All Tire Questions & Answers

What two things pop into your mind when you think of a car? You probably guessed it right—the body and the tires. When you look at the wheel, you are quick to notice the tire’s rims and sidewall. Speaking of the sidewall, some of you may wonder where this part is and what it does. Well, true to its name, it is the part between the tread and bead that forms a kind of wall on the exterior and provides stability to the vehicle. Therefore, any crack, tear, or puncture occasioned by this part is sidewall damage. It can be caused by anything that causes the sidewall to perforate or rip, impairing its ability to act as a protective layer of the wheel and provide stability. Caution should be taken if this part is damaged, and immediate action should be taken. One should either take out a spare tire or call a mechanic. One should not drive knowingly with this damage because any weakness in this part may cause the tire to burst and cause an accident that may be catastrophic. Causes of sidewall damage Tire sidewall damage: You may be wondering what causes this sidewall damage. A definite list does not exist, but the baseline is any activity or incident that can cause a sidewall puncture. I have gathered a comprehensive list to alert all automobile owners to this severe problem. Below are some of these things; 1. Road hazards One of the causes of this damage is driving over potholes or heavy debris. This reckless driving causes the sidewall to experience wear. This leads to a breach in the wall’s durability and integrity, exposing it to damage. Therefore, one should avoid driving through unworthy roads filled with potholes and driving at high speed on roads such as marram roads due to the high level of debris present. 2. Under or over inflation If you are a driver, you know that tire pressure is one of the checkboxes that must be ticked before thinking of driving or cruising anywhere. The average tire pressure is 32–35 psi. Anything above or below this may cause the tire to burst or get a puncture, leaving one at risk of an accident. 3. Age and wear Nothing lasts forever, and the tire is no exception. A good tire can last up to three to five years and cover over five thousand miles when well maintained. However, it is subject to wear and tear and should be replaced after this period to avoid bursts and punctures causing sidewall damage. 4. Improper storage Tires should be stored in a cool place away from heat sources and direct sunlight. Excessive heat causes the tire tubes to bulge, resulting in sidewall damage. They should also be cleaned, but not with corrosive substances such as petroleum products. Signs of Tire Sidewall Damage A good driver is an observant driver. Some signs may warn you of the possibility of sidewall damage to your tire before it is too late. The presence of leakage in air pressure is one of them. If you keep experiencing the need to pump your tires more often, see a mechanic as soon as possible, for this may be occasioned by sidewall damage from activities such as driving through potholes. Punctures or sidewall cuts and bulges in the tire are another sign. This may be due to sharp objects, driving over curbs, and too much direct heat. Talking of heat, this may also cause “dry rot,” which is the cracking of tires, causing them to weather prematurely and being another indicator for sidewall damage. Consequences of Ignoring Tire Sidewall Damage Sidewall damage is a disaster just waiting to happen. When noticed, one should take action immediately; otherwise, it would lead to further damage to the tire. Continued ignorance leads to reduced tire life as they age faster due to cracks. This further leads to the risk of a tire blowout, which may be fatal at high speeds. As stated earlier, one of the importance of the sidewall is the stability of the vehicle. When sidewall damage is ignored, it leads to increasingly poor handling and stability, eventually leading to loss of control and an accident. Prevention and Maintenance Prevention is better than cure. Therefore, taking care of your tires and driving carefully is the first step to ensuring the safety of your tires. But how can you precisely ensure the maintenance of your tires? The first step to taking care of your tires is to check the tire pressure of your wheels regularly. It would help if you had a tire pressure gauge to do this and always ensure the results fall within 32-35 psi. Simultaneously regularly use a tread depth gauge and ensure your tread depth reads 32/32 inches. The second step is storing tires away from direct sunlight, which causes blisters to the tire, heat, and chemicals whitehat corrode the tire, and all are perpetrators of sidewall damage. Another critical step is to permanently change the tires every 