Why Do Tyres Go Flat? 7 Common Causes
It can hardly be more annoying than to find a flat tyre when you want to go somewhere on time. You may have a flat tyre when you are in a hurry to work or when you have some plans to go out somewhere, on a weekend. It is important to understand what makes the tyres go flat so that you can save yourself the inconveniences. Whether it is sharp things on the road or normal deterioration, among other factors, there are a number of reasons why your Tyres Leicester may shoulder air. What are the most frequent causes? Let us see.
1. Sharp Objects: The Most Common Culprit
The most common cause of flat tyres is sharp objects. Potential killers of tyres in roads include nails that have fallen off construction sites, screws that have fallen off cars, broken glasses, and metal debris of all kinds.
They have the capacity of piercing through the rubber present in the tyre when you drive past it, causing a hole through which air travels out. In some cases puncture is sudden and spectacular making your tyre blow up in a very short time.
2. Valve Stem Problems: The Weak Link
The small bit of rubber or even metal is where you put the air in your tyre and is known as the valve stem. Though it is just a very small component, it is instrumental in ensuring that you have correctly inflated tyres. When valve stems are broken, chipped or corroded, they are not able to provide an adequate seal.
Problems of valve stems are most often met in cars that are aged or tyres that have been in the bizarre weather condition. The rubber may also be destroyed with time especially under extreme temperature. Metal valve stems might also react with road salt and chemicals causing corrosion.
3. Normal Wear and Tear: Time Takes Its Toll
Tyres will always wear out regardless of the ideal driving styles. The rubber is a slowly degrading mix and will lose its treads by a fraction after each mile you drive. This wears will eventually result in flat tyres.
The rubber gets stiffer as the tyres wear out and cracks easily. Such fine cracks may grow in size to form big cracks through which air can escape. Also, the tread of worn tyres is quite thin thus easily punctured by things that may not pierce through a recent tyre of the same type and brand.
4. Collisions and Impact Damage
The tyres may be damaged and go flat immediately, due to hitting kerbs, potholes, or any objects. The effect may form a cut, a bulge, or a structural damage that destroys the tyre capacity to hold air.
Other times the damage is not so easily noticeable. You may drive off thinking that everything has been alright, and later on find out that you have a flat tyre hours or days later. Impact damage may ruin the internal structure of the tyre and give it a chance to fail during ordinary driving.
5. Over-Inflation: Too Much of a Good Thing
Although a lot of focus has been given to under-inflated tyres, over-inflated tyres may bring havoc as well. The presence of excess air in the tyres makes them hard and they cannot cushion the impact of the road on them easily.
Potholes, debris or sharp objects are more inclined to puncture the tyres that are over-inflated since they are unable to bend and reduce the impact adequately. The over-pressure also focuses on the wear towards the middle of the tread lessening the overall life of the tyre.
6. Under-Inflation: The Silent Problem
Tyres that are under inflated are exposed to more chances of damages and failures. Lack of air causes flexing of the tyres due to which heat is produced and intensifies the rubber as well as the internal structure of the tyres. This increases their liabilities to punctures and blow ups.
When tyre pressure is low, it also creates a large contact surface between the road and the tyre such that there are great chances of the tyre being punctured by sharp objects. The structural failure can occur because the edges of under-inflated tyres wear quicker.
Prevention: Your Best Defence
You have your part to play in helping to prevent flat tyres by having good driving habits, looking after your vehicle properly and being aware of what is going on around them on the road. You will keep most flat tyre situations out of harm's way by checking your tyre pressures (at least once a month), visually looking for damage, and being mindful of how your car feels and performs.
Please remember that your tyres are your only contact with the road. Looking after your tyres will not only help you avoid inconvenient breakdowns, it will protect you from serious injury to yourself and your passengers too.
Conclusion
Flat tyres are a real thing that can occur from driving. By keeping an eye on your driving, checking tyre air pressures, and acting as wear and tear occurs, you should be able to reduce your risk of a flat tyre significantly. If you do have a flat tyre despite your effort to prevent one occurring, knowing how this occurred can help you prevent the situation with help of Mobile Tyre Fitting Leicester arising when you use your vehicle in the future.
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