We need to realize that our only contact with mother earth when travelling are four rubber tyres touching the road surface. If we do, we’ll make the condition of our car’s tyres of paramount importance and avoid any life-changing results. Read on and find out more about a bubble in a car’s tyre.1
A tyre bubble spells trouble1
A bubble appearing on the sidewall of a tyre indicates a severe compromise of the structural integrity. When you see that, you need to visit the tyre dealer as soon as possible.
What causes a bubble to appear?1
Bubbles appearing in the sidewall of a tyre means the tyre has hit something hard during travel, like the outer edge of a pothole or a kerb. When a tyre hits a pothole, it’s like it hit a wall at full speed for a fraction of a second. Hitting the far side of the pothole compresses the tyre so powerfully that the air inside the tyre is compressed and tries to escape. This creates a slight tear on the inner lining of the tyre, usually in the sidewall. In severe cases, hitting a pothole can cause a tyre to burst.
What happens when the inner tyre lining is damaged? 1
The air inside the tyre leaks through the damaged cut of the inner lining and starts forming a bubble between the inner lining and the outer casing of the tyre.
Can the tyre dealer fix such a bubble? 1
The answer is a most emphatic ‘no.’ Replace a tyre showing a bubble immediately. Should you carry on driving with such a tyre, hitting a small pothole could trigger a tyre blow-out with dire consequences. Heavy cornering could also place too much pressure on the bubble, causing a tyre blow-out.
How often do you inspect your car’s tyres? 1
Going to a garage to refuel is a most important event. Always check tyre pressures during or after refuelling. It will be best not to sit in your car while the attendant checks the tyre pressures. It is your responsibility as a driver to check with the attendant and make sure everything is fine.
What should you check at the garage? 1
There are two boxes that you need to tick regarding tyres. First, take note of the tyre pressures before the attendant brings the pressure up to the desired level. This will immediately tell you if the tyre is experiencing a slow leak, possibly caused by a small nail. Second, walk around and check the general shape of each tyre to see if there are any bubbles. This preventative way of monitoring tyres could save lives.
Life is all about maintenance and monitoring systems to ensure they are still fine. This especially applies to the condition of tyres. But equally important is if you have adequate insurance covering your car. Contact PMD to discover more about affordable car insurance products with excellent benefits like fixed premiums* and a reduce to zero excess*. T’s and C’s apply.
Source:
1https://www.autotrader.co.za/cars/news-and-advice/car-ownership/are-bubbles-on-a-tyre-normal/4581
This article was prepared by Eric Sandmann in his personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own. The views and opinions in the article should not be attributed to anyone but the author unless expressly stated. Nothing in this article should be relied upon as advice, this publication is presented for informational purposes only. No person should act or refrain from acting in reliance on any information found in this article, without first obtaining proper financial advice from the appropriate professional. The author makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, or completeness, of any information linked from, referred to, or contained in this article. The author reserves the right, to edit and change the content of this article.
