If you are anything like us, you can’t possibly imagine driving for even fifteen minutes without some music playing or audiobooks running. Just doesn’t work, right? And when it comes to listening to music in the car, why on earth would anyone want to have the music come out more like a set of sounds and less like music? You know what we mean here.

It is not (at all) rare that people ignore their car’s sound system being opposite to best, even when they know all it might take to improve the sound quality would be either some setting changes or some part replacement. Most of it wouldn’t really tax your brain.
Now that you are reading this, we assume you do want to make some changes in your car’s stereo system. So here you go with some tips you can try on your stereo and sound system to enhance your driving experience.

Stereo settings
Getting the control set to the right range can have some definite impact on the overall audio quality, for good. Even if you have all the equipment right, you might not get the desired music quality unless you have tuned the sound controls. If you are willing to tweak and test each control yourself- which is the best way to reach the ideal setting- or if your stereo has pre-set tuning option, you can skip this section and focus on other tips for improving the car’s sound system.

Most car owners don’t bother much with tuning these settings right. Moreover, it would involve some extra bit of experimenting and listening, in general, to set the control to the best combination according to you. It would depend on whether you are a solo driver or the type of music you listen etc. For example, if you are more into listening to hip-hop or energetic music, you might want to set bass a little high.

Thankfully for us lazy beings, stereos now-a-day come with different pre-set tuning combinations from which you can choose according to the music you are listening.

So, we won’t write a book on stereo/equalizer adjustments; for those who want to know the best tweaks to start within the sound settings, here is the generally-found-best setting you can try out, hoping for the best sound effects: set the bass and Treble slightly high from the flat, vocals slightly lower than what you have set for bass.

Note that you don’t want to set the treble and bass too high, especially when you are listening to the radio or slow music.

Some other tips to get the best sound in your car’s audio system

Generally, the problems in a car’s sound system might be far from the sound settings. There can be several other factors obstructing a good sound output, which is why, no matter what range you set treble, midrange and bass to, it seems impossible having the desired sound effect.

So, here are some other tips that might just work to improve the sound system and audio effect.

Check (or change) your car’s speakers

Many a time, this simple step might be the all that it takes to enhance the whole sound quality. There are standard speakers and there are advanced ones that come with different components to produce sounds of their own. The factory speakers that came along with your car might not really be the best that you can have. Trust us when we say speakers would be among the last things that an average car-maker would be bothered of. Also, do note that not all the speaker with ‘durable’ make-materials offer great sound. Do your tests, grab a better speaker.

Get an amplifier

Amplifiers are devices that boost the power-or electric signals- directed towards the speakers, thus making the sound louder. If you can invest some extra bucks, this is yet another simple thing to do. Even the best speaker’s performance can get better and you’ll know the difference once you add an amplifier. The answer to the ‘why’ is simple enough- with a separate amplifier, the speakers will be having a clean stream of power to enhance their output. The amplifier that comes with a car stereo use to be quite small to power any high-fidelity sound system. So if you are looking to improve your car’s sound system, strongly consider getting an amplifier.

Fit a Sound Deadening material

More often than not, the vibrations from the speakers, can act as a pretty good sound quality-ruiner (we can call it that, right?) Add to this the road noise. Noticed how the sounds get somewhat of poor quality soon as you start hitting the highway speeds? Sound deadening materials is the solution here, for much of these disturbances. These are attached to the car’s door panel to provide a stable platform for the speakers. Dynamat, and other sound-deadening materials like it for that matter, simply absorb these vibrations and thus enhance the overall audio experience.

These sound deadening products can be helpful acting somewhat as a noise-insulator in cars with poor noise-insulation. Moreover, given that you can listen to more detailed music at even lower volumes, things will get somewhat easier for amplifiers.

Replace your old stereo

Yeah, if you see nothing giving the desired sound effect- backed by the fact that your car’s stereo is pretty old- them maybe it’s time that you change your car’s stereo. With a good stereo upgrade, you’ll be getting additional features and updated functionalities, a good equalizer and even better radio station signals.

If you have decided to replace your old struggling stereo with a good new one, don’t forget to check out our list of best android head unit or out tips on getting a head unit!
That’ll all for the sound system improvising tips, folks. You can now head to your car and start experimenting for yourself. We hope these tips do help you in getting the desired sound quality and feel throughout your drive-time!

A car without a good stereo? Nuh-huh. A good stereo can mean all the difference between a good long road trip and a near drift-to-sleep experience.

