Car tyres carry the majority of a vehicle’s weight and are designed to keep the vehicle in contact with the ground, offer traction, and usually guarantee a smooth ride. Thus, it should come as no surprise that tyres are frequently the part of the car that is most prone to distortions or visible damage, such as bulging tyres.
Although automobile tyre bulges are somewhat frequent, they shouldn’t be disregarded. A tyre bulge can seriously jeopardise your safety in addition to lowering the performance of your tyres.
This post will discuss the causes of tyre bulges, their possible risks, and the reasons you should never drive on a Car Tyre Bracknell that is bulging.
What is a tyre bulge?
A tyre bulge is precisely what it sounds like a swelling, air bubble or bulge that is often located in the sidewall of an automobile tyre. Tyre bulges are hardly noticeable to the naked eye when they initially appear. On the other hand, the bulge will get bigger and more noticeable the longer you drive on them.
It gets more troublesome as it is more apparent. It’s important to respond as soon as you see a bulge in your tyre.
What can lead to a bulge in a car tyre?
In essence, tyre bulges result from damage to a tyre’s rubber, typically after an accident. Several potential causes of tyre rubber deterioration might eventually result in a tyre bulge. These include:
- Regularly curbing your vehicle
- Slamming into a pothole
- A significant mishap
- A flaw or fault in a manufacturing process
Your car’s tyres are much more likely to develop a tyre bulge if they are under-inflated. The rubber in the tyre becomes less stiff and loses its ability to maintain its shape if there is insufficient air pressure inside it. It will therefore be more likely to flex upon impact, weakening the internal structure.
Keep an eye on your tyre pressure at all times. You can do this by routinely checking your tyre pressure manually or by quickly responding to the TPMS dashboard warning light.
Are bulges in tyres dangerous?
Even though tyre bulges are among the most frequent types of damage to automobile tyres, this doesn’t lessen their danger. A car tyre bulge poses an immediate and significant risk to safety.
A tyre blow-out is the primary and most serious risk related to tyre bulges. A sudden blow-out of your tyre may occur if the sidewall’s internal structure is compromised. This means that if your tyre suddenly loses air while you’re driving, you could lose control of the car and run the risk of a serious collision.
Is Driving with a Tyre Bulge Safe?
When a motorist finds a bulge in a tyre, they immediately want to know if driving on such damaged tyres is safe. Experts advise against it. Unpleasant outcomes are possible at high speeds, although difficulties cannot occur at low ones. Bulges on the front axle are especially dangerous for the following reasons:
Wheel runout leading to imbalance; severe tyre overheating and decreased traction; poorer steerability or even total loss of control.
How to go on if you discover a bulge in your tyre
Even if the bulge is small, you shouldn’t drive the automobile if you find one in the tyres. Do not drive on a tyre bulge, especially if you are using run-flat tyres. This is because a bulging tyre is not the same as a puncture.
You’ll probably have to stop driving until you can get the tyre changed since, regrettably, a bulge in the tyre wall is typically irreversible. If a car tyre bulge is the result of a manufacturing flaw, your tyre guarantee can pay for the cost of replacing the tyre.
After your brand-new automobile tyres are installed correctly, be careful to look after them. Regularly check the tyre rubber for lumps or bulges; this is especially important after striking a big pothole or after any other hard impacts.
Driving on a tyre that has a bulge not only puts you in danger but also causes damage to shock absorbers, ball bearings early wheel bearing wear and loosening of the automobile suspension. The tyre may just rupture as the impact rises, and this can happen for several reasons.
- Slamming into a pothole when driving and having a flat tyre;
- Very fast driving;
- Sudden acceleration or deceleration;
- The car’s maximum load.
If required, you can carry on driving, but you should be aware of the following:
- Driving at a speed of up to 70 km/h while being cautious and avoiding sudden stops and movements that might cause tyre rupture is advised.
- Reduce the tyre inflation pressure by ten to fifteen per cent.
- When driving, pay close attention to the state of the road to prevent potholes and ravines.
It is also worthwhile to put the tyre with deformation on the rear axle if you don’t have a spare tyre with you for safety reasons. This will help you keep control of the automobile in the case of a tyre burst. You can then resume driving, but at a reduced pace and with frequent pauses to inspect the tyre condition with the help of Mobile Tyre Fitting Bracknell. The growing fault signals the risk of a tyre explosion, therefore you must stop and summon a breakdown truck if the bulge gets bigger.
