Aye Caramba! My Tire’s Flat! What to Do to Avoid Flats
You feel pretty good about your new tires you just picked up from a Utah auto repair shop. You paid a lot of money for them and want to keep those tires lasting for… well forever would be nice. Here are some tips to help keep your tires in good order, which will decrease your chance of getting a flat.
Before going further you need to make sure that you have the proper tools to change your tire if you do ever have a flat tire. Don’t forget to check the condition of your spare tire. If you don’t have a spare you’ll want to keep a 12 volt air pump and a can of fix-a-flat (you cannot patch a tire that has fix-a-flat in it) in your vehicle.
Periodically checking the tread depth is our first tip to avoiding a flat. To check, place a penny upside down in the tread. You’ll know it’s time to get new tires when you see the top of Lincoln’s head. Buying all 4 tires at the same time can save you some money, so don’t forget to rotate them. If you purchased your tires at a Utah auto repair shop, most will rotate the tires for free. This also helps you to avoid flats since you’re not wearing down the same spot for the life of the tire.
Tire rot is an issue that many people don’t know about. Tire rot is small cracks on the sidewall of a tire. This happens when the rubber breaks down, so if you have older tires take a look at the sidewalls.
Proper tire pressure keeps your tires lasting longer. Besides helping with gas mileage, properly inflated tires don’t cause as much stress to the sidewalls. Stress on the sidewall increases dry rot.
2007 model year vehicles and newer have a built in tire pressure monitoring system. You can also install an aftermarket tire pressure monitoring system for vehicles built before 2007.
Valve stems are next on the list. Dry rot can also appear in valve stems and cause them to fail. It takes about 10 minutes, at little cost, for your Utah auto repair shop to replace a valve stem.
Last on the list is to be careful of where you drive. Beware of pot holes, sharp rocks, bad train tracks, etc. Keep clear of construction areas where possible since you may pick up a nail or a staple. Take care of your tires and they will last longer and you’ll much more likely to avoid a flat.