There’s just an overwhelming variety of head units available out in the market. No wonder it can be difficult to choose the right one.

Well, let’s help you out here to filter down your list. In this article, you can find out some tips to find the best head units. Also, we have recommended some of our favorite Android head units.

What Head Unit Should I Get?

Tips for buying the right stereo

Here are some quick tips and the factors to consider before you are out shopping stereo.

Expandability and connectivity
Of course, it is an important feature to look for in the head unit you’re considering to buy. The stereo must support connection to external devices, especially smartphones. Most head units nowadays come with some external connectivity- the ability to get connected to other devices. It can be via Bluetooth, USB or Auxiliary connections etc. Average models would have more than one of these expandability options.

Now having Bluetooth connectivity is, of course, a preferable feature, as it can enable calling or attending calls without having to touch your phone while driving. In some stereos, Bluetooth connectivity can even allow wireless music streaming. Also, know if you’d need some more featured added/ customized.

Looks
Some stereos look much sophisticated and elegant while there are other models that are supposed to have a cool bad-guy look. You can take into consideration your car’s interior while deciding on the type of stereo you’re looking to buy. Just for a note- for more sophisticated ones, touch-screen display ones are ‘in’ right now.

Safety
Some of the more advanced stereos would come with good security features like security codes. If you have more money to throw in, this is one of the features you can consider to have in your car’s head unit.

Sound Quality
Well, that is the core of a stereo ain’t it? Sure is. The head units coming with enhanced preamp tone controls would imply a better possibility of fine-tuning the sounds for best effects. A lot of stereos with built-in HD radio tuners are available. These offer much better sound quality than what you get with your standard AM or FM stations. End of the day, look for ones that offer clearer, cleaner and detailed sound output.
If you’d like to know more about tuning the head unit sounds, check out our sound adjustment guide.

Your budget
Oh, the obvious thing. This is, actually, one important factor to consider before you buy- not just a stereo- anything. Head units are available for just price you can think of. So, whatever your budget it, you can find one within it- one that you’d love. Still, do keep in mind an average price in mind; too cheap a product can become bothersome within a short period of utility.

Best Head Units 2018

For those who are looking to narrow down their choices to the top ones, here are the best Android head units that we recommend. If you are looking for reliable Android stereos at a reasonable price, you can dive right onto them.

PUMPKIN Android 8.0 Car Stereo

This is a touchscreen head unit, universally compatible and powered by Android 8. The device comes with 4 GB RAM allowing a faster and more efficient performance. Featuring a DVD player, the device allows you to install the applications you wish. Thanks to its dual zone function, the stereo supports music or radio alongside map navigation.
An important feature of the Pumpkin Android stereo includes super-fast boot. The built-in amplifier would ensure that you enjoy your favourite music at the best sound quality. Moreover, given that the device supports online as well as offline navigation, no more worries of getting lost anywhere!

Corehan Car Stereo DVD Multimedia Player

Corehan is a brand that has certainly made a revolution in car stereo industry and Corehan Android 8 Car Stereo DVD Multimedia Player is one of its best products. The latest Android 8.0 version has clearly resolved all the issues that the earlier had some issues and offers a reliable and equally powerful performance. The impeccable features make the device more trustworthy so the user can buy with confidence. Apart from the improved performance and advanced security features, the Corehan car stereo comes with an apparently better touch-screen and better notification features. Moreover, you can download and watch videos with its built-in multimedia player. Some other features supported by the Corehan head unit include the offline navigation system and OBDII scanners. Thus, with this stereo, driving is going to be a great experience.

XTRONS 7 Inch Android 8.0

With the enhanced power and performance, XTRONS Android 8.0 stands out among the other competitive products. Powered with the eight core configuration and having a 4 GB RAM, the stereo ensures good speed and smooth operation. Some notable features of this head unit include clear view reverse cameras, smart view feature to mirror the smartphone, built-in radio tuner, customized themes and surround studio etc.

What are the general features I should check when buying a stereo?

Well, most of these points have been mentioned in the ‘tips’ section. But here you go with the brief- the features you should consider while buying a car head unit.

While many of the enlisted features are not the general ones, these features are growing common in current generation of stereos. So check as many as possible in the ones you choose.
Got your ideal car head unit and wondering how to install the stereo on your own, read our guide on installing car stereo.