5000–7000 miles or 3-5 years to maintain the durability and integrity of the tire, reducing the risk of sidewall damage. Driving carefully means driving on road-worthy roads, under the speed limit, and avoiding hitting potholes and debris, reducing the risk of punctures to the sidewall. How to Address Tire Sidewall Damage Sidewall damage is more common than you may think; therefore, it is necessary to arm yourself with the dos and don’ts of the situation. It all depends on the degree of damage to the tire’s sidewall. If the problem is minor, patching or plugging may be a quick solution. However, this should be the last resort if you are still looking for a replacement. Otherwise, any damage to the sidewall should result in the change of that tire as a precautionary measure. If the damage is severe, the tire must be replaced immediately, and patching is no longer an option. This is the case also if, on analysis, the damage is found to … Read more

Cars have wheel bearings on both the front and rear wheels. The role of these wheel bearings is to reduce friction when the wheels are spinning. When there’s increased friction, the car tires and wheels will generate a lot of heat which sometimes can be dangerous for its general performance. Wheel bearings serve as wheel and tire lubricants which assist in reducing heat. Wheel bearings are mainly installed in the steering assembly and wheel drive axles. These bearings can last for years, although it’ll depend on the frequency of driving the vehicle. One of the most common questions most car owners ask is whether a bad wheel bearing affects gas mileage. This has been a subject of debate among people across the globe. In reality, bad wheel bearings can affect many things in vehicles, including mileage, speed, acceleration, and brakes. When you drive your car with bad wheel bearings, you’ll likely see uneven tire or wheel wear and tear. This will make your vehicle lean on one side, thus increasing safety risk while on the road. Can a Bad Wheel Bearing Affect Gas Mileage? Most car owners usually don’t care about maintaining or replacing bad wheel bearings until it’s too late. Defective bearings make driving on roads risky. The main causes of bad wheel bearings include: Poor Installation  Wheel bearings will fail terribly due to poor installation, mainly associated with reusing aged accessories like bolts, nuts, etc., or using the wrong installation tools. This will increase accident risks. Uneven road surfaces Driving frequently on uneven road surfaces will damage your wheel bearings. This mainly happens when steel balls can’t reduce wheel friction further. Unbalanced wheels/tires Vehicle tires require routine maintenance to ensure they’re well-balanced. When they’re not balanced, they’ll put excess pressure on wheel bearings, thus causing damage. Driving conditions If you drive your vehicle frequently on water or mud, its wheel bearings will wear out after their grease is polluted and make them start malfunctioning. Accident A car accident can potentially cause damage to wheel bearings. In some cases, hitting speed bumps and potholes also causes them to malfunction. Quality Low-quality wheel bearings will likely fail faster, especially when exposed to harsh driving conditions. Regardless of the cause, bad wheel bearings will affect gas mileage in your vehicle in various ways. First, it’ll reduce your car’s speed and acceleration. When this happens, it means that your car’s engine will have to work extra hard so that it maintains its speed. Secondly, bad wheel bearings will make your car lean on one side, thus making its control difficult thus reducing travel efficiency. Impact of a Bad Wheel Bearing on Gas Mileage? Bad wheel bearings can be quite dangerous for your car. More so they can have an effect on your gas mileage. Below are the impacts a bad wheel bearing can have on gas mileage; Increased friction and drag on wheels Bad wheel bearings will increase friction and drag on car wheels. This will eventually slow down the car, increase wear and tear on the tires, noise emission, energy consumption, and increase rolling contact fatigue on tires. Reduced engine efficiency Defective wheel bearings reduce engine efficiency in cars. This mainly happens due to the increased strain and stress caused by malfunctioning bearings on the wheel. It adds unnecessary strain to the engine, which over time, reduces its efficiency. Increased strain on the car’s transmission Bad wheel bearings will increase strain on a car’s transmission system. This will make gear shifting difficult, which in turn will make your clutch wear out quickly. Make it difficult for wheels to rotate smoothly When your car’s wheel bearings begin malfunctioning, they’ll potentially make the transmission work harder, thus