How do you know if your tire is bad


Do you want to know what are the signs of a bad tire?

Do you want to know what are the signs of a bad tire?

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Phil's Service

503 S 2nd St
Killeen, TX 76541

05

Mar,

 2020

When it comes to vehicle maintenance, tires are often the most overlooked parts. If your tires are not in good condition, your vehicle will not handle properly and the chances of an accident while driving will increase. Thus, it is crucial to keep up with the regular tire service.

So what are the signs of a bad tire? Here are several obvious signs you will notice:
  • Noisy Tires – Constant humming or thumping sounds that change with speed is sign damage due to lack of rotation, a failing suspension component, or locking brakes.
  • Wobbling – Wobbling is the most obvious sign of a bad tire, usually felt at only low speeds. You can feel the car bounce and possibly the steering wheel move. This is caused by a bubble in the tread which can happen when the internal belts separate allowing the pressurized air to press against the tread.
  • Tread Depth – Check the tread depth. If it has fallen below the safe mark, new tires are needed.
  • Poor Traction – If the tread is too low and there is no grip on the road, your car may start to slide with the smallest movement. In wet conditions, you may start to hydroplane, a situation where water causes the tire to lift off the road and lose all traction.
  • Defective Tire – A tire may vibrate constantly due to a defect that cannot be balanced.

If you notice any of the problems above while driving, immediately reduce your speed and drive with caution until you can safely pull off the road.

Remember that a tire repair will only last so long and then give out. If a tire is damaged, replace it with your spare and then get to your auto shop as soon as possible. Most of the problems listed above cannot be repaired and new tires will be required.

Concerned about what are the signs of a bad tire? Contact our ASE Certified technicians at Phil’s Service today to find out more about regular tire service and to schedule an appointment. Our auto shop proudly serves residents in the community of Killeen, TX, and the surrounding area.

Wondering what are the signs of a bad tire? Keep up with regular tire service, including proper air pressure, tire rotations, wheel alignment, and tire balancing.

When it comes to vehicle maintenance, tires are often the most overlooked parts. If your tires are not in good condition, your vehicle will not handle properly and the chances of an accident while driving will increase. Thus, it is crucial to keep up with the regular tire service.

So what are the signs of a bad tire? Here are several obvious signs you will notice:
  • Noisy Tires – Constant humming or thumping sounds that change with speed is sign damage due to lack of rotation, a failing suspension component, or locking brakes.
  • Wobbling – Wobbling is the most obvious sign of a bad tire, usually felt at only low speeds. You can feel the car bounce and possibly the steering wheel move. This is caused by a bubble in the tread which can happen when the internal belts separate allowing the pressurized air to press against the tread.
  • Tread Depth – Check the tread depth. If it has fallen below the safe mark, new tires are needed.
  • Poor Traction – If the tread is too low and there is no grip on the road, your car may start to slide with the smallest movement. In wet conditions, you may start to hydroplane, a situation where water causes the tire to lift off the road and lose all traction.
  • Defective Tire – A tire may vibrate constantly due to a defect that cannot be balanced.

If you notice any of the problems above while driving, immediately reduce your speed and drive with caution until you can safely pull off the road.

Remember that a tire repair will only last so long and then give out. If a tire is damaged, replace it with your spare and then get to your auto shop as soon as possible. Most of the problems listed above cannot be repaired and new tires will be required.

Concerned about what are the signs of a bad tire? Contact our ASE Certified technicians at Phil’s Service today to find out more about regular tire service and to schedule an appointment. Our auto shop proudly serves residents in the community of Killeen, TX, and the surrounding area.

Ron Phillips

Ron Phillips

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7 Warning Signs You Need New Tires ASAP

Tires get old. Tread gets worn down. Rubber gets hot and deteriorates. But you’re not a tire scientist! How do identify those problems and find out when you need new car tires? There are 7 distinct signs that should sound the alarm and prompt you to visit your local tire store, mechanic or service center.

1. Tread Depth

Your tires are designed with a certain type of tread. This helps the tires grip the road and maintain traction. As with everything, that tread will wear down over time and become less effective at doing its job. If your car has bald tires or uneven tread wear, you’ll begin noticing your car slipping on wet surfaces during turns or quick stops and accelerations.

Knowing when your tire depth is too low is easier than you’d think. The common “coin test” can be employed to see if the tread is below the recommended replacement level of 1/16”. You can also look for your tire’s tread wear indicator bars; these indicators become more and more visible as your tread wears down, and it’s a clear sign that your tires need to be replaced once those bars become visible.

Of course, for your safety, it’s best to consult with a mechanic at your service center or tire shop. They’ll help you investigate your tire problems and identify solutions.

2. Air Leaks

A slow air leak in your tire – for instance, your PSI drops by 1 in a week – may indicate a small repairable puncture or something as simple as a bent rim lifting the space between the tire and wheel.

