Dickinson Towing · Dickinson, ND · Updated July 2026

How to Change a Flat Tire: A Dickinson, ND Driver's Guide

A flat tire never picks a good moment. It happens on the shoulder of I-94 outside Dickinson, in a parking lot off Villard Street, or on a gravel county road out past Gladstone with the wind coming straight across the plains. Knowing how to change a flat tire safely — and knowing when to stop and call for help instead — can save you an hour of frustration and keep you out of harm's way. This guide walks Dickinson, ND drivers through the whole process step by step, with the local details that actually matter in Stark County.

Dickinson Towing has pulled over for stranded drivers in every corner of this area, from the Enchanted Highway turnoff near Regent to the truck stops along US-85. We put this guide together so you can handle a routine flat with confidence, and so you know exactly who to call when the situation is anything but routine.

Before You Start: Find a Safe Spot to Change Your Tire

The single most important decision you make with a flat tire is where you change it. A tire is replaceable. You are not. If you feel the telltale thump-thump-thump of a flat while driving, ease off the gas, do not slam the brakes, and start looking for a flat, stable, and level place well away from moving traffic.

On I-94 through Dickinson, the shoulder is not a safe workshop. Traffic runs at 75 mph and semis create a wall of wind that can rock your car. If you can nurse the vehicle to Exits 59 through 64 and get onto a side street, a gas station lot, or a wide gravel pull-off, do it — a rim is far cheaper than getting hit. Once stopped, turn on your hazard lights immediately, set the parking brake, and if you carry a reflective triangle or flares, place them 10 to 15 feet behind the vehicle so approaching drivers see you early.

Watch the surface, too. North Dakota winters leave shoulders soft and icy well into spring, and a jack will sink into mud or punch through a snowbank. Never get under a vehicle supported only by a jack, especially on uneven ground. If the only spot available is the interstate shoulder or a soft ditch edge, that is your cue to call a professional rather than crawl under the car.

What You Need in Your Trunk

Changing a tire is only possible if you have the gear on hand. Before your next drive out to Belfield or Medora, take two minutes to confirm your vehicle actually has these items and that they work:

• Spare tire — check that it holds air. A spare that has been sitting flat for three years is useless when you need it.
• Jack — the scissor or bottle jack that came with your vehicle, usually stored under the trunk floor or behind a panel.
• Lug wrench — the tire iron that fits your wheel's lug nuts.
• Vehicle owner's manual — it shows the exact jack points, which vary by model.
• Gloves, a flashlight, and a small board — the board gives the jack a solid base on soft North Dakota ground. A headlamp is worth its weight during a dark winter breakdown.

Many newer vehicles ship with a tire inflator kit instead of a spare to save weight. If that is what you have, it can seal a small puncture but will do nothing for a blowout or a sidewall gash. Know which one is in your trunk before you are counting on it.

How to Change a Flat Tire Step by Step

Once you are parked somewhere safe and level with the hazards on, here is the process most drivers can complete in 20 to 30 minutes:

1. Loosen the lug nuts first. While the tire is still on the ground, use the lug wrench to break each lug nut loose by turning counterclockwise. Do not remove them yet — just crack them. Doing this before lifting keeps the wheel from spinning.
2. Position the jack. Place the jack under the reinforced metal frame point nearest the flat tire, as shown in your manual. Never put the jack under plastic trim or the floor pan.
3. Raise the vehicle. Lift until the flat tire is about six inches off the ground — enough clearance to swap in the fully inflated spare.
4. Remove the lug nuts and the flat. Take the loosened nuts the rest of the way off, keep them in your pocket or a cup so they don't roll into the ditch, and pull the flat tire straight toward you.
5. Mount the spare. Line up the holes and push the spare onto the bolts. Thread the lug nuts back on by hand so they don't cross-thread.
6. Snug, lower, and torque. Tighten the nuts in a star pattern by hand, lower the vehicle until the tire touches, then fully tighten in that same crisscross pattern. This seats the wheel evenly.
7. Stow everything and check pressure. Put the flat, jack, and wrench back in the trunk and check the spare's pressure at the first station you reach — Dickinson has several along the I-94 business route.

A quick note on winter: cold steel lug nuts that were torqued on by an impact wrench at a shop can be brutally stubborn in January. If a nut will not budge with reasonable force, stop before you strip it or hurt yourself. That is a good moment to bring in a truck with the right tools rather than fight it on the roadside.

Driving on the Spare Around Dickinson and Stark County

Not all spares are created equal. A full-size matching spare can be driven normally until you get the flat repaired. A compact "donut" spare, which is what most cars carry, is a temporary fix — rated for roughly 50 miles and speeds under 50 mph. That is generally enough to cover the distance from a rural stretch of ND-22 back into Dickinson, but it is not built for a highway run to Bismarck or a loaded trip out to the ranch.

Donuts also have less traction and change how your vehicle handles, which matters on gravel and in wet or icy conditions common across Stark County. Drive gently, avoid the interstate if you can, and get the original tire repaired or replaced quickly. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers helpful guidance on tire safety and maintenance that is worth a read before your next long drive.

If you would rather skip the roadside wrestling match entirely — or your vehicle has no usable spare — our team can bring your spare, swap the tire, or flatbed the vehicle to a shop. You can learn more on our flat tire change and roadside service page, staffed around the clock across the Dickinson area.

When to Call a Professional Instead

Knowing how to change a tire is valuable. Knowing when not to is just as important. Call for professional roadside help instead of doing it yourself when:

• You are stopped on the shoulder of I-94, US-85, or any high-speed stretch with no safe place to work.
• The ground is icy, muddy, sloped, or a snowbank — anywhere a jack could slip.
• You have more than one flat, a shredded sidewall, or no spare at all.
• The lug nuts are seized, a lock key is missing, or you can't safely apply enough force.
• It is dark, bitterly cold, or you are simply not comfortable getting under the vehicle.

Our licensed and insured, DOT compliant drivers handle flat-tire changes, wheel-lift and flatbed towing, winch-out recovery for vehicles that slid off a Stark County road, lockouts, and fuel delivery. Whatever the situation, one call gets a real local truck rolling toward you — not a call center three states away.