What can happen to a car tire?
Lots of things.
And none of them fun.
– Puncture by nail, glass, rock, road debris, knife
– Wear a hole
– Knock tire off rim (pothole, slam a curb)
Small punctures can be repaired, either by a fix-a-flat or by patching. Anyone can try a can of fix-a-flat. Patching requires the ability to get a tire on and off the rim; this requires special tools.
Worn holes cannot be repaired.
Tires knocked off the rim can be put back on. This requires special tools.
What are your options?
If it’s a small puncture, go to an auto parts store and get a can of fix-a-flat and follow the directions.
Tip: in addition to having the tools to change a tire, maybe also carry a can of fix-a-flat.
Otherwise, you’ll need to go to a mechanic, a tire store, or some other place that can do the work. Before going anywhere, call around to get an idea as to what it will cost and how soon they can get to you. Before calling, you will need to know what you need. If it’s a repairable issue, ask if they do repairs (like patching or putting tires back on rims).
Typically, you want all four tires to be the same. If not, you would want them to be matching pairs (a front pair and a rear pair). If you have no other choice, mismatch until you can get a pair. It’s a safety and maintenance issue; you want your tires to be wearing out uniformly so that your car drives normally.
The first thing you have to know is what type of car you have. You’ll need to know the Year, Make, and Model (such as a “2006 Scion Xa” or “99 Jeep Cherokee LS”).
Next, you have to know what tires you have on your car. Even if you are having a problem with only one tire, you should go on and inventory all four of them.
List them as RF (right-front), LF, RR (right-rear), LR and note the brand and size. The information is on the side of the tire. Take a picture, write it down.
The size will be a set of numbers, symbols, and letters like 185/60R14 or 185/55R15 or something similar. You may have to take a damp rag and wipe the tire clean in order to read the numbers.
The brand will be something like Goodyear, BFGoodrich, Firestone, Uniroyal, etc.
Once you know what you have, you can do some research.
There are lots of brands, some better than others. Some are a lot more expensive than others. Tires are rated for mileage. If you have an older car and drive 10,000-15,000 miles a year, a tire rated for 50,000 miles can last you 3-4 years. Research reviews to get an idea as to what you can expect for your money. Prices can range from $40-400.
Once you have an idea as to what you need, Google for “tire repair near me”. Do another Google for “tire stores near me”. And lastly, if it’s not on the last list, Google for “Walmart tires near me”.
Make some calls and figure out where you want to go. Make sure the prices you get include the tire, installation, and other related cost.
More than likely, wherever you go they will try to sell you a complete set of tires or a pair of tires. If your tires are in terrible shape, you may have no choice but to replace all four of them. That’s life. A small unfortunate bump can have a large, unplanned impact on your wallet. It’s up to you as to what you are willing to risk and what you can afford. If you have to, simply thank the person for their recommendation and tell them that you will get back to them, but for the moment all you want is to get back on the road.
A few other things to keep in mind. Tires have to be balanced or they will wobble (and that’s unsafe). The tire people will do this and it will cost a little extra. Also, your wheels may need an alignment – especially if you have slammed a curb. If you need it, you don’t necessarily have to do it immediately, but you will have to do it sooner than later. Find out what it cost and make plans for it. Wheel alignment affects fuel efficiency, tire wear, tire performance, vehicle handling and maneuverability. Wheel alignment is a big factor in a vehicle’s steering response.
From time to time, you’ll want to check your tires’ tread. If it is wearing thin (referred to as “going bald”), you will need to plan on replacing them – especially if they are not going to pass a state inspection.
Also, check the sidewalls to see if any metal is showing. Tires have woven steel belts in them and when the metal is showing, you are going to have to replace the tires.
NOTE: if anyone ever works on your tires, before paying for the work, verify that you have your spare tire! The last thing you want is to have a problem on the road and find that someone “forgot” to put your spare back in the vehicle.
As with most things in life, tires, tire maintenance, and cars in general for that matter, give us bumps in the road. Hopefully, this will give you what you need to navigate forward.
-YMMV
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