Flat tire: repair or replace (one or two)?

If you drive very far on a completely flat radial tire, then often times the tire is ruined and cannot be repaired. A tire dealer will be able tell if you can get it repaired. If you purchase new tires, you should always replace at least 2 tires at the same time.

Just to second what Mark said.... the tire might be ruined, depending how far you drove on it. And replacing radials is done in pairs.

Is your spare a space-saver or a full-size one?

If it's a full-size one, and you end up buying 2 new tires, this may be a good time to replace the spare if it's fairly old. Just use the good one that you replace.

Doesn't sound like you'll want to do this, but I always like to buy a set of four (4) tires, so they're identical on all four corners. Last set was Avid touring

for my size ran under $250 installed (local price matchTireRack.com) Also, if you get in the habit of checking tire pressure weekly (an excellent performance and safety enhancement) you will almost always spot a nail, screw or whatever usually causes a flat before ruining the tire such that a tire shop can remove the tire, patch from the inside and reinstall. Never had a problem doing that long as the hole is in the tread area. Accu-Gage=AE S... Series Tire Gauges for $10 works great.

It is always advisable to have the same type of tire on the same axle. You would be better served buying two new tires, since you drove so far on the deflated tire that its integrity has most likely has been compromised.

mike hunt

Ajanta wrote:

if its repariable, repair it, replacing one tire will be fine, the differential will account for any slight tread/wear/airpressure difference between the two tires, that's what it is there for. I have never had a problem with replacing a single tire.

The highly corporate, highly profit-motivated tire dealer with the crystal white waiting room, free coffee and popcorn, etc. in town practically demands you replace all four tires for any reason (hmmm, dirt in the treads, must replace all four).

On the other hand, the family-run dealer with the slightly run down building that has been owned by the same family since the 1960s usually has more budget friendly ideas.

Last visit I had shredded a front tire. My tires had about 15,000 miles on them. He suggested that I move the remaining front tire to the rear, and move the rear tires to the front (rotation).

Then replace the shredded tire with a new tire. He said leaving it on the front could create some quirky handling, but it would be no problem on the rear.

That was a year ago. He was right.

If your tire is beyond repair, and it's axle mate is down pretty far on tread anyway, it would probably be easiest just to get two new tires and put them on the rear. However, as in the case of mine, the axlemate has plenty of good tread, you should ask your dealer about just replacing one.

Unless all four tires are far gone, there is absolutely no reason to replace all of them. Be sure if you only get two tires, the new ones go on the rear, otherwise you end up with oversteering problems.

I was in this situation a few years ago on my '99 Camry. When I was driving to work one morning, after some 2 miles of driving I found some thing wrong with front right left side tire and when I checked The tire was flat and there was a screw nicely stuck into it.

One tire repair guy said it can be repaired but another one said since I drove some distance with flat and no air in tire, the weight of car will damage the side wall and though the puncture can be repaired the side wall is weak and may give away suddenly. The tires were new at that time so I bought another new one to replace the flat one.

Venkat

Ajanta wrote:

The tire dealer can tell if the old tire can be repaired when they get it off the rim and inspect it, they look for tread and liner damage, and signs of cord damage inside the tire carcass.

Some service shops condemn most of the flat tires that come in just so they can sell you a new one, so go somewhere you feel they'll be honest. (Not a big chain store that's been busted for stuff like that lots of times, and they just don't learn...)

If the old tires have most of their tread left, you can replace just one tire, but on the drive axle it's better to do both tires - if one tire is worn more than the other (or worse, a tire size bigger), it causes a bit more wear on the differential as it thinks you're going around a slight turn all day. Not enough to worry about just from tire wear, but...

And if the car is All Wheel Drive all four tires need to be the same size and roughly the same wear, or all three differentials do this, too. The Owners Manual will explain it all.

If you change two tires, save the good old one. (Plastic trash bag, cool dry place, not crushed.) I hate temporary spares, if you get a used rim for it you can use it as a full-service spare tire. (Great for vacations where they'll ding you double for a new tire in the boonies.)

And the next time you damage a tire, you have one. That method has already saved me $125 once - ripped a tire open on rebar sticking out the end of a broken concrete parking bumper. Put the new full size spare on the car, had a good used tire at home from the last set of four, had it mounted it on the spare tire rim, all done.

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Last time I got a set of 4 Avid Touring tires on my 2K Maxima and they were noisy. However, the performace seems better than Michelin's.

Unless all four tires are far gone, there is absolutely no reason to replace all of them.

