Dealing With Tire Damage On Your Car Or Truck

The tires on your vehicle are durable, but damage can occur in the right situation. If road damage occurs, you will need to take the tire to a tire repair shop to determine if they can fix it or if replacement is the best option. 

Road Damage

Tire damage often is the result of running over something in the road like a nail, screw, or another sharp object. If the tread is cut or punctured, the air will leak from the tire, and eventually, it will go flat. 

Tire repair is often possible if the leak is caused by a small puncture, but if the tread is sliced or cut deeply, the damage may be too much for the tire shop to fix. The best way to determine if the tire is repairable is to take it to a shop and have a tire technician inspect the damage for you. 

When pictures happen, the tire tech can often install a self-vulcanizing tire plug in the hole, but this does not work for cuts in the tire. The plug must fill the entire hole and seal the tire, or it will not work. Putting several plugs in the cut together will not work because there are too many gaps around them, and they can not seal the hole.

Roadside Repair

Some tire shops offer roadside tire repair if you are broken down on the side of the road and don't have a spare or the tools needed to change the tire. Typically the service will have a truck with all the tools required to change your tire and install the space or repair the tire on the vehicle. 

If plugging the tire while it is on the car or truck is possible, the tech will repair the tire without removing it and then refill the tire with air for you. If the tire is damaged and needs to come off the car, the roadside service will have a jack and the necessary tools to take the tire off for you and install the spare. 

SIdewall Or Bead Damage

The sidewall of your tires is the thinnest part, and the rubber is designed to flex but still provide support for the tire and vehicle. If you cut a tire sidewall, the structural integrity of the tire becomes compromised. Typically this means replacement is the only option you have.

The bead around the tire opening is equally crucial because it provides a seal between the tire and the rim. If the bead becomes damaged, it will also mean the tire is not repairable. However, more often than not, a leak at the bead is because of a bent or damaged wheel, not the tire. The tire shop, however, will look over the wheel and tire to determine if repair is possible. 


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