The Dos & Don’ts of Flat Tires

What To Do If Your Tire Goes Flat

Learning the dos and don’ts of flat tires can save you time, money, and even your life! Read on and see why.

First things first. How do you know when a tire is flat or going flat?

• If you have less than 3/16” remaining on your tread, keep an eye on them.

• If your steering wheel shakes.

• If a tire has a bulge or blister, it’s very important to replace it ASAP as this can cause a blowout at any time.

• If your tire is not properly inflated. 

What do you do next? A good idea is to keep a spare tire in your trunk. If you plan on changing it yourself, here are a few tips:

• Don’t drive over 20 miles per hour. Press the accelerator lightly, idling as much as possible until you find a place to pull over. 

• Try to stay on flat ground. Avoid potholes, inclines, and debris on the road as this may cause your rims to bend which will put your car out of alignment. Rough road conditions can damage your rims, also causing them to bend.

• If you have to turn the wheel, do so gently as sharply turning will place more strain on your rim edges. 

• Get off the main road as soon as possible. Put your car in park and immediately turn on your emergency flashers for your safety. 

• Make sure you are on level ground in case you need to use a jack to lift the car.

• Be sure traffic is clear before exiting your car.

IMPORTANT: You should never attempt to drive any further than a couple of hundred yards on a flat tire, even if it isn’t completely deflated. 

Why not drive on it for a while? Here’s why:

• If it’s flat due to a puncture caused by a sharp object on the road, the tire can probably be salvaged and repaired. A puncture up to ¼-inch is manageable, costing only $15-30. If you continue to drive, the puncture could potentially expand beyond the ¼-inch and therefore will be too large to repair.

• That’s just the beginning. If you continue to drive on it and the puncture expands or the rim causes damage to the sidewall, the tire may blow out. Say goodby to that tire and hello to an uncontrollable vehicle. 

• When the tire is flat, you’re now driving on the rim which can obviously cause damage to it by bending, cracking, or grinding it. 

• Continuous driving on your flat can cause damage to your vehicle’s suspension, rotor, balance, alignment, brakes, and more.

• By keeping tire pressure at the recommended level, you’ll enjoy a smooth ride, but it will also make handling of the vehicle much easier. By driving on a flat tire, your vehicle will act erratically, potentially causing an accident. 

If you’ve experienced a flat tire and need a new or used one, contact Hoopers Tire Outlet. Visit them at Hoopers Tire Outlet.

10 Interesting Facts about Tires

From Color to Spares to Pressure and More

Want to learn more about tires? Read these crazy tire facts for a little bit of trivia. 

1. Tire rubber is white

   The actual rubber used for car tires is milky white, not black. Manufacturers add carbon black to the rubber as a stabilizing chemical compound which makes them black. But you’re thinking why bother with this process? Because adding black to the rubber increases the durability and strength of the tire.

2. Water in your tires causes pressure changes.

   Between summer and winter, you could see as much as 7PSI or more in tire pressure difference. This is because of water vapor dangling in the air in your tires which reacts to temperature changes. Try filling your tires with nitrogen. You’ll find no fluctuation because nitrogen doesn’t have any water vapor in it, so the pressure remains steady. 

3. Walnut shells are used to make winter tires.

   This will “cracks” you up, right? Walnut shells are used in winter tire manufacturing to improve traction on slick roads. 

   That shell of a walnut is one of the hardest natural substances in the world, making it great for gripping icy roads. Instead of “walnut” it’s better known in the manufacturing world as Microbit Technology. That sounds much more professional! 

4. Tread life nightmare

   The National Hot Rod Association Top Fuel racing teams have to install new tires after every four to six passes around the track. In layman's terms, this is a mere two to three miles on a quarter-mile track.

5. Sipes are the lines in your tread

   Sipes are the small slots that are cut or molded into a tire tread surface. These slots increase traction in snow, ice, mud, and wet roads. The name of the concept of siping a tire comes from a man named John Sipe, who received a patent in 1923. He worked in a slaughterhouse and realized small cuts in the heels of his shoes prevented him from slipping on bloody floors. 

