A thorough tire inspection is required to safely repair your tire. Before beginning a tire repair, the tire must be removed from the wheel/rim assembly. Not all unsafe conditions are visible from the outside of the tire. Removing the tire from the wheel/rim assembly allows a thorough inspection of the exterior and interior walls of the tire to determine if any hidden damage may be present. The first consideration when evaluating if a tire can be repaired is to confirm the type, size and location of the damage.
We cannot repair a tire if the injury extends into the shoulder or sidewall area. In this situation, the tire must be replaced.
To safely repair your tire, the puncture must be 1/2 inch away or more from the edge of the tire tread where the internal steel belt begins. Any puncture less than 1/2 inch from the start of the internal steel belt on the shoulder or sidewall of the tire cannot be repaired.
A tire puncture greater than 1/4 inch (or 6mm) is not able to be repaired. A new tire replacement is needed if a puncture exceeds this limit. Large tread punctures, irregular gashes or cuts exceeding 1/4 inch cannot be repaired. If a cut slices through the tire’s steel belts, it reduces the strength and durability of the tire, making it unreliable and unsafe.
A tire repair can never overlap. In the unlikely event new tire damage compromises a previously repaired area, the tire will not be safe to repair.
A tire patch, by itself, is never a suitable repair. Proper tire repair procedures dictate that the injury must first be completely filled with a suitable vulcanizing material or solid rubber stem. Secondly, a patch must then be applied to the inner liner to complete the repair.
Not all tires qualify to be repaired. Some tires have special tire repair limits and others may have suffered damage too extensive to repair. The end results of returning a permanently weakened, or incorrectly repaired tire to service could result in tire failure.
Routine tire rotations are an integral part of tire maintenance. Tires that are not rotated tend to develop uneven or irregular wear. Uneven and irregular wear patterns can cause tires to wear out prematurely, can create tire noise, can cause ride disturbances, and may void manufacturer warranties.
Big Express Wash & Lube recommends rotating your tires every 6,000 miles. Many vehicle manufacturers make their own recommendations regarding how often tires should be rotated. However, this recommendation specifically addresses the original tires that come on the vehicle. If you have questions about how often to rotate your tires, feel free to give us a call. We are always ready and willing to help in any way that we can.
We all want a smooth and comfortable ride out of our tires. You may need to have your tires balanced if you experience vibration in your steering wheel or shaking and swaying while driving. Tire balancing is a specific type of tire maintenance that makes sure your tires and wheels are working together to provide the smoothest possible ride.
While balancing your tires, a technician uses a highly calibrated balancer and then applies wheel weights (measured in ounces) to evenly redistribute the weight of a tire and wheel assembly. This process eliminates or minimizes any vibrations to ensure a smooth ride, while also reducing wear and tear on suspension components. To get the most out of your tires, we recommend having your tires balanced every 6,000 miles.