However, any sudden or overnight drop in PSI indicates your tire’s been punctured. Inspect the sidewalls for signs of debris or holes. Carefully run your hands around the tire tread to feel for any foreign objects. You can also fill up your tire with an air compressor and feel around the tire for any leaks.

3. Sidewall Damage

Because of their soft material, the sides of your tire are more prone to damage than the actual rubber-meets-the-road tread. Fortunately, sidewall tire damage can be much more evident to the naked or untrained eye. Look out for the following:

  • Cracks – Cracks, cuts or deep scrapes on the side of tires can develop into a leak or even a blowout. Tiny scrapes are normal, but any deep gouge or lengthy groove in the sidewall should be inspected for visible signs of separation.
  • Bulges or Blisters – Sidewalls will bubble or bulge when the surface begins to weaken. Age, prolonged exposure to heat and general defects can cause pinch shocks, or blisters, to form on your tire, and they signal that your vehicle is not safe to drive. The risk of a sudden blowout and further damage to your suspension is high.
  • Punctures – If a nail, screw or piece of debris punctures and gets lodged in your tire’s sidewall, it’s not repairable. Patches can be applied to punctured tread, but the risk of sudden tire failure is greatly increased with a patched tire sidewall. You’ll have to buy a new tire to replace the damaged one.
  • Cords – If you can see the internal sidewall cords – this is the (typically) nylon mesh that’s fitted 3/16” in the sidewall – it’s time to replace them.

4. Your Car Shakes While Driving

Although road vibrations can be caused by many problems – broken shock absorbers, for instance – bad tires may be the culprit. If your car shakes madly, especially at high speeds or on newly paved roads, you should pull over and assess the vehicle’s tires. The issue may be a missing valve cap, misalignment or something more dangerous, like loose lug nuts.

5. TPMS Warnings

Your tire pressure monitoring system’s sensors could be defective, but it’s best to know for sure. A visit to your auto service center will allow you to hit 2 birds with 1 stone: They’ll inspect your tires and check your TPMS. If the TPMS flashes a warning again, you may need to have your mechanic use a magnifying glass to find the problem.

6. Age

Have you ever replaced your tires? Even if you aren’t experiencing any problems, it’s a good practice to replace vehicle tires per the manufacturer’s recommended milestone. These replacement intervals vary by manufacturer but expect to replace tires between 5 and 10 years after their initial installation. (Spare tires should be replaced along with your full set, too.)

If you’re not sure how old your tires are, you can identify the manufactured date on the sidewall. The four-digit code, handed out by the Department of Transportation (DOT), is found at the end of the string of identifying numbers; the first two digits indicate the week in which the tire was made, while the last two digits indicate the year. For instance, a tire with a four-digit code of “1019” would have been manufactured in the 10th week of the year 2019.

7. You’re Driving on a Donut

No. Don’t do it. Spare tires aren’t made for long-term use; they’re quick fixes, a way to get you home safely after a flat tire. Follow the 50-50 general rule of thumb when it comes to donuts: That is, don’t drive more than 50 miles total, and never go over 50 mph.

Why? There are myriad reasons why spare tires aren’t safe to drive more than once or twice. For one, donuts are far less durable than normal tires, which use steel and polyester and nylon to strengthen their cores. Spare tires, on the other hand, use the minimum number of steel belts and polyester plies required to be “safe to drive.” Because they’re thinner, spares are more prone to punctures and have greatly reduced cornering ability.

Proper, routine tire service and maintenance can extend the life of your tires. However, all tires will need to be replaced eventually—it’s just a matter of when. If you need a new set of tires in Sedalia, come to McCarthy Toyota. We carry a wide range of tire brands for sale, including Firestone, Dunlop, Michelin and more. Contact our Sedalia tire shop and Toyota dealership at 660-826-5400 to schedule an appointment.

McCarthy Toyota of Sedalia is located at 3110 West Broadway in Sedalia, MO. We serve customers and drivers in Whiteman AFB and Knob Noster, MO.

Categories: Service | Tags: Driving on a Donut, How to Check Tire, New Tire Service, New Tires | Permalink

How to tell if a tire is worn out | Practical advice | Auto

Irina Zverkova

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

136184

RIA Novosti

Tires are one of the most important components of a vehicle to ensure driving safety. Proper use of summer and winter tires during the season improves handling and saves the car owner money. But some drivers not only postpone changing tires depending on the weather, but also continue to use the same tires for several seasons. At the same time, wheel wear becomes more and more, and the threat that the tires will not cope with holding the car increases.

The tire tread is responsible for connecting the car to the road. This is the outer layer of rubber, which contains a certain pattern, suitable for different operating conditions. For summer tires, the removal of water from the contact patch is relevant, for winter tires - improved grip on slippery surfaces, for off-road tires - maximum cross-country ability. Regardless of the purpose of the tire, one of the important characteristics of the tread is its height or depth. This is the distance from the outer edge of the tire to the "bottom" of the groove. For new modern car tires, the height starts from 5 mm. For ordinary summer passenger tires, this value is 6–8 mm, for winter tires it is 8–10 mm, for SUVs it is 15–20 mm.

