Tire Myths Debunked Vol. 2

Table of Contents

Today, we will take a look at another 5 commonly believed myths about tires. These myths are usually believed to be true, but trusting them can lead to dangerous and pricey issues.

Blowout – Inflation

The myth states that the over-inflation of tires causes blowouts.

While overinflating your tires will cause problems, it will not cause a blowout. On the contrary, blowouts usually happen when the tires are underinflated. In such cases, the lowered air pressure is not able to maintain the ideal tire shape under the load and driving pressure, which increases the model’s surface contact area. The larger contact area generates friction between the tire and the road, which causes heat to build-up while the tire is in motion. The excessive heat affecting the tire puts too much pressure on the tread area, which causes the tire’s blowout.

It's recommended to keep the tires at the correct inflation levels. Over inflating your tires will not cause a blowout, but it will lead to other issues. It minimizes the tire’s surface contact, which dampens its traction and controllability. It will also cause damage more easily when hitting a pothole or other road disturbance, leading to tire failure.

Blowout – Old Tires

Another myth concerning tire blowouts is that only tires older than 5 years blow out.

The tire’s age (DOT) does not cause blowouts on its own. Both new and old tires can blowout, depending on the situation. The most common cause of blowouts is the underinflation of tires, which we have discussed in the previous myth.

Tires, however, can also blow out when the speed and load indexes are not followed. Driving the vehicle on tires which cannot handle high speed performance, will create excess heat along the tread area. Making the tire handle heavier loads than it was intended for will deform the tire. Both of these situations can lead to the tire bursting during its performance.

Spare Tires

According to the myth, compact or donut spare tires can perform at the same capacity as regular tires.

This is not true! Compact and donut spare tires were designed to lower the overall weight and size of the spare tire, to minimize the space the tire takes up in the trunk. Their lightweight construction lowered their load and driving durability significantly. Most donut tires only offer a limited temporary performance, just enough for the vehicle to arrive at a nearby location. These tires can usually perform at a maximum speed of 50 miles and can only be used for about 50 miles, like a run flat tire. They were not intended for full time use.

Government Testing

Most people believe that the U.S. Government is the one safety checking and approving the tires that are sold on the U.S. tire market.

The Government only creates guidelines and laws for the requirements of temperature resistance, traction and treadwear grades that tire manufacturers must follow. By federal law, the manufacturers are required to test their tires, which is called Uniform Tire Quality Grading. However, the manufacturers test and grade their own products, which can be quite subjective.

Kick Your Tires

The myth states that when safety checking your tires, you need to kick them to check the air pressure inside them.

This will only cause your foot to hurt if your shoes are not strong enough. Kicking your tires will not give you an accurate estimate or measurement of the air pressure inside of them. It's safer, and less painful, to check the tires’ air pressure in the conventional manner and use a tire compressor. You can even get a portable one to store in your vehicle for emergencies.