Regardless of how cautious you are behind the wheel, flat tires can happen. Knowing how to treat a flat is essential to reaching your destination promptly and safely. The following are some tire service best practices every driver should know to get back on the road fast after suffering a flat.  

A Driver’s Guide to Flat Tires

Get to Safety

If you get a flat while driving, pull over to the side of the road safely away from other traffic to assess the situation. Keep reflective triangles or a vest in your car to make yourself visible to other drivers, especially if the flat happens at night. Keep a flashlight, wheel wrench, a fully inflated spare tire, a tire plug kit, and a tripod jack in your trunk so you’re prepared. 

Assess Whether Repair or Replacement Is Needed

You have two options for alleviating an issue with a flat tire: repair or replacement. Knowing the best option requires an inspection. Jack your tire up and slowly rotate it while giving it a thorough visual assessment for damage. A good rule of thumb is that any puncture larger than a quarter of an inch in diameter is too large to plug. Similarly, punctures to the sidewall of the tire require replacement due to the potential for catastrophic failure when put back into service. If a puncture mark is clean, small, and to the tread area of the tire, it may be a candidate for a patch. If you’re unable to identify the damage or determine what type of repair is best, call for professional assistance. 

Plug, Patch, or Replace

No matter what kind of fix you’re performing, you’ll need to take off the lug nuts and jack up the vehicle until you have enough clearance to pry the wheel off. To plug a puncture, you’ll have to ream the hole, thread the plug tool, and push it in. To patch your tire, you’ll need to use specialized tools, such as die grinders, vulcanized cement, and rollers. For plugs and patches, you’ll need to readjust your pressure levels before remounting the tire. For replacements, once the damaged tire is removed, you’ll put on the spare, taking care to align it properly before retightening the lug nuts. Because these are relatively complex, time-intensive processes and errors can compromise your safety, it may be best to have a professional car repair shop handle the task. 

Knowing where to turn for tire service can save drivers time and money. Brothers Tires Sales in Kannapolis, NC, is the area’s leading auto mechanic specializing in tire sales and service. With 57 years in business, their team can diagnose all your tire-related issues and outfit your vehicle with the right fit for your car. For more information on all of their auto services, or to learn more about their inventory from leading brands like Michelin® and BF Goodrich®, call (704) 933-­2203 or visit them online.