When the tread wears out (decrease in its depth), the driving properties first of all suffer: the car is more prone to aquaplaning. Winter tires lose some of their properties, which are provided by special sipes and studs. It is important to consider that different brands and models have different rubber composition, so some wheels “run” longer. The driving style also affects wear - more aggressive starts and active braking shorten the life of the tire.

9 is considered critical for tire wear0022 tread height of 1.6 mm for summer tires and 4 mm for winter .

Height can be measured using the ruler with the depth gauge or vernier caliper.

Those who do not have such tools can use a regular 10-kopeck coin placed in one of the grooves. If the word "kopecks" is hidden, it means that the tire is almost new and does not require replacement. If the tread covers only the floral ornament on the winter tire, then it will soon need to be changed; if it’s in the summer, the replacement will have to wait. If only the rim of the coin is hidden, you need to urgently install new tires.

On the left is a worn tire, on the right is a nearly new tire. Photo: AiF / Irina Zverkova

Many modern manufacturers make wear indicator on tires (this is a protrusion perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the tire) or lay a special colored layer that becomes visible when the tire is erased. Their manifestation serves as a signal for the car owner to change tires.

It is important to monitor not only the tread depth, but also the wear uniformity . To be sure that the wheel is in good condition, it is better to measure the tread depth at different places around the circumference along the entire width of the tire. If the inner or outer part is worn out more, then the wear of the tread is taken into account at a minimum value, and it is better for the owner to check the wheel alignment / collapse of the car.

If the vehicle has frequently been driven on bumpy roads, climbed curbs, or the tires have been run half-flat, the sidewalls may have dents, holes, cuts or cracks . It is better to check their condition at the tire shop before the wheel is flat at the most inopportune moment. For example, it may not withstand the loads in a turn, burst and provoke an emergency. You should be especially careful about such damage on low-profile tires.

On average, tires last about 6 seasons , after which it is better to replace them. Improper storage and aggressive riding can shorten the lifespan. You also need to pay attention to the expiration date of the tire and the date of its production when buying, because polymers, unlike metal, can break down and lose their properties over time.

If it is not possible to update all four tires, then, as a last resort, you can put new rubber on the drive wheels. But needs to be changed exactly a pair of , otherwise the vehicle's handling may be severely impaired.

See also: When to change tires to summer tires →

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How to tell if a tire is worn

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03/20/2017

How to determine tire wear? At first glance, everything seems simpler than simple, it is necessary to divide the remaining tread height by the original height, however, the result of these actions will be erroneous. So how do you know when it's time to start thinking about buying new tires?


To find out the residual tread height, you need to measure both tires from the same axle and select the minimum tread height from the obtained ones.

According to the traffic rules, 2 mm is a critical mark, but it should be understood that this indicator can only be applied to summer tires, and even then not to all. Winter will lose its main characteristics already by 4 mm. Therefore, your real minimum tread will be in the range from 2 to 4 mm, depending on the type of tire, seasonality, as well as on your individual operating conditions.

How to measure the tire tread height with hand tools?

For such a simple measurement, you will need any suitable device: for example, a caliper or a ruler with a depth gauge. You can also use an ordinary coin inserted into one of the grooves on the tire. If the tread hides only the rim of the coin, you need to change the tire, but if half the coin is hidden, then there is no point in thinking about buying a new one. However, with such a measurement, the accuracy of your measurements suffers, and you will not receive accurate data on the uniformity of wear.


The tire tread height must be measured at a minimum of 6 points. For example, in the center and on both edges of the tread, as well as at points around the circumference of the tire. Important: the measurement results at all points must match !


Uneven wear indicates the following:

1. The tread is higher at the edges than at the center. This indicates that the tire has been inflated for a long time. As a result of this use, the load on the power carcass of the tire has been increased. Driving on this tire is not recommended.

2. Tread higher in the center than at the edges means the tire has not been underinflated. If there are no obvious signs of driving on a completely flat tire (the pattern is erased from the upper part of the sidewalls), then you can still ride on such a tire, but even in this case, wear must be determined by the minimum tread height.

3. The tread is unevenly worn across the width (one of the edges of the tire is worn out). Such wear indicates a faulty vehicle suspension.

4. The tread is worn unevenly around the wheel circumference (the central or side blocks have different heights at different points on the circumference). Such wear indicates the "extreme" preferences of the owner. The tire has most likely seen extreme braking and/or acceleration. This tire can be safely scrapped.

5. Erased pattern (pattern) in the upper part of the sidewall of the tire (junction with the tread area - the rubber is “chewed”). A similar defect is the result of a long drive on a badly flat tire. This tire is not recommended.

6. Different tread wear on two tires from a pair (from the same axle). Such wear indicates a malfunction of the suspension (wheel alignment). If the difference in tread height is greater than 1 mm, there is a risk of uncontrolled skidding if such a pair of wheels is installed on the front axle of the car.


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