Most drivers nowadays are like- ‘when I can just call a tire change service in, why should I even care about learning the whole thing!?’
Seriously, if you’re a driver there are some basic stuff that you ought to know; they are life-savers. “How to change a tire” is definitely one of them. For those who are completely relying on calls or other people, you never know when a situation can have you trapped on a remote roadside with no network.

So here, have a quick look at how you can simply replace a flat tire yourself.
Before you go ahead- it is not as hard as you’re imagining!

What do you need for changing tires?

You, of course, need a few basic things to change the tire. It is definitely a good idea to make sure you have these all the times.

A jack- for lifting the car.

Spare tire- you can’t really change the tire without a spare tire, can you?
Wrench- to open the lug nuts (nuts on the wheels).

Car manual- for any assistance or information you might need.
Wheel Wedges/ Bricks- to prevent the can from rolling while you’re working on it.

Check the best 35 inch tires buying guide and reviews.

Changing tires with a Jack

Repeating once again; changing a tire is no big deal. If you do it right, it shouldn’t take anything more than 15 minutes, even for a beginner. Simply follow along these steps to replace the flat tires. BTW, you can check best farm jack Reviews and buyer’s Guide.

Side and Park your car
Don’t panic if you notice flat tire. Soon as you feel your tires have gone flat, you need to park them in a safe place, especially if you’ve been driving on a busy road. Things to note-

Take the tools and tires out
After your vehicle is safely parked, pull the spare tire, the jack and wrench out. It is a plus if you have the user manual (we do recommend keeping the car manual in the car itself- until you have gone through it a few times).

Remove the wheel cover and loosen the nuts
Many car models have exposed nuts. But if your car does have wheel cover or hubcap, remove it. Then turn the nuts using lug wrench anti-clockwise just enough to break the resistance. (Don’t hesitate if this asks for some extra pressure). For the wrench, choose the one that easily slides over the lug nuts. Using the wrench that comes with the car is, of course, the best thing to do.

Note that, at this stage, you just need to loosen the nuts. You should take the nuts out only after the vehicle is in a raised position. If you try loosening the nuts when your can is in a raised position, you’ll probably end up turning wheel instead of nuts.

Set up the jack
This is one place where the car manual would come particularly handy; especially if you aren’t really sure of where to place the jack. Most cars today come with a mark for the places when the jack is meant to be placed. If you’re really stuck and there’s no mark or molded plastic along for placing the jack, place it on the beam right behind the front wheels or right in front of the rear wheels.

Once you’ve figured out and correctly placed the jack rotate its handle (or pump it; whichever way your jack works). Make sure the jack is raising forming perpendicular to the ground. If there’s any instability or if the jack is rising at an angle different than 90 degrees, lower it and correct it. Then raise the car high enough to lift the tire off.
While setting up the jack, or even after that, note to never put any of your body parts beneath the car. It can hold potential risks in the event of jack failure. For additional safety, you can use a small, extra jack after lifting the car to the required height.

Remove the nuts and the flat tire
Once your vehicle is lifted high enough, you need to ease out the nuts. For this, simply keep turning them anti-clockwise until they are loose enough for you to remove them. Post this, you need to remove the flat tires. The tire can come off easy after you have removed all the nuts.
In most cases, a jack failure won’t be causing any real problem since the support of the other tire would still be there. Still, to play safe, you can consider an extra jack or a column or bricks that can act as support just in case the normal jack fail.

Place the new tire on the hub and put the nuts back
While placing the spare tire, make sure that you place it the right way- the valve stem facing outwards. After you’ve correctly fit the tire in place, you should put the nuts back right, turning them clockwise and tightening them by hand as far as possible. Don’t use the wrench to tighten them further yet.

Lower the vehicle
Lower your jack, thus lowering the vehicle, just enough to touch the spare tire on the ground. See if the tire is balanced. Tighten the nuts further with the wrench.
You can now completely lower the car. If you wish, check if the lug nuts are tight enough. Tighten them further if so needed. Remove the jack and if you had removed the wheel-cover, put it back. About your flat tire, you can get it to a mechanic and see if the puncture is repairable. Else you can just dispose or sell it off.

That’s all and you’ve replaced a tire! Also, you can check out this one: How to Change a Tire On a Rim.

Every driver should master the skill of changing a flat tire. You cannot rely on your cell phone to call the technician to get the best tire changed when in an emergency since there are chances of you forgetting the phone at home. Moreover, the vehicle can have a flat tire in the middle of your journey where you cannot have easy access to the mechanic or phone signals.

