Tires have good material that contains synthetic, high quality, durable rubber, and rigid belts and body plies.
The tire is facing damage anywhere and anytime. One of the most damaging tires is sidewall tire damage.
Maybe sidewall tire damage is due to low pressure in the tire?
Or due to overinflation in tires?
Let’s find out the way of damage.
How Much Sidewall Tire Damage Is Too Much
Whenever you can find any bulge or bubble on your tire and your tire treads is not good in condition then you must check your tire to a professional for inspecting what problem it is and the tire may be replaced.
What Is A Sidewall Tire Damage?
Those issues or damages or any problem which is encountered with the sidewall of the tire, the issue or damage can happen inside or outside of the wall, it will be considered as tire sidewall damage.
It is really a serious issue and can be fixed earlier because it can result in complete tire failure or blowouts.
Can I Still Drive With A Sidewall Tire Damage?
No, it is not recommended to drive with sidewall tire damage. This is because the side wall is more sensitive than the tread area, so it needs more care, That is why it will destroy the whole structure of the tire and can result in a blowout at any moment.
But you can drive a little distance when you have tire sidewall damage, the most recommended distance covered is between 25 to 70 miles, you should reach a safe place and check your tire sidewall as soon as possible.
How To Tell If Your Tires Sidewall Is Damaged?
Checking and inspecting the damage to the tire sidewall is a little difficult. Some signs or symptoms will give you a sign of damage sidewall, but maybe it is ok with it. Anyway, you can ignore some minor damage that causes a major problem and need to change the whole tire.
It is always a good suggestion to check with your professional for inspecting the tire if you have any doubts about the damaged sidewall.
There are major types of sidewall damage that can lead you to find out whether your sidewall is damaged or not!
Types Of Tire Sidewall Damage
Tire sidewalls are built strongly as their capability to keep pressure in the tire. But the sidewall may be damaging for many various reasons, some of the points are below:
- Puncture
- Bubble
- Missing Huge Chunks Of Rubber
Puncture
When a tire punctures It is due to low pressure in the tire or a flat tire and now the pressure in the tire is almost zero, but the tire is connecting with the road and that causes damage to the sidewall of the tire, it is one of the biggest reason to damage of the tire that will result in replacing your tire.
Bubble
One more reason for tire side damage having a bulge or bubble in that sidewall, This is caused due to hitting high impacts like hitting a curb or hitting a pothole.
Don’t drive on it, that tire is not able to handle harsh road conditions like potholes, debris, or rock, and it may cause blowouts.
Missing Huge Chunks Of Rubber
Some parts are portions within the sidewall that are missing or chipped off from the tire. The structure of the inner cord is exposed and this is caused due to driving on the off roads you need now to put your spare tire in and inspect that damaged sidewall tire with a professional.
Causes Of Tire Sidewall Damage
There is a number of causes of sidewall tire damage that affects your tire to damage more fastly and instantly and create the result of replacing your tire due to the damage.
Here is the list and detail are given below:
- Tire Age
- Under-Inflation
- Factory Defects
- Overloading
- Sharp Objects
- Driving On A Flat
- Hitting A Curb
- Potholes
- Tire Wear (Especially Uneven)
Tire Age
A maximum of 10 years is usually estimated for tire service. Tires are built to withstand rough and also for bad road conditions. The harder you work your tires and the more miles they’re driven, the faster they degrade.
After that, the components of rubber are old and dry and the inner components are weak and not capable to hold them. So eventually you need to replace your tires.
Under-Inflation
Underinflation has low pressure in the tire and is caused even in normal conditions and normal temperatures. Due to not checking tire pressure regularly, the sidewall and tread or damaged due to excessive load which the tire is not able to hold and causes the damage of sidewall damage because of excessive heat is produced inside.
Proper checking pressure of your tire is very necessary to avoid many dangers including blowouts.
Sharp Objects
When a tire hits any sharp object like a nail, hitting a curb, a piece of glass, rock, in the road the force from the weight and speed of the vehicle is captured in the small area of contact.
This process compresses the whole tire enough that the inside of the sidewall is damaged and causes a small hole in the inside tire layer.
Overloading
Too much weight on your vehicle is causing tire failure or blowout due to the heat is increased in the sidewall when more load on the tire can occur. Keeping the load according to the weight limit of your vehicle is best for your suspension and also for your tire.
