What’s your first reaction when you see a piece or pieces of broken glass on the road, do you try to avoid it to prevent a puncture, or do you trust the durability of your tire and step right on anyways?
Will broken glass pop a tire? Or is there no cause for concern? These questions and more will be answered in the course of reading this article. Stay tuned!
Let’s get straight into it.
Will Broken Glass Pop A Tire?
Yes, broken glass can pop a tire, but it’s uncommon. Most car tires are designed to resist small glass shards. However, large or sharp pieces can penetrate the rubber, especially if the tire is worn or the glass is hit at the right angle.
Broken glass can rarely puncture your tire especially if it is a steel-belted radial tire like most tires are today. However, certain kinds of broken glass, depending on their thickness and how they are positioned can ultimately damage your tire if ignored.
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Based on experts’ calculations, steel-belted tires are 75% unlikely to experience a blowout or a flat compared to radial ply tires used previously.
Aside from the thickness of the broken glass in question, if the glass is sharp, it can ultimately cut through the rubber thread regardless of the tire type.
If the glass happens to reach the steel belt, be sure that a wound will be created to give room to allow the accumulation of moisture and dirt.
When this continues for long, it causes the belt to separate from the tire thread thereby ruining the entire tire in the long run.
The type of glass you are likely to find on the highway is usually from shattered windscreens or windows which do not pose any threat to your tires.
However, the ones you should be concerned with are the glasses from thick vodka bottles you are likely to find in parking lots and other domestic areas.
Generally, you are more likely to experience a puncture in summer than winter since rubber gets heated up during summer thereby making the tire softer than it should, and also less resistant to sharp objects such as broken glass.
How to fix a flat tire?
Fixing a flat tire can be carried out by almost anyone who is old enough to drive a car. However, if you aren’t too sure of your tool skills, visit a professional to get the best result possible. Below are the materials you need to get the job done.
Materials needed
- A complete plug kit
- A tire pump
- Soapy water in a container
- Tape
Step 1: Drive to safety
You wouldn’t want to stay in the middle of the road while at this. Try as much as you can and move to the shoulder of the highway or road before getting your hands dirty. It is for your safety, that of your car, and other users of the road as well.
Step 2: Locate the puncture
Once you are sure of your safety, locate the puncture. Locating the puncture can be done in two ways; removing the tires or using jack stands.
Removing the tires is pretty advisable as it provides you with a clear view of what you need to accomplish, however, it could take your time to get the tires off the wheels and fix them back upon completion.
Using a jack stand on the other hand means you wouldn’t have to remove the tires from the wheels, but then your vision could be obscured and you might not do a proper job.
You will need a hydraulic jack as well, which could be a challenge to set up in swampy areas. You will also need it to take off the tires. Your best bet? Take off the tires.
Once the affected tire(s) is off, locate the cause of the flat. It could be caused by anything, but since most flats are caused by nails I will be using it as a case study.
After locating the puncture, don’t be in a haste to remove it, but if you can’t locate the puncture, you might have to locate it using your soapy water – another reason why you should take off the tire completely.
Put some soapy water on the area you suspect the puncture would be, you can know the exact spot by spotting some bubbles coming up, and in some rare cases, you might hear a slight hissing sound if you hold your ears close to it.
Step 3: Mark the sport for repair
This step is as important as the second if you don’t want your effort to be futile. Get your tape and place it directly under the spot you have located, then use a pen to mark the exact spot the puncture is located. This simple procedure will help you locate the exact spot the puncture was located without having to repeat the latter part of step 2.
Step 4: Remove the nail from the spot
After marking the spot, go ahead and remove the nail from the hole. Your hand might not do the job so you might need pliers to properly grip the nail or a screwdriver in case of a screw. While at it, ensure you have a proper grip on the tire so it doesn’t roll off or worst still, injure yourself.
Step 5: Time to rim out the hole
Get your tire plug kit and use the tool that looks like a round file having a handle. This piece of material is used to rough up and clean the hole left by the nail before plugging.
Ram this tool through the hole by moving it up and down a couple of times to make it rough on the inside – don’t take this part for granted as it can make or mar the entire process. Do it thoroughly.
Step 6: Use the plug tool
Use the sticky tar worm-like object in your plug kit. Start by peeling it off and trying threading it through a tool in the kit that looks like a big needle. You probably have to squeeze the end of the worm to get it to enter the eye of the big needle. Once this is done, pull the thread and ensure it is centralized on the big needle.
Step 7: Plug the puncture
Once step 6 is achieved, put the plug tool containing the thread into the punctured part and apply the right amount of pressure and ensure the thread sinks into the hole.
Ensure about half an inch sticks out. Yank out the plug tool, and as you will notice, the thread will be in the hole. You can use a razor or scissors to trim the thread, but if none is available, you can do it later.
Step 8: Pump your tire
You can proceed to pump your tire using the specified PSI of your vehicle and confirm you have done a proper job by ensuring the air you pumped in isn’t leaking. Once you ascertain the leaking status, fix back your tire into the original position and tighten the bolts and nuts adequately.
A flat caused by a broken bottle might not be easily fixed with a plug tool since you will be likely left with a wide gash. If this is the case, you will be better off using your spare tire or better still, using the services of a car repair professional.
Can glass mess up a tire?
As stated earlier in the cause of writing this article, it all depends on the type of broken glass in question.
Tires are not your regular rubber that gets tilted by any sharp object; however, for a broken glass to have any serious impact on your tire it would have to have substantial weight and be positioned in such a way as to inflict damage.
Shattered glass from windscreens and windows cannot give your tire a blowout, or give you a puncture.
Can a stone puncture a tire?
Yes, they can. One of the common punctures you are likely to experience while driving will be caused by nails and screws.
However, if you happen to drive through a construction site, be wary of crushed stones which are likely to have sharp edges.
Unlike bottles that can be crushed under the weight of a tire, stones can’t, and depending on how sharp they are it can cause your tire to blow out.
Is it legal to plug a car tire?
Yes, it is very legal to plug a car tire as long as the punctures are made in specific places of the tire.
Taking it to an accredited repair shop also keeps you in good stead regarding the law.
How many times can a tire be plugged?
Based on experts’ recommendations, a tire should not be plugged in more than twice. If a third puncture occurs, kindly use your spare tire until you are buoyant enough to get a new tire.
Also, if the two holes have a minimum distance of 16 inches from each other, you are advised to get a new one.
Final Thoughts
I hope you now know the broken glass to avoid and the ones to crush with the mighty weight of your tire.
Am I the only one who enjoys the sound of crushed broken glass as I drive across? Kindly let me know in the comment section. Cheers!!!
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I am passionate about all things automotive and have a deep understanding of the topic. As a mechanic, I use my free time to share knowledge of everyday challenges that any car owner can experience – helping you make informed decisions about tires.