Tools that are required to fix a flat tire include:

How to Change a Tire On a Rim

Here is the step by step procedure you need to follow to change a tire on a rim

#1 Push your car to a safe place: When you notice that the car has a flat tire, drive or tow the car slowly to a roadside where there is ample space for you to change the tire. Make sure that the place where you are parking the car has even ground to avoid it from rolling down. You should not change the tire in the area where there are massive vehicle movements. When you are driving with a flat tire to a safer spot, there are chances of the rim getting ruined. You need to be careful about it. Prior to removing the tire on a rim, you need to go through the owner’s manual thoroughly.

#2 ON the flashers or hazard lights: While replacing the tires in a dark area, you should Turn ON the flasher to let the other drivers who are driving on the road know that your parked vehicle to keep accidents at bay.

#3 Apply parking brake: When you are changing the tire, you need to apply the parking brake to keep the vehicle in a standstill position without letting it roll.

#4 Use wheel wedges: These wedges are used on both front and the rear end of the vehicle to avoid it from rolling while fixing the flat tire on a rim. When you are changing the back tires, you would need to place the wheel wedges on the front tires and if you are changing the front tires, place the wheel wedges on the rear tire. If you do not have wheel wedges, you can use a big stone to prevent the car from rolling down.

#5 carefully detach either the hubcap or the wheel cover: If the vehicle is equipped with a hubcap, then slowly detach this from the lug nuts. Before raising the vehicle using the jack, you can remove the hubcap. You can make use of lug wrench to safely remove hubcap. Though you can use the same tool for all vehicles, a few vehicles need different tools to remove hubcap.

#6 Loosen the nuts: With the help of lug wrench, you can make the nuts lose. You need to apply a lot of weight to lose it, but do not unscrew it completely. You need to keep them loose until you remove the tire from the rim of the vehicle.

#7 Keep the jack beneath the vehicle: Place the jack under the area of the vehicle where there is a flat tire. The vehicle frames are made of plastic material, and a certain area is made of metal to place the jack. This will lift the vehicle safely without causing any damage.

#8 Lift the vehicle with the help of jack: To avoid the jack from slipping off the vehicle, you need to use a small wood piece before lifting the vehicle up. You only need to raise the flat tire to six inches from the ground level after positioning the jack properly. It is recommended not to put any of your body parts under the vehicle while raising or lowering the vehicle using the jack.

#9 Remove the screws of lug nuts: Before you have loosened the lug nuts and now it is time for you to remove the screws with bare hands.

#10 Carefully detach the flat tire from the rim of the vehicle: As the tire is attached rigidly with threads, so you need to pull the tire from the hub and rim carefully. Make sure to remove it carefully to avoid the vehicle from rolling down.

#11 Fix the spare tire on the lug bolts: Now you need to mount the tire on the hub that is in line with the rim using lug bolts. Push the tire until you see the lug bolts on the rim.

#12 Screw the lug nuts with bare hands: Place the lug nuts on the lug bolts as usual and screw the nuts tightly with hands. Once you tighten all the screws, make sure that all the screws are tightened properly. You can use a wrench to tighten those screws after pushing down the vehicle to the ground.

#13 Push down the vehicle and tighten the lug nuts: Lower the vehicle using jack halfway from the ground, and once the vehicle is in the middle, you need to tighten the lug nuts of the spare tire using a wrench.

#14 Lower the vehicle to the ground completely: Once you push the vehicle to the ground, you need to remove the jack. You need to tighten the lug nuts with the wrench further to make sure that the nuts are tightened.

#15 Place the hubcap in its normal position: The hubcap that was removed from the damaged tire should be put back to its actual position in the similar way as you removed. If you could not fix the hubcap, then stow it along with the tire.

#16 Stow the rest of the equipment: The jack, wrench, flat tire, wheel wedges, and hubcap should be put back in your vehicle after replacing the flat tire.

#17 Check whether or not the spare tire is fully inflated: You need to ensure that the spare tire is completely inflated to have a safe drive until you reach the tire mechanic. If you need to inflate the tires, you need to reach the close by filling station.

The following is the procedure to be followed to safely and accurately change a flat tire. Usually, it takes just 15 to 30 minutes to change the tire. It is totally unsafe to drive with spare tires for a long distance; therefore get in touch with the professional immediately to get it repaired future.

check this another guide: How to Change a Tire Without a Jack

Flat tires can happen under different circumstances. Hence, these circumstances will establish how to change a tire. For instance, you will need to contact a towing company for help if the flat tire happens on a busy expressway without the likelihood of driving the vehicle off the road.

