Vantai24h – Ngày 07/06/2015 - On an average day, there are more than 2 cargo trips from Hanoi to Hoa Binh by many kinds of trucks weighting from1.25 tons. Every journey has its own advantages and drawbacks, so drivers must equip themselves with skills to handle unexpected situations.

In the truck system weighting from1.25 to 27tons, trucks of 1.25 to 1.4 tons are preferably used for the route Hanoi to Hoa Binh due to the light weight, easy mobility to every corner of the province.

It is vital for drivers to check certain things on their vehicles before setting off on a long journey. However, risks always lurk around so drivers themselves must be equipped with suitable skills and knowledge to cope with menaces. In reality, drivers can take initiative to fix small problems such as flat tire to guarantee the punctuality and safety of the journey.

Do Quoc Truong, a veteran driver of Transport 24h gives advice on basic skills to his colleagues, especially the young ones. When the incident occurs, the first thing drivers should do is always have to remain calm, observe the way with the careful manipulation. When it is safe, stop the car slowly on the sidewalk. Do not stop on the middle of the road- that guarantee you will be rear-ended. Remember to turn off your driving lights and turn on your flashes so others know you are there but will not think you are driving on the road.

       

With a prepared set of tools, drivers can replace the tire with no difficulties. Please follow the steps:

1.     Find a flat, stable and safe place to change your tire. You need a solid, level surface that will restrict the car from rolling. If you are near a road, park as far from traffic as possible and turn on your emergency lights. Avoid soft ground and hills.
2.     Apply the parking brake. If you have a standard transmission, put your vehicle in first or reverse.
3.     Place a heavy objects such as rock, concrete, spare wheel in front of the front and back tires.
4.     Take out the spare tire and the jack. Place the jack under the frame near the tire that you are going to change. Ensure that the jack is in contact with the metal portion of your car’s frame. Many cars have molded plastic along the bottom. If you do not put the jack in the right spot, it will crack the plastic when you start lifting. If you’re not sure about the right place to put the jack, read your car’s manual. For most trucks that have a frame, look to place the jack on one of the beams of the frame just behind the front tire or in front of the rear tire.
5.     Raise the jack until it is supporting the car. The jack should be firmly in place against the underside of the vehicle. Check to make sure that the jack is perpendicular to the ground.
6.     Remove the hub cap and loosen the nuts by turning counterclockwise. Do not take them all the way off, just break the resistance. By keeping the wheel on the ground when you first loosen the nuts, you will make that you are turning the nuts instead of the wheel.

      

7.     Pump or crank the jack to lift the tire off the ground. You need to lift it high enough to remove the flat tire and replace it with a spare.
8.     Remove the nuts the rest of the way. Turn them counterclockwise until they are loose. Repeat with all lug nuts, then remove the nuts completely.
9.     Place the flat tire under the vehicle so in the event of a jack failure the vehicle will fall on the old wheel. The tire might be stuck due to rust. You could try hitting the inside half of the tire with a rubber mallet to loosen the tire, or use the spare tire to hit the outside half.
10.      Place the spare tire on the hub. Take care to align the rim of the spare tire with the wheel bolts, then put on the nuts. Tighten the nuts by hand until they are all snug.
11.      Lower the car without applying full weight on the tire. Tighten the nuts as much as possible. Then, lower the car to the ground fully and remove the jack. Finish tightening the nuts and replace the hutcap.
12.      Put the old car in your trunk and take it to the mechanic.

According to many old-timer drivers, the risk of flat tire usually happens, especially with long journeys of thousands of kilometers. However, if drivers learn skills to cope with it and practice themselves in advance, they can overcome it without professional helps. All drivers of Transport 24h, at the first days of their job, prepare themselves with necessary skills. All basic equipment such as spare tires is provided in cars; therefore, they can positively handle the risks to make sure as much safety as possible for the goods and vehicle on the journey.

 

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