How to Repair Car Tyres and Wheels?

Understanding Common Issues in Car Tyres and Wheels

Before looking at ways to fix car wheels and tyres, let's talk about some of the most common problems that you may encounter:

How to Repair Car Tyres?

Problems like tyre punctures and low air pressure can occur at any time, even in the middle of a journey. Here are some helpful ways to tackle them, either yourself or with the guidance of an expert.

Regularly Check Air Pressure

Tyres can lose air pressure for a variety of reasons. Slow leaks, extreme temperatures, wheel issues such as bends or corrosion, and bead leaks can cause low-pressure tyres. Fortunately, checking and inflating your car's tyre pressure is straightforward. Petrol stations and garages are equipped to help you keep your tyres in top shape. You might also find it convenient to use portable air compressors for DIY inflation to avoid such situations. Many modern vehicles are equipped with a handy Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) that gently alerts you when tyre pressure drops, ensuring safety and comfort on the road.

Remove Tyre Punctures

Many factors, like road debris, potholes, driving with low-pressure tyres, and driving over sharp objects like nails or glass pieces, can cause tyre punctures. Here's how to repair a car tyre puncture:

• Step 1: Find a level spot to park your car. Set the handbrake, and use wheel chocks to keep it from rolling.
• Step 2: Inspect the tyre for visible cuts and leaks. If none are found, apply soapy water to check for bubbles forming at the leak's location.
• Step 3: Slightly loosen the lug nuts. Then jack up the car on a flat surface.
• Step 4: Remove the wheel, then use a rasp to clean the punctured area.
• Step 5: Apply an adhesive, such as rubber cement or glue, to the repair plug. Insert the plug into the hole, hold it until the adhesive sets, then trim the excess.
• Step 6: Inflate it and reinstall.

If your car has tubeless tyres, repairing a puncture is quicker and simpler. You can simply patch the hole from the outside using a plug, which means you don't have to take it off the rim.

Replace the Car Tyre

If you don't have the necessary tools to check air pressure or remove tyre punctures, you can replace it with the spare one. You need a lug wrench, a car jack, and the spare tyre to complete this. Here's the step-by-step guide to changing a flat or damaged tyre:

• Step 1: Locate the correct jack point under the car and position the jack securely without lifting yet.
• Step 2: Remove the hubcap and slightly loosen the lug nuts.
• Step 3: Raise the car using the jack until the wheel is off the ground.
• Step 4: Fully remove the lug nuts and pull the tyre outward to take it off.
• Step 5: Align the spare tyre with the bolts, push it into place, and loosely tighten the nuts.
• Step 6: Slowly lower the car and tighten the lug nuts securely.
• Step 7: Reattach the hubcap, store the tools, and place the damaged tyre back in the boot.

How to Repair a Car's Wheels?

Apart from tyre issues, problems like wheel misalignment, imbalance, or rim damage can also occur. These can make your steering vibrate or your car feel unstable, so here are some ways to fix them.

Wheel Alignment

If your car pulls to one side, the steering shakes, or the tyres wear unevenly, the wheels may be misaligned. When a mechanic aligns the wheels, they adjust the car's suspension to ensure it is in the right position. A professional checks the following things for alignment:

• Camber: This refers to any tilt (inward and outward) of the tyre when viewed from the front. Improper tilt, positive or negative, is often caused by worn suspension parts.
• Toe: This means the inward or outward direction of the tyres when viewed from above (toe-in or toe-out). This affects straight-line stability.
• Caster: This is the tilt of the steering axis. It helps maintain balance, stability, and smooth cornering.

Wheel Balancing

Various factors like potholes, bumps, rim damage, and general wear and tear can lead to unbalanced wheels. It's best to have a professional fix it, since the process needs tools and expertise. Here's how garages do it:

• Step 1: The tyre and wheel assembly is first taken off the car.
• Step 2: The wheel is mounted on a balancing machine, which spins it at high speed.
• Step 3: Sensors in the machine detect where the weight distribution is uneven.
• Step 4: Small metal weights are attached to balance the wheel properly.
• Step 5: The wheel is spun again to ensure it is fully corrected.

Repair Car Wheel Rims

Common issues related to the wheel rims include scratching, bends, cracks, corrosion, and clear coat damage. Here are some ways to address these problems:

• Scratch Removal Kits: There are several DIY kits that include sanding tools, paint, and a clear coat. You can remove small scratches and repaint the rims at home with these.
• Professional Refinishing: Alternatively, you can get wheel rims professionally cleaned and repainted.
• Straightening: If the rims are bent, you can ask a mechanic to straighten them using specialised equipment.
• Replacement: Wheel rims may need to be replaced if they are severely damaged, corroded, or cracked. This is best done by professionals at car garages.

Does Car Insurance Cover Damage to the Car's Tyres and Wheels?

No, car insurance does not cover tyre and wheel damage caused by normal wear and tear. However, damage caused by accidents, natural disasters, fires, explosions, thefts, and other covered events is covered only in comprehensive insurance. For instance, if an accident or collision causes a tyre burst, the insurer will provide compensation. But if a tyre bursts due to standard usage, it won't be compensated by your insurer.

You can also buy a tyre protection add-on cover with your policy to cover issues such as tyre replacements, labour charges for removing, rebalancing, and reinstalling tyres, fixing tyre bulges or swelling, tyre cuts, bursting of tyres, etc.