Changing a Tire - only in Haiti

First of all let me say that I am capable okay.  But yesterday, I ran into a little challenge.



Louise was out and had a flat tire.  A flat is not all that uncommon here in Haiti.  She had one just a couple of days earlier.  The car (Pathfinder) was at home and someone noticed that the left front tire was very low - the boys went to pump it up and it blew out through the cords in the tire.  The roads are very rough here and full of harzards, so it is not unusual to run into these types of problems with the tire.  The boys had a little bit of trouble changing the tire - like finding the proper equipment (yes it was in the car).  They could not lower the spare - stored under the rear of the vehicle and they couldn't get the wheel bolts lossened.  I gave them a little help, and they caught on quickly.  Little did I know my turn was coming.

Well when I got there, sure enough the tire was flat.  Left front - this was the spare that was just put on.  Step one - I took the rim with the bad tire on it to a tire shop, bought another tire and had it put on the rim - no problem.  Just a little traffic along the way, but it was close and didn't take too long.  My broken Kreyole seemed to work well enough.  Step 2 - I returned with the tire - again no problem - well I went in the exit, raised a few eyebrows, but the security guard eventually let me in after I pointed to the long and blocked line of traffic between me and the entrance downstream a bit.  I loosened the wheel bolts.  Jacked the vehicle up.  Problem number 1.  The jack was a small bottle jack and couldn't raise the vehicle enough to allow the new tire/rim to go on.  So, wanted some blocks of wood so that I could jack/block, then reset the jack and jack again. 

In Haiti, there is an expression - which basically says make do with what you got.  That's what I did.  After searching around and asking for help, I managed to scrounge up a couple of round stones and a cement paver block.  That was it.  So.  gotta make do.  Was able to rest the vehicle on the paver and "ROUND" rock to reposition the jack.  I know, I know, I know - cement blocks and round stones do not make good jack stands.  Decided not to go under myself and kept well clear of anything that could hit the ground if it fell.  Fortunately nothing did fall.  Was able to install the new tire/rim on the vehicle.  And off we go!