that has been confirmed to fit? The 5 lug bolt pattern for recent Nissan's are all the same, but the offset and rim diameters change between model.
Also the donut rims sizes seam to be one smaller than the normal rim size (I.E a 18" Rouge will have a 17" donut) due to the low profile tires in use today, and the spare not being low profile.
Guessing a 16" donut on a Nissan rim will likely fit in place of a 17" rim on a Leaf, but offset will be the key. Anybody have one they tried?

 

[Yodrak]

Why would the "friction" brakes be any different on a Leaf? They're pretty much standard disk brakes on all four corners. They operate the exact same way as they do on a gasoline vehicle albeit much less frequently. ...

The friction brakes are larger than on an equivalent size ICE vehicle because the Leaf - any EV - is heavier than an equivalent size ICE vehicle. The larger size is therefore required for emergency stopping power, when you want to be able to stop quickly in the shortest possible distance. Regenerative braking is not sufficient for that.

 

[Yodrak]

Has anybody come up with a donut spare that has been confirmed to fit? The 5 lug bolt pattern for recent Nissan's are all the same, but the offset and rim diameters change between model.

See posts in this thread on December 25, 2023, by pachai126 and GerryAZ

​

 

[cornbinder89]

If buying a spare wheel, it needs to have the correct offset and be large enough to accommodate the larger brake disks and calipers on the LEAF compared to other passenger cars. There is an old thread on this forum with suggestions for suitable wheels.

See posts in this thread on December 25, 2023, by pachai126 and GerryAZ

​

One list an ebay listing for a jack and lug wrench, the other just says suitable offset. For the prices paid, I am looking into buying a full size used wheel from a Leaf to have a mounted full sized spare. Offset is critical to brake caliper clearance. One person said Altama 16" but then corrected to say 17" donut. 17" donuts are not common, 16" are but then we are back to the offset.
All in all it isn't clear what has been tried and proven to fit.
For a few bucks more, I can get a full sized replacement rim. I am not planning to carry it with me, as my Leaf doesn't venture far from home.

 

[Steelcity]

I bought a doughnut spare and jack lug nut wrench from a junkyard out of a older altima. I mounted it underneath the rear hatch .