Moreover, you can face handling issues with more weight and less pressure in the tire, which causes tire damage.
Driving On A Flat
Always, don’t drive on a flat tire, driving with a flat tire is a big reason to damage the Tyre sidewall and even damage the whole tire which mostly causes a blowout. This is due to tires having no pressure, and they cause flat tires the sidewall of the tire is connecting with the road and causing heat that is resulting in tire sidewall damage.
Hitting A Curb
By hitting a curb, it affects directly the tire sidewall, The tire sidewall is damaged due to hitting the curb and it cannot be repaired because the sharp edge of the curve affects the tire sidewall and now you need to replace your tires.
Potholes
Potholes are a big reason to damage the tire sidewall it can puncture the tire and crack or bend and damage your wheel. It can affect your tire sidewall and you need to replace your tires it also affects your vehicle suspension and steerings.
Tire Wear (Especially Uneven)
Significant tire degradation increases the likelihood that the tires would overheat more quickly than usual, which could lead to a blowout. This can damage the sidewall of the tire especially if the vehicle carries a heavy load.
Signs Of Tire Sidewall Damage
Some must have signs which can lead to damage to the tire sidewall, read the list or read in detail below:
- Cracks
- Bulges Or Blisters
- Punctures
- Cords
Cracks
Various cracks especially in the sidewall can cause a leak of pressure and may cause full damage even if you need to replace your tires when those cracks are increased. Because these small numbers of cracks can lead to a larger number of cracks.
Bulges Or Blisters
Bulges or blisters mostly occur are caused by impact danger and sometimes tire age is also responsible for the damage. Air is leaked from the inside of the tire into the body of the tire and causing low pressure in the tire and damaging the tire sidewall and resulting in blowouts.
Cords
A bulge or bubble indicates the damaged cord which is made of nylon mesh and is exposed to severe impact. It is time to replace your tire.
Punctures
Punctures are occurred due to sharp objects in the tire, somehow it may be patched, but it will continuously damage your tire and lead you to danger Lastly, you need to replace your tire when damaged with the sidewall.
How To Fix Tire Sidewall Damage
Fixing the sidewall is possible?
Yes, but it is not recommended. You can fix the sidewall of the tire. But it is not good for safety.
The sidewall has no capability even if you can’t patch the sidewall damage tire. It is because the components that are used in it are not flexible to patch that sidewall.
Tread repairs are also possible but their integration can damage more because the sidewall has not had steel cables.
Some products in the market will help you to fix the sidewall tire damage, but those products and methods are not for the long term, you may find out earlier that your sidewall is again damaged.
It is always advisable not to go with fixing the sidewall especially if the tire has some age years, rather than you can replace your tire, it is costly but it is working for years and long term.
Tire Repair Kit
AUTOWN 68pcs Tire Repair Tools to Fix Punctures & Plug
Features:
Spiral probe and insert tools are made of high-strength steel, easy to pierce repair plugs, durable construction that can resist any dirt with a simple wipe, and will give you multiple tire repair applications.
Can A Tire With Sidewall Damage Be Repaired?
The simple answer is No. A damaged area in the tread can be repaired or patched but the damaged area in the sidewall is not repaired or patched anywhere.
You can’t go to any technician to repair your sidewall damaged tire, because it is the rule of mechanics to not repair the tire when the tire is damaged with the area of the sidewall.
The simple solution you need is to replace your tires with new ones and take care of those new tires.
Tire Sidewall Repair Products
GlueTread Sidewall Repair Kit
If you need to quick patch which lasts more than months, or even lasts more than 3 weeks if you add a heavy load of more than 2000 pounds, then the GlueTread sidewall repair kit is the best possible solution for you. (VIEW ON AMAZON)
Slime 20240 Tire Repair Kit
Slime tire repair kit is excellent for heavy duty workload, they can last more than 4 months, when you find it working less than usual, you can simply apply more. Along with the kit, you can replace your leaky valve cores and worn caps. (VIEW ON AMAZON)
FlatOut Multi-Purpose Tire Sealant
Perfect for small tires and light duty vehicles like bikes or cars, FlatOut tire sealant will definitely stay away from the flat tire before coming with good kevlar fibers. (VIEW ON AMAZON)
How To Avoid Sidewall Tire Damage
A number of points you can follow for sidewall tire damage you need to follow those rules and some points if you can save hundreds of dollars on your tires, read out some points which are described below:
- Check Air Pressure Regularly
- Match The Vehicle Load And Speed Ratings To The Vehicle’s Recommendations
- Avoid Road Hazards
- Have Your Tires Checked By Experts
Check Air Pressure Regularly
Checking the tire pressure once a month is recommended, it is good for your vehicle and your tires because under-inflated eyes mean having low tire pressure can lead to many dangers mostly like blowouts, and can affect the damage of the side wall and you need to buy a new tire for your vehicle whenever a tire is underinflated tire or overinflated tire.
