Tyre blowouts aren’t a pretty sight. If you’re lucky, you will just spew rubber everywhere and clunk safely to the side of the road. If you’re not lucky, you could end up in a bad situation. It’s probably best you know how to handle your car in case of a tyre blowout. But we here at Tyre Busters to help you avoid such a situation by letting you know when to change your tyres. Because nothing lasts forever. Especially your tyres, sadly.
What Is In A Tyre?
Although tyres don’t last forever, they are usually made to last for quite a long time. Depending on how long you’ve had your tyres and how many miles you’ve put on them, you should have your tires for at least a few years before having to replace them. But what makes a tire so sturdy? Isn’t it just rubber and metal? How does your tyre actually keep your car floating comfortably above the road? Your tyre is made of several layers.
Inner Layer
The first layer on the inside is the “Inner Layer.” Before contemporary tyres came along we all used innertubes to inflate our tires. These were actual rubber tube placed around the wheel and then inflated. Today, innertubes are either used for bike wheels or riding down snowy slopes. But the inner layer of your tyre is there to seal the air in.
Carcass Ply
This is the bones of your tyre. They give your tyre the strength it needs to withstand the harsh bumps on the road without breaking apart.
Beads
The beads of your tyre are there to create a tight seal against the drum of your wheel. They are rigid and clamp firmly to your wheel.
Sidewall
The sidewall is the shock system of your tyre. They keep your tyre from losing shape.
Crown Plies
Crown plies are the foundation for your tread. They keep the tread ridged so that it can grip the highway while you grind gears.
Tread
This is the part of the tyre that actually keeps you on the road. If this is worn away, you slide all over the place and spin your wheels.
What Are Some Indications I Need To Change My Tyres
You may not always be able to suss out your tyre damage or know when to change your tyres. But some damage can be completely obvious and there are some metrics to go by when assessing your tyres.
Damage
As we pointed out in the section above, your sidewall is important in keeping your tyre rigid. If there is damage to your sidewall, you might need to change your tyre.
If you notice a bubble in the sidewall of your tyre, don’t drive your vehicle. Change it out with the spare and take it to your tyre specialist. (Tyre Busters is a great bet.)
A bubble in your tyre means there has been serious internal damage to the tyre. Its integrity has been compromised. We can’t stress enough how important it is you do not drive on a tyre with this kind of damage.
If you notice a cut in your sidewall, see if it’s deep. If it is, take it in to get seen. This may not be a problem, but better safe than sorry when it comes to your tyres. Tyres can be a matter of life and death with cars.
Puncture wounds on tires sometimes penetrate all the way through. The greatest offenders are usually screws. If you notice something sticking into your tire, leave it there and drive to your nearest tyre mechanic.
If you have a long way to drive still, switch to the spare.
If it’s structural damage, sometimes a puncture on the side can cause structural damage, you will have to replace your tyre. But if it’s not, a puncture can be a straightforward tyre repair.
Performance
Another indication you might need to replace your tyres is performance degradation.
One performance issue could be a loss of air. If you find yourself topping up your tyres once a week or more, you probably have something wrong with your tyres.
You should be checking your tyres’ air regularly anyway. But if you are and you’re finding them low on the regular, then you should take them in to get checked out by a tyre specialist.
Do you feel a bit of vibration in the wheel while driving? Do your tyres hum more than usual on the highway?
Your wheels might be off balance, or there might be something more serious going on. Get a qualified mechanic to check out your wheels and your tyres.
Tread Wear
If your tyres wear too thin, you could risk a blowout. The tread on your tyre is there to protect you and keep you on the road. It’s important to monitor the tread on your tyres and have your tyres rotated every 5,000 miles to keep them healthy.
But what constitutes a too worn tread on a tyre?
Tyres can wear unevenly if not rotated properly. You can have your tyres wear on one side if they’re attached to the front end of a rear-wheel-drive vehicle.
To combat this, some mechanics will simply over-inflate your tyres to make them run on the center of the tyre.
This is a neat trick as it allows the tread to wear in the middle. But if a customer doesn’t know to keep the tyre at that pressure, the wheel will eventually go back to rubbing on the thin tread again.
Rotating your tyres will keep this from happening.
To check your tyres, get a 10c coin. Place it in the tread. If the outside band of the coin is hidden, your tread is still good.
Age
One more thing you should consider when thinking about your tyres and when to change them: age. Climates can be harsh on tyres, especially here in Australia.
Pay attention to the warranties on your tyres. If you’re rotating your tyres on a regular basis, they should last the warranty and more. If you are coming up on the warranty end, make sure you are even more vigilant about tyre breakdown.
Conclusion:
Your tyres are an important aspect of your vehicle. We want you to stay safe and take care of your tyres.