You’re driving to work, groggily slogging your way through the morning traffic. Your car is humming in the background, and everything is a perfect shade of monotonous grey. Suddenly, you feel a mild sinking, you’re not quite sure what happened, but you get out of your car to check. Sure enough, you have a flat tire.
We’ve all had this familiar issue at one time or another, maybe not driving to work, maybe you just woke up and found your car parked with a flat, but one thing’s for sure, it can sure ruin one’s day. That’s why today, we bring you some of the best ways to remedy a flat tire.
Finding The Hole In Your Tire
First things first, you’ll want to find the hole in your tire, if for no other reason than to see how big it is, and if patching it up is even feasible.
First, you want to check if there are any nails or similar sharp objects sticking out. If there isn’t, you can try approaching the issue with a magnifying glass. If you can’t find anything it’s a bit beyond most roadside repair, however a soap-water solution when poured on the tire should expose the hole.
Use An Air Compressor
Air compressors are somewhat of a multi-tool when it comes to fixing and patching flat tires. Their first and simplest use is to inflate the tire. This can help you in case all you’ve got is a small hole, as it may allow you to smoothly drive to the nearest car repair and have your tire changed. They also make the process of changing a tire much easier once it’s inflated.
Another benefit of using one of these is that they can help in detecting the hole, as you might hear a little buzz coming from the hole when the tire is being inflated. In general, an air compressor, while a pricy piece of equipment, is worthwhile to have. When choosing one, keep in mind a simple rule of thumb: the small ones are usually better.
Changing A Flat Tire
The simplest method to remedy a flat tire is to simply change it. A lot of people don’t know how to do this, despite it being fairly simple:
- Make sure your car is on a flat surface.
- Use a heavy object such as a big rock or a brick to keep the car from moving by placing it behind and in front of a wheel.
- Use a car jack to bring the car up, so that you can access the lug nuts on the tire. Remove anything covering the tire’s inner parts, such as hubcaps.
- Use a wench to turn the lug nuts loose.
- Pull the tire away.
- Attach the new tire, make sure to tighten the lug nuts well, and reattach any peripherals like a hubcap.
Using A Plug or Patch
Plugs and patches are other methods to fix up a tire. Using one of these will enable you to go through a rather large chunk of road without having to stop due to a flat. While they aren’t the finest methods to fix a tire, as they are not permanent and can cost quite a pretty penny, they’re good temporary remedies.
A plug is a piece of leather covered with rubber goo, applying them is rather simple, all you need to do is clean out the hole and insert the plug. There are also special tools which make the specifics of this process easier. While most plugs CAN last for the lifetime of the tire, it’s a rather risky approach to take, and a more safe option would be to have your tire repaired professionally, most likely by a patch.
A patch is a strip of adhesive rubber, when it heats up while on the tire, it will bond with it. This is a much more secure method of tire repair, however it takes equipment that is most likely far beyond what your garage has.
Some Last Words
Ultimately, the best thing to do when you’ve got a flat tire is to call a professional, while you might be able to fix the issue yourself, is it really worth risking your safety and that of others?
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