MOTORISTS are being warned to look after their tires during the summer months.
As the weather gets warmer and summer quickly approaches, drivers are getting ready to hit the road to travel to the beach and other destinations.
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However, there is an urgent warning about a connection between high temperatures and tire blowouts.
A common misconception is that tires can melt in hot weather, but experts have revealed that this is not true.
Tires are vulcanized, which means they need to go through a chemical process to make the rubber strong and durable.
Even the hottest climates won’t melt your tires.
However, high heat can still affect your tires – every time the temperature rises by 10 degrees, your tires gain a lb per square inch of pressure.
Therefore, for every 10 degree decrease in temperature, your tires lose about one PSI of pressure.
Even though your tires won’t melt in the summer heat, it is still important to maintain them throughout the season.
High tire pressure can also make them more vulnerable to punctures and blowouts.
Whenever the climate gets cold suddenly, drivers receive a low tire pressure warning, reminding them to check their tire pressure.
However, in the summer, especially if the tires are not checked monthly, the tire pressure may be low, but not low enough to trigger a warning.
Therefore, driving with a tire with low air pressure can increase the possibility of the tire bursting.
For drivers living in hot climates, it is best to purchase summer or all-season tires because they are designed to withstand higher temperatures.
On the other hand, winter tires are designed for extreme cold, so they are more likely to wear out faster compared to all-season tires in warm climates. climate.
Because hot climate increases the pressure in tires, many drivers think that under-inflated tires are safe to drive.
However, this is a very dangerous assumption and it is never good to drive with under-inflated tires.
Without adequate air pressure, the tire’s internal components flex more, causing damage and making them more susceptible to blowouts.
How to change a tire
Knowing how to change a tire is a necessary skill for any driver. A flat or blown tire can happen at any time.
Here are the items you need to change a tire:
- Jack
- Tire iron
- Fully inflated spare tire
- Vehicle owner’s manual
These items should have come with your car, however, if you replaced any of them or if it did not come with these items, you should purchase new ones immediately.
How to change a tire:
- Find a safe place, such as an empty parking lot with level ground. Never change a tire on a narrow shoulder near continuous traffic.
- Turn on your hazard lights
- Apply the parking brake
- Use wheel chocks on the front or back of the tires to ensure the car doesn’t roll while you fix the tire
- Remove the hubcap or wheel cover
- Loosen the nuts
- Place the jack under the car
- Raise the car with the jack
- Unscrew the nuts
- Remove the tire
- Mount the spare tire onto the bolts
- Tighten the nuts
- Lower the car and tighten the nuts once more
- Lower the car completely and replace the hubcap
- Put your equipment back in care
- Check the spare tire pressure
- Take your flat tire to a technician
Replacing a flat tire can take about 15 to 30 minutes.
Source: Bridgestone
When it comes to finding out the recommended air pressure for your tires, it’s always best to consult the vehicle manufacturer.
Also keep an eye out for any wear and damage to the tires, such as cracks, blisters or bulges.
Driving with a damaged tire in summer Temperatures increase the risk of an explosion.
If your tire doesn’t feel safe to drive on, replace it with a spare or call a tow truck for help.
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