making it difficult for the wheels to rotate smoothly. This will also lead to wear and tear of the wheel over time if the appropriate action isn’t taken immediately. Increase in the rolling resistance of the tire Tire rolling resistance mainly increases with the applied torque. Bad bearings are the leading cause of increased tire rolling resistance. They make it difficult for the car to send the required energy to its tires, thus making its movement on surfaces and speed inconsistent. Can Bad Wheel Bearings Affect Fuel Economy? Generally, bad wheel bearings can affect fuel economy in vehicles. Studies show that there’s clear evidence that wheel end tightness significantly affects fuel economy. When your vehicle has bad wheel bearings, there’s a higher risk of the tires wearing out, increased transmission strain, and tire rolling resistance. All these put abnormal pressure on both the engine and the tires, thus making it difficult for the vehicle to move normally. This strain increases the fuel required to move to a certain distance by at least 20%.   Whenever your car’s wheels aren’t moving freely, you should check their bearings for damage and replace them. This way, you’ll improve fuel economy. How to Diagnose a Bad Wheel Bearing? Wheel bearings play a significant role in the overall performance of vehicles. They help reduce friction, improve wheel rotation, improve fuel economy and reduce unnecessary strain on the car’s transmission system. Below are the signs that your car has bad wheel bearings: Increased vibration and shakiness Damaged wheel bearings result in increased vibration and shakiness in a vehicle when driving. This mainly happens due to the increased friction that makes the wheels move out of their natural place. Grinding noises Wheel bearings act as lubricants in car tires and wheels. Bad wheel bearings will make the metal come into contact with other metals, thus leading to some grinding noises and excessive friction. Vehicle slows down While driving along the road, you might notice that your vehicle has suddenly slowed down from its usual speed. In most cases, this is due to worn-out wheel bearings, which can’t allow the tires to move smoothly as usual. Loose steering wheel Worn-out wheel bearings will make the steering wheel loose making it difficult to drive, especially on rough road surfaces. Worn-out tires When you keep driving … Read more

Tire mishaps have been implicated as the cause of more road traffic accidents and the resultant loss of lives and properties than accidents through all other means of transportation, whether on the land, sea or in the air! This is the singular and most important reason why tire maintenance and care should not at all be taken lightly. In addition, deflated or defective tires constitute a disturbance while driving by both being noisy and uncomfortable. We shall treat this issue of tire maintenance and care with the seriousness it deserves. (Read Also: Can I Use Tire Compressor For AirBrushing?Find Out) On whether you can leave your car packed with a flat tire or not, it requires that we look at all the possible consequences of doing so. To start with, as much as possible, guard against parking your cars or trucks with flat tires for long periods. (except when you jack up and let them rest on a jack stand. Check out this article on some of the Best Car Jacks/Stands currently selling hot on Amazon) When a vehicle with a flat tire is packed for too long, especially in the rains or cold weather, the tires are liable to develop weakened points, particularly where they are in contact with the ground. Firstly, when the vehicle cools and secondly, the weight of the vehicle rests squarely on the tires at those contact points. Eventually, these weakened points of contact with the ground will cause a bumpy sensation during driving and also become points from where the tires will later begin to get damaged. The weakness at these contact points become more severe where the temperature is very cold or the vehicle is left in the rains. So, Can i leave my car parked with a flat tire? No, you shouldn’t leave your car parked with a flat tire. Doing this will cause further damages to the affected tire(s). If you must do this, ensure that you jack up your car for the shortest period possible (24 hours at most) and get the tires fixed by your local mechanic as soon as possible. Make sure to make good use of jack stands when jacking up the car overnight. Additionally, ensure the car is parked in a secure environment – free from rain and other harsh conditions. Trending Searches Are There Any Negative Impacts Of Parking A car With A Flat Tire? Yes, there are certainly. First, the tires will become susceptible to tearing easily, particularly at certain weakened areas of the tires that