For many car owners and drivers, a tyre is just simply… well, a tyre. And should one of them experience the unfortunate mishap of a puncture, most of us have no means for repairing it. Nor would most of us know how. Understandably, as well, we tend to see any tyre puncture as simply a hole cause by something our tyre picked up on the road. Tyre punctures and tyre puncture repair are not what most car owners specialise in.
But not all tyre punctures are the same.
Types of Tyre Punctures
When it comes to the nature of punctures, there are typically two categories: punctures that quickly deflate your tyre, and those that release the air slowly and sometimes imperceptibly.
In addition, punctures can occur in either the tread area – the flatter portion of your tyre that actually grips the road – or in the sidewall. Unfortunately, most sidewall punctures are not repairable. On the bright side, however, most tyre punctures rarely occur in the sidewall of a tyre.
The problem with sidewall punctures is that tyres have reinforcement cords that run all around the tread of the tyre, the surface that makes contact with the road. This structure allows for a secure repair. But on the tyre sidewall, there are no cords. So, there’s just no way for a repair to be made that will last.
And what are the causes of tyre punctures?
As the automotive advisory site Cartoq, puts it,
“The primary cause of punctures if of course penetration by any foreign object – nails, spikes, stones, thorns etc. When such objects pierce a tube-type tyre – the loss of air is almost instant, unlike in a tubeless tyre, where the object, if it stays embedded in the tyre, acts as a plug to the leak and air leaks out slowly.”
Fortunately, when it comes to tyre punctures and tyre puncture repair, most common tyre punctures that are not located on or quite near the sidewall, can be easily repaired by a proper tyre technician.
However, a tyre can generally only be repaired if the puncture is less than 6mm in diameter and located in the central three-fourths of the tyre tread area. A puncture any place else on the tyre is usually deemed unsafe to repair since it is too close to the sidewall.
Tyre Punctures and Electric Vehicle (EV) Tyres
Most owners of electric vehicles, or EVs, likely know that their car’s tyres are not quite the same as those on their old Vauxhall Corsa or Ford Focus.
These high-tech tyres are typically designed especially for both the weight of EVs, and their high instant torque generated by electric engines.
TireReview.com points out five major distinctions of EV tyres:
- Noise Reduction: Since EVs don’t have an engine, they create virtually no noise when driven. Therefore, one of the most important requirements of an EV tire is that it reduces as much road noise as possible in order to maintain the quietness of the ride.
- Withstands Heavy Weight: EV tires are built to withstand the heavier weight of EV vehicles, which are generally 10-20% greater than that of their ICE counterparts.
- Strong Traction: Since EVs have strong initial acceleration and high output from the moment a driver steps on the pedal, EV tires must also have stronger traction, steering and braking performance.
- Enhanced Durability: Specific tire compounds are also necessary to support the unique driving experience of an EV. Compounds that contain raw materials such as high-loading resin and silica extracted natural resources are key components to developing EV-specific tire products.
- Reduced Rolling Resistance: Another crucial factor in the development of EV tires is reducing rolling resistance. Essentially, lower rolling resistance leads to less energy loss, therefore, increasing battery efficiency.
However, despite the differences and the robust construction of EV tyres, they are still capable of going flat from tyre punctures. Fortunately, several newer EVs are being equipped with tyres that use self-sealing technology to temporarily repair punctured tires.
So, until science comes up with a truly “puncture-proof” tyre, the possibility of experiencing a tyre puncture and subsequent flat tyre remains a constant problem for drivers. In other words, tyre punctures and tyre puncture repair will be with us for a long while.
Fortunately, with Expert Tyres mobile tyre puncture repair services, Sheffield area motorists can be assured that help can be on the way.
For Tyre Puncture Repair, Expert Tyres Can Meet You Where You Are
If you find your car has a flat tyre and you’re still at home or at work, taking the time to change your tyre for the spare can be a problem. Especially if you’ve never done so before, or your spare is missing or as sometimes happens, is flat, as well.
The good news is that Expert Tyres mobile service can be there to either repair or replace your flat tyre without delay!
And, in addition to tyre puncture repair, we now offer mobile seasonal tyre swaps as well as new tyre installation. Because we are a mobile tyre service, that means we’re able to meet you where you are – regardless of whether that’s at your home or your place of work – or on the side of a lovely backtrack outside of Chesterfield or Rotherham!
Expert Tyres Ltd. Proudly serves all the surrounding Sheffield region including the Rotherham and Chesterfield areas. You can have all your tyre services carried out by our mobile Expert Tyre specialists and we regularly check our prices against our competitors.
Our mission is to always provide our customers with the best quality tyre service at the best price.