One technology that is used in vehicles is the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), this technology will warn you when your tire has low pressure its light will On, another way is to check your tire pressure with the help of a tire pressure gauge, this is a very good technique to check the pressure precisely and accurately.
Match The Vehicle Load And Speed Ratings To The Vehicle’s Recommendations
The sticker which is used inside the driver’s door is tell you about the vehicle’s recommended load and the speed rating which are vehicle can easily handle.
Moreover, the coding which is used on tires will help you to guide about vehicle load that causes tire is easily handled the specific load and speed recommendation.
You need to follow the vehicle load and speed ratings and should match those to avoid any damage and danger to the tire and vehicle.
Have Your Tires Checked By Experts
If you notice anything about your tire and vehicle having damaged sidewall damaged with thread or if your tire has punctured, you should inspect the tire with an expert or professional because they have years of experience with the tires and can help you to get rid of your problem with tires.
Avoid Road Hazards
Road hazards are the one thing you can not avoid, but you will need to focus and take care while driving to stay away from construction areas and those areas that have rough roads, especially take care about potholes that can lead to tire sidewall damage and other tire and vehicle damages.
When To Replace Sidewall Tire Damage
By checking the treads on that area where your tire sidewall is damaged, you can check whether it will be replaced or not. If you see those treads or radial cords which are typically treads are located about 0.125 to 0.188 of an inch beneath the surface of the sidewall of the tire, you need to replace the tire on a spot when the sidewall tire is damaged.
Conclusion – How Much Sidewall Tire Damage is Too Much
By checking the treads on that area where the sidewall tire is damaged, you can find out whether it is will be repaired are not, even some bubbles or chunks of rubber can conclude that your sidewall of the tire is damaged and now the tire needs to be replaced.
The only solution is to replace of old or damaged sidewall tire with a new tire, there is no other possible solution, some short term products and methods will help you to fix the sidewall tire damage but it is not for the long term and can be damaged or blowout of tire anytime or anywhere.
Hopefully, you will find this article helpful if you have any questions just tell us in the comment sections.
FAQs
Can You Replace Just One Tire?
While changing or replacing just one tire will affect you badly, it will cause more trouble than worth and you will be paying more. If you want to replace only one tire, then you should consider following always your vehicle manufacturer’s recommendation for better info and help.
Is Sidewall Tire Damage Covered Under Warranty?
The simple answer is No. Any damage to the sidewall or tire will not be covered under warranty even puncture, an insurance policy may cover the damaged material but I will not cover it in the warranty.
Can Sidewall Damage Cause A Blowout?
Yes, the air is lost when the deep cut is captured in the sidewall due to hitting a curb or debris or any sharp objects, and it causes blowouts due to the sidewall damage of the tire if the cut is more expanded.
How Thick Is The Sidewall Of A Car Tire?
The thickness of the sidewall of the car tire is between 6 mm and 15 mm thick – about 1/4-inch to 5/8-inch thick. It is the thinnest part which is typically lying between the middle to the upper area.
How Long Can You Drive On A Ripped Tire?
Most manufacturers and experts can say, 70 miles is the maximum distance you can cover on a ripped or spare tire. This is the maximum distance, you can go even more if you reach any tire shop or any safe place, but tried to cover less distance with the ripped or spare tire.
How Much Tire Sidewall Damage Is Ok?
Sidewall damage is not Ok in any condition, if the sidewall has a minor cut or any loss of a tire, you will need to go to a professional or tire shop to inspect or repair your sidewall of the tire, but at any stage, you need to replace your tire when you have sidewall damage.
Can Hit A Curb Mess Up A Tire?
Yes, hitting a curb will completely mess up a tire and driver along the vehicle, it affects badly tire and rim tearing, wheel misalignment, affect the suspension, and steering and cause even blowouts sometimes most probably because of sidewall damage or loss of pressure.