bear the weight of the vehicle, and secondly, the rims of the tires may rust and become weakened too, especially where the vehicle is left in the rains or the scorching heat of the sun. Tires that are weak at some points are causative to bumpy rides and are also likely to burst open leading to serious accidents and loss of lives. In essence, fix all damaged or punctured tires, as soon as you get the chance, in order to prevent any hard luck stories when it might be too late. How Long Can A Car Sit Before Tires Get Flat Spots? Before we answer the question, it is good for us to know what a flat spot is. A flat spot is defined as the most badly damaged or worn-out section of a tire. There isn’t any definitive answer to the topic question as such, but generally speaking, most tires do not develop any flat spots just because they have been packed for a couple of days and more so when the weather conditions are favorable. Having said that, it is therefore obvious that tires commonly develop flat spots where vehicles are packed for several days or months, and it is for this same reason that flat spots are classified as either temporary or semi-permanent. The temporary kind of flat stop reverses itself after driving the vehicle for only a few minutes while the semi-permanent one requires more attention to reverse, where possible. (Read Also: Can I Use Track Tires On The Street?Find Out Now) Do Modern Tires Get Flat Spots? In fact, modern tires are the most prone to developing flat spots than other tires! This is much because high-performance or more expensive tires are designed for extra flexibility and consequently, they flatten more easily when the vehicles are parked they also have wider footprints, which make them pick up temperature variations on the road faster than other tires. Additionally, they are stiffer and also have shorter sidewalls that do not bulge much under heavyweights, which implies that their treads on the bottom of the tires flatten out more on the road. Through all these qualities, they essentially become tires that hang onto the roads and are more responsive at corners, even at high speeds. These properties render them more vulnerable to flat spots than other less expensive tires. Essentially, therefore, modern tires get more flat spots than all others. Why Do Tires Get Flat Spots? Tires get flat spots when they are parked for prolonged periods, particularly in the cold, due to the weight of the vehicle pressing on them the entire time. This makes the tires to spread out a little and flatten a bit at the points where they touch the road. The rubber of the tires thus stiffens as a result and hence flat spots develop in them. In addition to all the above causes of flat-spotting, tires can equally get flat spots in cases where they settle into a flattened shape when parked for long periods, as well as when they skid frequently during harsh braking. Flat spots are also easy to develop in tires when a minor flat spot from a previous incident gets worsened over time. The good thing is that temporary spotting can be sorted out by just driving on the tires for a short time. (Read Also: Will Snow Chains Damage Rims?Find Out NOw) How Do You Prevent Flat Spots On Tires? There are several ways … Read more

Flat tires can develop at any time when sharp objects like nails or broken bottles pierce your vehicle tires. Other causes of flat tires are collision with other vehicles, hitting potholes or ditches in the road, the activities of vandals, and so on. The most advisable thing immediately you get a flat tire is to jerk up the car and remove the punctured tire for repairs by tire specialists. However, for different reasons, this may not be possible. Sometimes, this is either due to the non-availability of required tools, lack of a spare tire or not having the necessary skills. Whatever the reasons may be, is it advisable for anyone to leave a flat tire overnight? So, can I leave a flat tire overnight? As much as possible, you should try to mend all punctured tires without delay. This you must do to prevent the disappointment that is associated with flat tires whether on the eve of journeys, on your way to work, and so on. Therefore, in order to guard against this, always have a spare tire handy. Where mending of the tire is not possible immediately, for whatever reason, you can alternatively jerk up the car on its chassis to make sure that the weight of the vehicle does not rest on the deflated tires throughout the night. When the weight rests on the tires for a long time, they are likely to develop weakened areas that may eventually cause the tires to wear prematurely. In conclusion, it is not advisable to allow flat tires to bear the weight of the vehicle overnight, unless where that is completely unavoidable. When