Tyres are the pushing force of the automobile industry. A tyre is essential for the core functioning of the car. To ensure that a car moves smoothly on different kinds of surfaces, tyres are made of rubber. Usually, this rubber is either natural or composite and differs from brand to brand as well as by price and size of the tyres installable on a vehicle. This is why tyres on a monster truck differ so much from the ones installed onto a car.
Being made of rubber and its composites, car tyres are known to wear over time. In fact, they get worn a little every time they are taken on a trip. This is because tyres not only have to face harsh roads but also fight challenging weather conditions. Tyre damages are, however, visible with the naked eye. If noticed, the car should be immediately brought to the attention of tyre replacement service providers and get a car tyre replacement service as soon as possible. Driving a car with tyre damages should be completely avoided as it can potentially lead to accidents and damages.
With that in mind, here are some of the most common physical signs one should look out for. These signs should help one assess the health of car tyres and bring it to the attention of tyre replacement and repair shops.
1. Bulges and bubbles:
Bulges and bubbles are some of the easiest signs to spot physical damage in a car tyre. The presence of bubbles or bulges on the side or central exterior of a car tyre indicates that a car’s internal frame has been damaged by an internal or an external factor. Once such signs are spotted on a tyre, one needs to ensure that a car undergoes a tyre replacement service as soon as possible.
Bubbles and bulges weaken frame layers of the car tyre, allowing the air filled inside the tyres to escape all the way through to the exterior layers of the tyre. Since this damage is considered critical, one must ensure that tyres are immediately brought to the attention of car tyre replacement service providers, even though other things like tyre tread are an acceptable pass.
2. Noticeable damage:
Some tyre damages can be easily spotted in the blink of an eye. Easy-to-spot damages usually occur when a tyre undergoes an abnormal wear pattern over a certain period. Things like improper wheel alignments, unbalanced wheel inflations, or improper tyre rotation. Perhaps, chances are that a tyre might undergo all of these and lead to faster damage within a short time.
3. Bad valve caps:
Valve caps are responsible for holding the air pressure-tight inside the tyres. They feature a nut-bolt-like tightening design with the inlet from where the air is filled inside the car tyre. This mechanism wears over time as there comes a time when the caps cannot be tightened enough. Valve caps keep on loosening continuously posing a threat to the safety of tubes inside the cars. A perfectly seated valve cap assures that excessive turns don’t end up damaging the stem of the inlet by stripping through it. This can eventually a car owner to go for tyre replacement service.
Moreover, valve caps are made of plastic. This plastic is quite delicate and weakens overtime after being continuously exposed to sunlight and harsh weather conditions. Making use of a broken valve cap to cover the air inlet can expose a car tyre to various elements like moisture, debris, and dirt to enter the tyre. Visiting a car tyre replacement service provider and getting a valve cap installed can greatly help one save money and save tyres from critical damage.
4. Trimmed tread:
A tread is associated with the thickness of a car tyre. It is generally determined in 32nds fraction of an inch. 9/32” and 11/32” are some of the best examples of tyres with different treads. Being made of rubber, car tyres keep on trimming this tread level as they are driven on road. Once the tread size reaches down to 2/32”, it poses a danger to the car owner and the safety of the car.
Something as simple as a penny test or referring to tyre tread gauge can help determine the depth of tyre treads from time to time. Driving a car with weak treads can lead to events like shredding of tyres in pieces and heavy damage to tyre tubes if they are driven on harsh terrains. Hence, one should always focus on going for car tyre replacement service whenever critical tread levels are detected.
5. Vibrating tyres:
Vibration is a known effect caused by worn tyres. Uneven tyres are known to affect a smooth driving experience by often making car drivers feel an excessive disturbance in the steering wheel while driving. Apart from regular wear and tear, vibrations are also known to be caused by poor tyre rotations and wheel alignments. Since there can be multiple reasons behind vibrating tyres, one should ensure that the car tyres are properly assessed by the tyre replacement service providers before any action is taken.
6. Sidewall damage:
As tyres tend to age, they mostly come across the issue of sidewall damage. Different factors like age, conditions as well as the way a car is driven, determines how the sidewalls of tyres are affected. Apart from that, the natural degradation of rubber also plays a crucial role in determining the health of tyre sidewalls. One of the best examples that represent rubber degradation is brittle and cracked old rubber bands.
Tyres degrade similarly as well. Despite storing them in the most favorable conditions, tyres are known to degrade and eventually, crack over time. While cracking is known to be caused by excessive heat, sunlight, dirt as well as exposure to ozone; Cuts are known to occur when tyre faces a powerful force from objects like rocks, gravels, and shrapnel on road.
7. Pierced tyres:
Tyres are known to get damaged when something like stones and nails pierces through them. Whenever something is lodged inside the car tyre, one must ensure that it is immediately brought to the attention of tyre specialist. Ignoring an embedded element inside the car tyre can lead to critical damage in the long run. Rusting due to moisture and bursting tyre tubes are some of the common effects of driving a car with embedded tyres.
These are some of the common warning signals one must be aware of while owning a car. A proper inspection of car tyres and regular tyre maintenance from time to time assures a driver the confidence of driving with safety.