------------------------ I wouldn't say "absolutely"

When I was experimenting with slight tire pressure variations, raising the front tire pressure slightly seemed to make the rear tires hit expansion joints harder. Simplest way I can put it, since your tire's contact patch is about the size of a hand print, imagine a giant holding up your car at all four corners. As the car's weight shifts and moves around, it stresses all four corners. More significant at the limits of adhesion I suppose. Conventional wisdom is that if you keep the two same brand and type of tire construction on each "axle" you'll have no steering or stability problems, but I don't believe that's the whole story for more spirited driving practices.

Thanks to all who replied in this thread. I owe you an update:

I took the car to the nearest service facility and they said the tire was repairable. So I got it repaired. Then, as I needed to drive around for other errands anyway, I stopped at three different places and got the following opinion on my tires:

Sears: Sidewalls look damaged. Could blow. Change soon.

Pep Boys: Tires are fine. Good for another 1-2 years.

Walmart: Tires are fine but tread down to 5-7 range (he actually measured it). Could go 1-2 years but I'd consider changing before winter. Front ones have more depth. For now, just rotate front and back.

I got front/back exchanged and drove 300 miles and back for father's day with no hitch. Thinking of taking the Walmart guy's advice before winter.

I wish I kew a few "family owned" tire stores in Chicago area, it would be fun to comparetheir advice with the national chains.

: Today, as I drove my 98 Camry, I discovered it had a flat tire. By then : I was in very busy traffic. I do not know if it was already flat when I : parked it yesterday, obviously I hadn't noticed. Today, I probably : drove around 4 city blocks before finding a safe parking spot. It was : rather late, so I decided to deal with it tomorrow. : : Tomorrow I will face the problem of deciding if I should repair the : tire (if it is repairable) or change it. If I change, should I change : one or two? I am driving 300 miles this weekend for Father's Day, so I : need to make a wise choice. : : BTW the tires are Goodyear Regata, 205/65/15. Though in good shape, : they are probably a few years old (bought it used) and exact match may : not be available.

:

The Accu-Gage® S... Series Tire Gauges for $10 works great. Thanks. I am beginning to suspect that I don't check air pressure as often as I should because my cheapo pencil gauge is such a pain to use. Is dial gauge better than digital?

Digital gauges need batteries, dial gauges do not. I'd go with a dial gauge.

I used to buy my tires at Sears, they had some decent prices when you could catch a sale. The problem is that you have to be very careful as they did everything they could to upsell, or sell other things you didn't need, or even to outright lie (well, maybe they were just stupid).

About 15 years ago, I pulled into Sears to have two tires on the front replaced. The woman came out to the car and "Ooooed and Ahhed" and insisted that I needed new rear tires also because they were so badly worn.

I reached into the glove compartment and showed her the receipt for those "badly worn" rear tires, which I had purchased at Sears a few months earlier.

I said "go ahead and replace them," but since they were nearly new, I told her that I expected them to be replaced free. They didn't replace them and I never heard a word about it after that. LOL>

That's when I gave up on Sears and started hitting the local place. Ivan has even lent me for free a compressor on two different occassions. If my wife has a flat, she calls them up and they come out and rescue her. No extra charge.

Prices are actually a few dollars cheaper than the chains for comparable tires (note I say comparable, not "same"). They primarily sell Delta tires, Coopers and Yokohamas and Kellys

: I stopped at three different places and got the following opinions : on my tires: : : Sears: Sidewalls look damaged. Could blow. Change soon. : : Pep Boys: Tires are fine. Good for another 1-2 years. : : Walmart: Tires are fine but tread down to 5-7 range (he actually : measured it). Could go 1-2 years but I'd consider changing before : winter. Front ones have more depth. For now, just rotate front and : back.

Since then I have stopped at three local tire dealers. Two dismissed any concern I showed and said the tires are in good shape for now.

The third one said: Tires are ruined and it is because of bad struts. You need new tires and new struts at the same time, $1200.

Send me an e-mail and let me know the general area where you live and work. If you are near the northwest suburbs - Elk Grove Village, Mt. Prospect, Schaumburg, etc., I'd be happy to take a look.

: Send me an e-mail and let me know the general area where you live and work. : If you are near the northwest suburbs - Elk Grove Village, Mt. Prospect, : Schaumburg, etc., I'd be happy to take a look.

Hi Ray. This is Ajanta but posting from a family member's account. Thanks for the offer, but we are in Hyde Park, far from NW burbs. If I come that way, I would contact you. Are you in auto business?

Hyde Park is a bit of a trip from Schaumburg/Hoffman Est.

I am no longer in the auto business although I maintain a strong interest in cars and still do most of the work on our vehicles myself.