this happens, be sure to make hurried efforts to mend the punctured tire without delay as soon as you get the chance. In addition, if you must leave the flat tire overnight, the vehicle must be parked in an enclosure or a garage to reduce the effect of the cold weather and the weight of the vehicle on the tires. (Read Also: Can I Use Tire Compressor For AirBrushing?Find Out) Pro Tips: If you must leave your flat tire overnight then it’s best that you jack up the side with the flat tire and put it on a jack stand/block. Here’s a detailed article on some of the Best Car Jacks/Stands currently selling hot on Amazon you might want to check out. Why Would A Tire Go Flat Overnight? A tire is liable to go flat overnight if it has been previously punctured during the day by any sharp object such as nails or broken bottles and the tire pressure is gradually lost during the night. When such happens, the reduction of air pressure is faster after it is parked at night. Read Also: How Do You Use The Acura Flat Tire Repair Kit? Another reason for this to happen is when the rims have been bent out of shape during the day which creates an avenue for pressure loss especially at night when the car is parked. Gradually, the entire tire pressure may be lost at night. Tires may also deflate at night after the car is parked when the air valve is damaged and the steady loss of air pressure at night may ultimately lead to complete tire deflation. Tires can also be deflated at night if the vehicle is parked on an uneven terrain that creates a gap between the rim and the tire for air to escape leading to the eventual flattening of the tire. Reduction in tire pressure is faster when the vehicle is parked at night much more than during the day when the vehicle is being driven. This steady pressure reduction manifests overnight through tire pressure reduction in parked vehicles. Trending Searches What Do You Do If You Have A Flat Tire At Night? Like at all other times, the first thing to do when you have a flat tire at night is to park the car at a safe location and if you can, proceed to remove the punctured tire after jerking the car up. Gradually, if you have a spare tire and all the tools necessary, you can change the punctured tire with the spare in no time and off you go. This is your first option if you have the skills and the tools for it. However, if you lack the skills or tools or maybe both, you are advised to reach out to tire repair workshops for attention to your tire, if it is not too late at night. If this is still not possible, get a towing truck to tow your vehicle to the closest tire repair workshop. Where all these are not possible, instead of leaving the car to rest throughout the night on deflated tires, you may jerk it up by the chassis to relieve the tires and proceed to repair the punctured tires the following day. As much as possible, always relieve punctured tires of bearing too much weight for a long period such as throughout the night. Excessive pressure on punctured tires for long periods damage them by making their fabric weak and encouraging flat-spotting as well. (Read Also: Can I Use Track Tires On The Street?Find Out Now) Will Leaving a Flat tire Overnight Damage The Rim? No, leaving a flat tire overnight for just one day does not constitute any danger to the rim except where the vehicle is driven on the said night, but if nothing of the sort happens, then there is really no risk to the rim. Some measures of risk from water may be suspected, in the event it rains during the night which may initiate metal corrosion. But even this condition, requires much longer than a day for it to take place. In a nutshell, leaving a flat tire overnight will not damage the rim, provided the car is not driven that night. How Can You Avoid Having A Flat Tire? There are several ways by which you can avoid having a flat tire, … Read more

Tires are made of different kinds of hardened rubber to ensure strength and resilience, and the tire sidewall is just one of the components of tires on either side of the tire, on which are written the specifications of the tire. It is one part of any tire that is very difficult or even impossible to repair, and where one manages to repair a tire sidewall after it is torn, using such a tire is associated with enormous risks. You could say, repairing a tire sidewall damage, is not recommended. (Read Also:Will Tire Chains Damage Driveway?Find Out) There is no such thing as how much tire sidewall damage is too much if we must be sincere with ourselves. This is mainly because any sidewall tire damage is a potentially very dangerous situation that can metamorphose into something much bigger, if care is not taken, and hence the only care, in this case, is to replace the tire immediately. However, we