Is the included tire jack good enough?

[fc321]

Do you think the included tire jack that comes with the Mirage is good enough for changing a flat tire on the side of the road? I own an expensive hydraulic jack but it is very heavy and would prefer to minimize the weight I am carrying around.

Has anyone changed a flat tyre already with the included jack? i also recommend all to do a mock run at home because the Mirage tire jack is not the most intuitive. In fact without instructions I think 75% of Americans would not even be able to figure out how to remove the jack from under the drivers seat. And then they would ask "Where is the handle of the jack?"

[Fummins]

Short answer: yes it's good enough. If you're expecting a trunk monkey to change it for you then you'll be sadly disappointed.

It's better than a can of fix a flat and a compressor than many cars come with instead of a spare. Try using that when you hit a pothole that bends the wheel so bad you lose all air.

Sadly I think you're right most people probably couldn't change a tire themselves. And....... as I type this one of our cars has a flat on the highway..... I guess I'll report back tomorrow if the driver is able to figure it out cause they're on their own, I'm going home in 20 mins.

[stevedmc]

I've used my floor jack in a parking lot with no problem. It's not rocket science. It's a floor jack.

But back to your question, if you have to ask, then the answer for you would be no. Call AAA.

[Fummins]

Short answer: yes it's good enough. If you're expecting a trunk monkey to change it for you then you'll be sadly disappointed.

It's better than a can of fix a flat and a compressor than many cars come with instead of a spare. Try using that when you hit a pothole that bends the wheel so bad you lose all air.

Sadly I think you're right most people probably couldn't change a tire themselves. And....... as I type this one of our cars has a flat on the highway..... I guess I'll report back tomorrow if the driver is able to figure it out cause they're on their own, I'm going home in 20 mins.

Well, the driver figured out how to change it quick enough. I don't think the airbag light recall was completed on this car yet since the airbag light is now on. The guy was driving at 60mph and hit something on the highway, the outer lip of the wheel looks like an octagon.

[Marklovski]

If you're worried about the jack just order a bottle jack and call it a day.

https://smile.amazon.com/Torin-Hydraulic-Bottle-Jack-Capacity/dp/B0002H3364/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=152711785 8&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=bottle+jack&psc=1

https://smile.amazon.com/TONDA-Hydraulic-Bottle-Jack-Silver/dp/B06Y66HGN2/ref=sr_1_14?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1527119254&sr =1-14&keywords=bottle+jack

edit: I just realized my rear strut bar is kind of in the way of the spare tire. lol

[Eggman]

Do you think the included tire jack that comes with the Mirage is good enough for changing a flat tire on the side of the road?

Sure it is. I used mine when I put on my snow tires back in December. My twelve-year old daughter helped. It's good to practice before you really need it. Also, the design isn't all that unusual these days. I think it's clever, compact, lightweight and sufficiently effective. Keep in mind it's not meant to be in regular heavy-duty use in a service garage.

Give it a whirl - you'll be alright.

[stevedmc]

My twelve-year old daughter helped.

And now she has a skill that many adults aren't capable of.

This thread reminds me of an episode on the Angry Grandpa Show where Pickleboy just stood around like an idiot crying about a flat tire.

Here is some more advice folks. Check the air pressure in your spare once in a while. That tire won't do you much good if it's flat when you need it.

[fc321]

And now she has a skill that many adults aren't capable of.

This thread reminds me of an episode on the Angry Grandpa Show where Pickleboy just stood around like an idiot crying about a flat tire.

Here is some more advice folks. Check the air pressure in your spare once in a while. That tire won't do you much good if it's flat when you need it.

Why do you keep mentioning AAA? I was asking about whether the jack is good enough to use on a flat tire and if I can leave my hydraulic jack at home.

It appears that you are trying to put me down and to be insulting? FYI: We did not all have a Father figure in our lives growing up to teach us skills that you apparently think that all men know. As far as tire pressure in the doughnut I carry a pump that plugs into the cigarette lighter so I would just pump it up to pressure when I need to use it (else the air will escape after a few days as you know).

@Marlovsky: I actually bought the cheapest bottle jack from Harbor Freight Tools for around $15 and it turned out that it was too tall to fit under the Mirage at the jack point. Very frustrating because it was less than an inch too tall. But Im glad I tried it out in the parking lot of Harbor Freight so I was able to return it for a refund right away.

[Mark]

Why do you keep mentioning AAA? I was asking about whether the jack is good enough to use on a flat tire and if I can leave my hydraulic jack at home.

If used properly, I can't imagine having any problems with the jack provided. The Mirage is not a heavy car. I've used similar style jacks on heavier vehicles without issues. Providing consumers with a faulty jack would seem like a lawsuit just waiting to happen.

Since I have a floor jack in my garage, I've used that to rotate tires. Thus, I haven't messed with the Mirage jack. Your question about the jack is valid, but I wouldn't be overly concerned. If someone has experienced a failure in the Mirage car jack department, we would all want to know!

These small car jacks work best on flat, cement surfaces. I surely wouldn't use one to crawl under a car. Then again that shouldn't be done with any type of jack. I wouldn't be overly concerned about using it to change a tire.

[Cobrajet]

The jack included with the Mirage works just fine. You won't see NASCAR pit crews using them, though.