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Causes and Repair of Flat Tires

The Causes of a Flat Tire

The most common cause of a flat tire is puncturing of the tire by a sharp object, such as a nail, letting air escape.
Other causes include:

    • Failure of or damage to the valve stem,
    • Vandalism,
    • Rubbed and ripped tire
    • Separation of tire and rim by collision with another object
    • Over pumped tires

Some tires, particularly a slow leak, can be repaired and re-inflated; others, especially those from worn read, must be replaced.

What To Do in a Flat Tire Situation?

Being stranded with a flat tire is a nightmare for every driver.
A flat tire can be a harrowing experience; it usually happens when you are in a great hurry to get somewhere. If you have a spare tire and you know how to change it, then that’s great, but if you don’t, you will need to look for a towing service or roadside assistance service available in your area.
A puncher tire measuring up to one quarter inch can be repaired by automotive service professionals.
However, if the cut is slightly bigger or it is a sidewall puncture, tire repair is not a practical solution and the flat tire needs to be replaced.

Slow leaks of the tube inside the tire can be replaced, although they are hard to find. Pinch cuts make a dent in the rim.

A sudden let-out of the air accompanied by the flapping sound is what causes blow outs.
Once you realize that you have a flat tire the first thing you should do is park your vehicle in a safe place, and turn on the hazard lights.
Now you can call in a locksmith company which can provide roadside assistance and towing service for flat tires.

How to Change a Flat Tire?

How to Replace a Flat Tire by Yourself?

Imagine the scenario – you’re in your best dress or suit, raring to go to a job interview. You go into the driveway, get into your car and start to drive. After 5 minutes – POP! The car shudders; you pull over and realize you have a flat tire.

There are a number of automotive services that are provided by towing companies. Although if you find yourself in an area where roadside assistance is not probable you can try tire repairing by yourself, here are a few simple tips for you.

What do you do?

If you have a spare in your trunk, first of all congratulations! The good news is that, by following our step-by-step guide and with the use of a couple simple tools, you can have that flat tire changed in no time.

      • Park off the road onto a surface that is level. Make sure you are far from traffic
      • Turn on your hazard lights
      • Put on the parking brake
      • For Automatic transmission, put gearshift in P (Park), or R (Reverse) for manual transmission
      • Turn off the engine
      • Block the front and back part of the wheel that is located diagonally opposite to the flat. This will help keep your vehicle from rolling
      • Get ready your spare tire, jack and lug wrench
      • Pry off the hub cab/center ornament with the tapered end of the lug wrench.
      • Turn each wheel lug nut one-half of a turn counterclockwise – this will loosen them. Do not remove them totally until the wheel is raised off the ground
      • Firmly place the spare tire on the wheel hub. Ensure that the nozzle you put air into (valve stem) is facing outwards
      • Replace the lug nuts until the wheel is snugly secured against the hub. Don’t fully tighten the lug nuts until the wheel has been lowered
      • Lower the wheel by turning the jack handle counterclockwise
      • Take away the jack and fully tighten the lug nuts by starting at the top of the tire and alternately tightening every other nut until they are all fully tightened
      • Put away your tools and the flat tire
      • Unblock the wheels
      • Stop by The Auto Towing as soon as you can to replace that spare tire!

Please remember that you never know when you may need to place a tire again so make sure you place a spare tire in your car as soon as possible.

Need a Professional Help Replacing a Flat Tire? Call (800) 518-8687