shall look at some common serious sidewall damage to look out for and be wary of. When your tire sidewall has its cords hanging outside, you have a serious issue on your hands. Similarly, sidewall damage is very serious when you can see bubbles in or anywhere around your tire. As said earlier, any sidewall tire damage must be considered too much, since it can aggravate and lead to much bigger issues. (Read Also: Can I Use Tire Foam To Clean Engine?) How Much Sidewall Damage is Too Much So, how much sidewall damage is too much? Is sidewall tire damage dangerous? These are critical questions that we need to get to the bottom of promptly. When it comes to a damaged tire sidewall, there is no compromise, you need to get a better understanding of the severity of the damage to understand the exact action to be taken. So, how much sidewall damage is acceptable? The below table covers in detail the different types of sidewall damages, their description and severity of the situation. Now that we know the different types of sidewall tire damage, let’s now look at the repair options that we can leverage on. But before that, is tire sidewall damage dangerous? Tire sidewall chip or tire wall damage can be very dangerous. Especially if the tire is ripped on the side. It could easily blow up and cause the your tire to blow up. Tire sidewall damage is not safe to drive and should be looked at immediately. Below is a table covering sidewall tire damage repair options. It should be able to guide you on the sort of sidewall damage you are dealing with and the sort of repair options at your disposal. Depending on the severity of the sidewall damage, you may be wondering; is tire sidewall damage safe to drive? The quick and direct answer to this is , no. It’s not safe to drive on a damaged tire sidewall. You should aim to have it replaced as soon as you can. What Is Tire Sidewall Damage? Tire sidewall damage relates to damage on tires that covers issues and complaints involving the sidewall of your tire. This can manifest as huge chunks of rubber tissue lost from your sidewall, deep cuts and abrasions to your sidewall by hitting a strong obstacle such as a curb, and also the presence of a bulge or two, on the sidewall of a tire. For short, whatever compromises the integrity of your tire sidewall is sidewall damage, irrespective of its size or nature. Trending Searches What Causes Tire Sidewall Damage? Several factors are complicit in causing tire sidewall damage such as: 1. Under-Inflation This can be traceable to the driver’s negligence. This is because tires are known to self deflate at a steady rate naturally and hence we should ensure to keep the pressure at normal levels by gauging the tire regularly. Where this function is willfully neglected, we can’t but see that as negligence. 2. Age Of The Tires Under ideal circumstances, tires are adjudged as safe between the ages of eight to ten years. After this time, the strength, plasticity, and everything about the tire is much reduced, if not totally lost. At this stage, tire sidewall damage has a huge likelihood of occurring. 3. Damage Tire sidewall damage can occur due to various road hazards or even very poor maintenance and installation. Damaged tires are bound to lose air rapidly and progressively degrade which may cause sidewall damage too. Read Also: Can You Get A Flat Tire From Hitting A Curb? 4. Overloading When you carry so much load that is beyond the designated capacity of the vehicle, you are in essence risking possible tire sidewall damage in your tire. The theory is that an overloaded vehicle may veer out of control and wobble on the road from one side to another, which is a potentially very risky situation. As the vehicle wobbles on the road, tire sidewall damage may not be far behind. 5. Manufacturing Defects When a tire is mistakenly rated for speeds beyond its capacity by the manufacturers, sidewall damage is very likely to occur in this instance. Therefore, it is important to test tires adequately and ensure their proper speed rating before releasing them to the general public for consumption. Such poorly rated tires have the propensity to become overheated after installation. 6. Tire Wear Worn tires are more likely to overheat faster than normal ones. Their cords may fall apart and begin to show and should you hit something like a curb in this condition, tire sidewall damage may be unavoidable. Can Tire Sidewall Damage Be Repaired? Yes, for the sake of discussion, they can be, but such repairs are for all intents and purposes useless. This is because you are not advised, for your own sake and maybe others as well, to drive a car with tire sidewall damage. Concerning how to repair tire sidewall damage the most important thing to note is that this are … Read more