Tires are easily the most important piece of equipment, safety wise, on your vehicle. After all, your tires are the only thing physically connecting you to the road. As such how your car performs, and how other parts such as brakes and suspension, react all depends on your tires. Of course, if you get a flat tire, you won’t be getting far!
So what causes a flat tire? Can flat tires and blowouts be prevented?
Rough road conditions
Possibly the most annoying factor and one that is largely out of your control but rough road conditions can wreak havoc on wheels. When you hit a large pothole, it can cause significant stress on your tires. It will actually deform the rubber, pinch the internals and in extreme cases crack the seal.
Too much or too little air
Tire pressure is important and you should be making sure they are properly filled. These days vehicles are quipped with a tire pressure monitor which will tell you the exact tire pressure in there through a digital screen. If not, it’s easy to check with a simple tire pressure tool. Make sure the pressure in your tires is per the requirements set out by the manufacturer. Too little tire pressure can heat up quickly, and cause tiny cracks in the tire’s construction which will lead to a blowout. Likewise, too much air can contributed to a tough ride and more rapid wear. If you hit a pot hole or road hazard with an over inflated tire, you are a higher risk of a blowout!
Too much weight
Like your vehicle itself, your tires have a load limit. Do not load your vehicle over the limits of the tires and vehicle itself or you can cause too much stress on the tires which can crack and lead to a flat, or worse a blowout. Imagine a blown up balloon, if you exceed the weight it can hold it will pop. That’s just like your tires!
Not utilizing preventative care
You should inspect your tires at every maintenance interval to ensure they are in good condition. The number one cause of blowouts is usually tires in poor condition. Inspect your tires, make sure there is no debris or nails in the tires. If there is, have it removed and patched as required.
Drive safe!
