JWR,
Keep up the good work! Now that everyone knows the woes of removing a tire, does anyone check the spare tire to see if it holds air etc? Most people don’t check the tires on a road trip, let alone daily driving or the condition of the spare tire. I would ask everyone to make sure the spare tire is not only inflated, but holds air for more than a day or two!
This should go before the first post: Do you have a proper (working) and weight-rated jack to lift the vehicle, and do you know where to place the jack, (i.e.: does the vehicle have a frame or or is it a unibody design)?
Do You know which wheels are locked by the parking brake? And more importantly, once the wheel is removed (if it was a parking brake wheel) how did you immobilize the vehicle so it doesn’t roll and fall on you while the wheel is off? (i.e. wheel chocks)
OBTW, I keep small (but professional) tire plug kits around all the time. (These include a reamer, plug tool, cement, etc.) . Regards, – Solar Guy