Going to a nearby automobile parts store to purchase a new jack or beckoning on a fellow motorist to borrow you a jack are all possible options. But the truth is that you can change a tire without a jack.

Want to know how to change a tire without a jack? Read on to learn more!

Things Needed to Change a flat Tire Without a Jack

– Socket – This is necessary if you are using a breaker. The socket must fit the lugs and bar on your wheels

– Breaker Bar or Lug wrench – The breaker bar is a suitable option to the normal cross-shaped lug wrench. However, make sure it matches the lug nuts on your wheels.

– Wrench – You may need this tool to remove the spare tire depending on how it is fixed to the wheel.

– Wheel Chocks

– The Spare Tire – There is no sense in replacing a flat tire with another flat one. As a result, ensure that it is in good condition and contains air.

– Lubrication: Any light machine oil. WD-40 would work.

– Shovel – This is non-compulsory

– The Tire Pressure Gauge

– Portable Air Compressor containing air chuck.

– The Ramp – Just one is required

Note: Read the best 35 inch tires reviews and buying guide.

Why You Need to Change a Tire By Yourself

Why do you have to change your flat tire, particularly when you have your personal roadside assistance, and why is it important for you to know how to change a tire without a jack? This is rather a good point. It is obvious that people normally have their own roadside assistance and prefers using them when problem of this nature occurs, as they have paid for the service.

However, there are occasions when it becomes sensible to change a tire by you without waiting for roadside assistance to come around. You want to change your tire because:

Steps on How to Change a Tire Without a Jack

Step 1
Loose the lug nuts with the lug wrench. This will make them easier to remove when the wheel is in the air.

Step 2
Put the ramp next to the non-flat tire on the same side of the vehicle as the flat one in order to drive it up onto the ramp. Doing this will make the non-flat tire to be steadily parked on the ramp, while the flat tire is lifted above the ground and be able to be removed.

Step 3
Consider adding a block or two underneath the ramp if making use of the ramp is not giving the flat tire sufficient ground clearance to spin freely and then drive it up again or make use of your shovel to dig dirt out from below the flat tire to give it room to spin freely.

Step 4
Put the vehicle in park, using the emergency brake once the flat tire is up in the air. Then, put the wheel chocks at the back of tires on the other side of the vehicle.

Step 5
Use the lug wrench to remove the lug nuts from the flat tire

Step 6
Pull off the flat tire and change it with your spare tire.

Step 7
Spray some WD-40 on the studs before changing the lug nuts. This will make them easier to tighten. Then, use the star pattern screw driver to tighten to make sure they are evenly tightened.

Step 8
Fix the flat tire back to where you remove the spare tire before.

Step 9
Remove the wheel chocks and drive the ramp off

Step 10
You have completed tightening the lug nuts with the spare tire firmly on the ground and prepared to continue with your journey.

Step 11
Use the tire pressure gauge to confirm the pressure of the spare tire and other tires.
These are the steps involved in changing a flat tire without a jack.

A Word of Caution for Changing a Tire Without a Jack

When it comes to how to change a tire without a jack, you must keep some safety precautions in mind to make the entire process as safe and smooth as possible.

1. Don’t wait Until Your Tire is Flat Before Checking Your Spare

The location and type of spare tire varies from one vehicle to another. Hence, you must know where the spare tire is located on your vehicle. Always check the condition of your spare tire and lug wrench before you experience any problem. Make sure the spare tire has sufficient air in it and keep checking it from time to time in order not to be caught unaware.

2. Don’t Forget to Block the Tire

Blocking the tire will not allow for rolling backward or forward. Always set the emergency brake and make sure you block the tires with blocks to prevent the vehicle from rolling, when you are changing a flat tire.

3. Don’t Change a Flat Tire in an Unsafe Place

Make sure you keep off the roadway if you cannot get a parking place or safe area to park. It is dangerous to park at the middle or near the road to change a flat tire. Hence, park very well to change your flat tire to avoid accident.

4. Don’t Ignore Vital Safety Measures

Make sure you display road flares or hazard reflectors before you start changing a flat tire. These flares warn other road users to give extra space. In addition, turn the hazard lights on to warn other drivers.

Conclusion

Bearing in mind that flat tire can occur without notice, it is very important to know how to change a tire without a jack. However, you must not forget the important safety tips involved. With the above tips and tricks, you can now change a tire without a jack. You may check this also, How to change a Tire.