Will The Tire Shop Repair or Replace My Tire?
Tires are simple components on any vehicle, but they’re also essential to the car’s continued operation. If your vehicle’s tires aren’t up to standard, they won’t be able to get you from Point A to Point B satisfactorily. Of course, it pays to keep them in good working order by visiting a trustworthy tire shop for regular maintenance work.
But even the most thorough tire maintenance regimen won’t be able to extend your wheel lifespan indefinitely. And even if your tires don’t reach the end of their useful lifespan, they might need to be replaced if they sustain enough damage. Here, you’ll find guidance from the experts at Tate Boys Tire & Service on repairing, or even replacing, your tires.
How to Tell If Your Tire Is Repairable
Replacing a tire can be far more expensive than repairing it would be, so nobody wants to hear that they need tire replacement services. Still, keeping your tire on the road for too long could have real consequences, ranging from tread wear issues to a full-on blowout. Thus, it’s wise to do some research before visiting your local Tate Boys garage for tire repair.
Are you wondering what services your wheels may need? Keep reading to find out whether or not you can repair:
Punctured Tires
You might be able to fix your punctured tire, with the emphasis on “might.” In some cases, this type of damage can be too severe for even professional mechanics to repair. But let’s say your puncture is smaller than a quarter-inch in diameter. If it isn’t located in your tire’s shoulder or sidewall, there’s a good chance that repair services are an option.
Surprisingly enough, you might even be able to get away with a simple tire repair if you have multiple punctures. For that to be possible, your punctures can be no closer than 16 inches from each other, and you can’t have more than two punctures. If your punctures are too close to each other or you have too many, it’s time to look at your tire replacement options.
Run-Flat Tires
You won’t usually spend much time driving on a run-flat tire. These tires are solely intended to help you get around temporarily when one of your other tires goes flat. Still, run-flat tires have their own maintenance needs. If you drive on one of these tires with less than 15 psi, you may be unable to fix it.
Tires with Side Bubbles
Bubbling in your tire’s sidewall is usually the result of severe damage from factors such as:
- Overloading your tires’ weight capacity
- Hitting railroad tracks or speed bumps too quickly
- Driving over potholes or curbs
- Traveling with a flat tire
While side bubbles may not look like a particularly severe form of tire damage, you can’t repair tires with such issues. Instead, it’s best to shop for tires ASAP in order to protect your safety and the safety of your passengers.
Previously-Repaired Tires
Even if your tire has already been repaired, there’s no reason why you can’t fix it again. At least, that’s true if your new damage doesn’t overlap with a previously-fixed area. For example, a puncture far away from previous tire damage may be fixable. On the other hand, a puncture overlapping with existing tire damage means your tire should be replaced.
Tires Damaged in Car Accidents
When your tires are involved in a serious situation, they can easily sustain significant damage. Tires that have been cut or have had their treads separated in a car crash should always be replaced.
Old Tires
Since tires are made from rubber, they won’t last forever, and they might not last as long as you’d think. On average, motorists drive anywhere between 12,000 and 15,000 miles, annually. Based on that rate, you can expect a high-quality all-season tire to last three to five years. Careful maintenance can extend this lifespan, but it’s still best to wait no longer than six years for a tire replacement.
If your tires are getting older, you’ll want to keep a close eye out for the signs of damage listed above. At the same time, make a point of regularly checking for:
- Tread depth issues. A tire with dangerously-low tread depth can’t do its job correctly. To check your tread depth, take a penny and put it into your treads while the head is facing down. If you can see the top of the head, your tires are overdue for replacement.
- Tire pressure problems. “Normal” tires lose a pound of pressure per square inch monthly. Keep track of how your tire pressure changes over time; if your tires lose pressure faster than they should, it may be time to shop for tires.
Why Tire Maintenance is Crucial
Not even the most careful driver in Tulsa, Oklahoma, can completely avoid the threat of tire damage. Still, taking good care of your tires is an easy and effective way to extend their lifespan. Be sure to visit a reputable tire shop like Tate Boys when you need services like:
- Wheel alignment. It shouldn’t be surprising to learn that the angle of your tires can affect their overall well-being. Since tires are built to meet the road at one specific angle, you can encounter tire wear issues when they get out of whack. To avoid these issues, choose the ASE-certified mechanics at Tate Boys to adjust your suspension and re-align your wheels.
- Tire balancing. Another factor that can impact your tires’ performance levels is how much they weigh, which may vary from one tire to the next. When some tires are heavier than the rest, you could experience lower gas mileage, uneven tread wear, and other consequences. By attaching small weights to your lighter tires, the Tate Boys team can make your tires balanced once again.
- Tire rotation. Tire rotation may sound like tire balancing, but this is an entirely different service focusing on the location of your wheels. By following the correct tire rotation pattern for your vehicle, you can encourage your tires to wear at the same rate.
All You Need to Know About Matching Tires
As you can see, tire damage is a fact of life. In some cases, this damage is severe enough that one of your tires may need to be replaced. However, you might have to replace more tires than you expect. If you’re told that you should get two or even four new tires when only one has been damaged, it’s understandable to wonder why that might be the case.
The reason why you might need to replace extra tires is that wheels are designed to work together. To accomplish this goal, they need to be as similar as possible in terms of:
- Manufacturer
- Speed rating
- Size
- Load index
- Tread pattern
The best way to ensure your tires match as closely as possible is to install multiple new tires simultaneously. But this doesn’t mean you can’t mix and match tire varieties, you’ll just need to be careful about what you’re doing. As part of this, you’ll need to ensure the tires on each axle match brands and tread types. If your tires have different tread depths, put your older ones in front and your new tires in the rear.
Visit Oklahoma’s Most Reliable Tire Shop
Do you need to schedule tire maintenance, set up tire repair, or shop for tires? No matter what service you’re looking for, one Oklahoma tire shop does it all. Since 1988, Tate Boys has made a name for itself as the number-one tire business in the Tulsa area. If your tires need attention in any way, get started by requesting a quote online!