6. Airless tires?

   Manufacturers have been working hard on manufacturing puncture-resistant tires. Imagine tires never going flat!  Bridgestone and Michelin have both introduced airless tires that will never go flat. Price - $500 - $1,000. Are you willing to pay the price for them?

7. Some tires cost more than your car!

   A set of Bugatti Veyron Super Sport tires can cost $42,000! Yes, you read that right. Why so much? They can hold up while doing over 250 MPH. 

   T​hese tires are made with an extremely expensive heat- and friction-resistant compound. 

8. Lego is the largest manufacturer of tires.

   If we’re talking miniature tire facts, the world's highest-producing tire manufacturer is Lego. The company manufactures 308 million Lego wheels every year, far exceeding Bridgestone who has been the world’s largest tire manufacturer of “real” tires.

9. Tire recycling

   Of the approximate 290 million tires discarded in the U.S. each year, as much as 80% are recycled, some repurposed as an industrial fuel source, in asphalt or as a gravel substitute. Other uses - they can be shredded and used as garden mulch and wastewater filters.

10. Flat tire? Oh no! No spare!

    In order to meet stricter emission standards, many car manufacturers have stopped putting spare tires in their cars to lighten the load. Maybe you can carry a patch kit.

Call Hoopers Tire Outlet for all your new and used tire needs or visit us at Hoopers Tire Outlet.

Buying Used Tires vs. New From Hooper’s Tire Outlet

Rochester & Syracuse, New York

Tires are one of the most expensive purchases you will make for your car. Based on a comparison of common tire sizes, new high-quality tires start around $100 for sedans, $165 for SUVs and $200 for trucks. Although used tires don’t come with the warranty that new tires come with, Hooper’s Tire Outlet sells used tires in Rochester and Syracuse NY and can save hundreds of dollars while still getting the right tires for your vehicle. 

Perhaps a question comes to mind, “Are used tires safe?” Sure you might save money, but safety is the number one priority. All used tires are not the same. The general rule is to check for two things: tread depth and damage. If you don’t have a tread depth gauge, place an upside down quarter between the grooves and if Washington’s head is no longer visible, it’s time for a new set. If the tread depth is near the limit of 3/32”, don’t buy them. In reality, 4/32” is cause for consideration. Don’t buy if you see visible signs of damage, deep cuts, irregular wear, bulges, or deformation.

Patching sidewall holes is a gamble, considering they are partly responsible for the strength, durability, and ride quality of a particular tire. If a tire has a damaged sidewall, it needs to be replaced entirely. Hooper’s Tire Outlet (with locations in Rochester and Syracuse) will not repair something like a nail in a sidewall; we will have you look at other, more reliable tires to purchase.

So, are used tires safe? Yes, but only if you buy something with a higher percentage of tread life. 

How Long Do Used Tires Last?

Not all makes and brands offer excellent wear life. In most cases, tread life is dependent on many factors including the general condition of the vehicle, driving behavior, the number of miles traveled, and existing road/weather conditions. So the answer to this  depends on how you drive your vehicle and where. You might not have any control over the latter, but if you drive carefully and responsibly, you should get a considerable number of miles out of them.

How Do I Choose a Good Set of Used Tires?

We advise not to purchase tires unless there’s at least 7 to 9/32” of tread depth, and higher if you drive a truck or SUV. Anything less than that will shorten the longevity, comfort, and traction. 

We’re not saying used tires are always the answer, but the cost savings is hard to deny. The average used tire price at Hooper’s installed is only $45. That’s an average $80 savings per tire vs. new. And our used tires are inspected and tested by our in-house tire specialists and will only be available to you if 50-90% of the tread is left. And at Hoopers, all used tires are backed by our satisfaction guarantee. 

Come see us today to purchase cheap tires in Rochester and Syracuse, NY.