Here’s What You Need To Know to Fix a Flat Tires

Flat tires are not nice, but everyone gets them occasionally. However, you need not panic when this happens, since you have multiple options for fixing them.
The following steps will help you change a flat tire
Finding the cause
Often, it is obvious why the tire is deflated. It is possible to find a nail head, screw head, or other metal object lodged in the tread. If so, mark it with something that will make it easy for you to find its location later. Wait until you are prepared to patch up the hole before removing the object.
Please Note
It is possible to find more than one nail or screw in the tire even if you’ve found one, so in that case, you should check the rest of the tire for leaks or embedded objects.
How to find small holes
You can usually hear air escaping through the tire holes. However, there are times when you can’t hear it. Here’s a trick for finding small holes in car tires. Pour a soapy solution into a large bowl. Fill the tire to the maximum. Then pour the soapy water over it. By the time air escapes a hole, it will produce bubbles that can be seen. Make a mark on the hole so you can locate it later.
Ways to fix a tire
You can get it patched or temporarily plug it yourself.
The following are some repair tips
Patches
In order to get it patched, you’ll need to take it to a tire store or an auto repair shop. This is the preferred method of handling a flat tires, but it usually means taking it to a shop and paying somewhere between $15-$20. Over the hole, the shop will apply an internal patch to the tire after removing it from the rim. Patches like these work very well and are significantly cheaper than purchasing a new tire.
Plug a Tire
Tire plugs are great for temporary solutions, but patching the tire is always preferable. You can plug it in your driveway or on the side of the road if needed. Most chains like Walmart, Kmart, and Target carry tire plug kits, as well as hundreds of local auto repair shops. So it is easy to get one. It is also ideal for people who like to do it themselves because you don’t need to remove the tire from the rim. It should always be in your vehicle as one of the basic repair tools.
To plug your tire, follow these steps
- Just in case this happens, open up the repair kit that you keep in your car.
- Usually, pliers are required to remove the offending object.
- Now use the rasp tool included in the kit to quickly roughen and clean the rubber by inserting and removing it from the hole.
- Put cement on top of the plug. The kits come with both the plug and cement. Stick the plug into the hole using the included insertion tool. The plug should remain about 1/2″ outside of the tire.
- Immediately remove the insertion tool straight from the cartridge. The plug should remain in the hole.
- Make sure the plug is flush with the surrounding tread.
- It is important to remember that a plug is a temporary fix. It’s important to replace or patch the tire as soon as possible.
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The following are things you should not do:
It is sometimes impossible to repair a flat tires, for example, when it blows out. If a tire has been damaged by an explosion, laceration, or significant damage, it is recommended not to attempt to repair it.
It would be better to discard and recycle such tires. In addition, it is useless to repair a tire whose sidewall has been damaged. Replace the damaged tire and throw away the old one.
The last recommendation is to replace tires with less than 1/16th inch of tread, rather than repairing them. Use a tread depth gauge to measure your tread depth.
It is possible to fix a flat tire if the tread (the part that contacts the pavement) of the tire has been punctured by something like a nail. If your tire is still on the car, it’s difficult to assess the damage, so removing it is the first step toward the repair. Put a block or wedge between the tires to prevent them from moving, set the emergency brake, and take out the flat from the vehicle. Before lifting the car with a jack, loosen the lug nuts with a lug wrench.
Remove the lug nuts by hand after the flat tire is lifted off the ground, and pull the wheel and tire from the car. Consider putting your spare on the car and moving it to a safe location.
Required Tools
- A tire plug kit. If you plan on installing a temporary plug.
Caution
- Never place any part of your body underneath a car that is on a jack.
- You should only lift the car enough so that the tire is just off the ground.