Imagine this; you’re driving down a scenic road and taking in the majestic view. You’re having a wonderful drive when all of a sudden, you hear a loud pop coming from your wheels. You pull over to check your tires and see that you have a blown tire. As a car owner, tire problems will come from time to time, and you must know how to deal with them. Here are some common tire problems that car owners and drivers must be familiar with and when tire repair should be done.
Should You Fix a Tire Yourself?
In most cases, proper tire repair should be done and handled by a skilled tire technician. They have the tools and technical know-how to thoroughly diagnose and fix a tire issue. Most often, a nail or other small and sharp objects stuck in the tire treads can be hard to detect by an untrained individual. If left alone, this can result in severe damage to the sidewall of your tire, making repairs costly. Therefore, DIY tire solutions should only be considered a temporary fix until you can get the tire properly inspected.
If you have to repair it yourself, you should know that the puncture can be fixed if it’s located anywhere but the sidewall and the shoulder of the tire. The hole should also be less than ¼ of an inch in diameter. The punctures must also not overlap with each other. The use of plugs, patches, and other sealants is not recommended as long-term solutions as they do not fill the entirety of the hole. Remove the entire rim and fill the gap with rubber, sealing the inner liner with a repair unit.
Causes of Tire Damage
Damage to your tires can happen due to various reasons. Driving over potholes is a common reason for tire damage, as the impact can be severe if you hit them. This can also affect your car’s alignment and suspension. Driving a misaligned car can wear your tires faster and increase your risk of being in a car accident.
Common Tire Problems
With that in mind, here are some tire problems that drivers and car owners should know about.
Bulging and Cracking
Cracking and bulging issues usually happen when you hit a pothole. Tires work well in receiving road impact if they’re inflated properly. If the tire is underinflated, a sudden harsh impact can cause cracks and bulges on the sides. Underinflating a tire can also lead to an increased risk of punctures, poor handling, and difficulty in turning. Usually, you can solve this by replacing the entire tire since cracks are already a sign of old age.
Cupping
Cupping often happens when your suspension is worn out or damaged. A damaged suspension can cause the tire to bounce a lot. The tire would appear to be irregular. An alternating pattern of hills and valleys will show up in your tires. This can be fixed by replacing the tires and correcting the damage in your suspension.
Bald Tires
One tell-tale sign that your tires need to be replaced is if you could see that your tire treads are worn out. Tires are always in contact with the ground and would spin at high speeds while they carry the full weight of the vehicle. Because of this, the treads wear out as time goes by. Keeping old tires can lead to accidents, especially when it’s raining. That’s because they cannot redirect water from the ground properly, making the car lose contact with the ground.
Sometimes, uneven tread wear can occur. You’d find bald spots on the edges of the tire, while the middle would still have plenty of treads. Uneven tread wear can be a sign of a greater issue that needs to be addressed quickly. This would usually be due to a misaligned suspension.
Punctures
Sharp objects lying on the road can pierce through your tires. If the puncture is deep enough, the tire will continuously lose air pressure the longer the object is stuck in the tire.
Those are just some common tire problems. Now, you’re more familiar with what you can do as a driver and car owner.
