Have you ever had a flat tire? It can be a very annoying and time-consuming experience. Luckily, there are ways to prevent flats and keep your tires going strong for as long as possible. One of the most common reasons for flat tires is nails in tires or debris from roads or sidewalks.
Check that your tires are inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended PSI
Before you hit the road, it’s important to check that your tires are inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended PSI. For example, if you have a car with 205/55 R16 tires. Then you should check that they are inflated to between around 32 and 36 psi (pounds per square inch) when they’re cold.
The best time to check tire pressure is when your vehicle has been parked for at least three hours (so the tires have cooled down).
Before long trips—especially in hot weather or over rough roads. You may need to add more air because of heat expansion and loss of pressure due to flexing. Check them again after filling them with air. So you know how much more pressure is needed for safe driving conditions!
Don’t drive over potholes
It is not just the weight of your vehicle that damages tires. Potholes are a common cause of tire damage, as well as damage to other parts of your vehicle.
Potholes are not always visible in the dark, and they can be big and deep, making them difficult to avoid without slowing down or swerving out of their way. If you hit a pothole while driving at speed. It can cause serious damage to your tires, wheels and suspension system. You could also lose control of your car if you hit one hard enough!
Drive defensively and keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front
Keep a little bit of space between you and the vehicle in front. If you stay alert and pay attention to the road, there is less chance of hitting nails or other debris on the road. You also need to pay attention while driving at night, when nails can hide in dark spots.
Do not tailgate other vehicles, as it will be difficult for you to react quickly if something hits your tires or breaks down suddenly. Avoid distracted driving, too. As this will increase your chances of hitting a nail on the road. When you drive aggressively, there is more chance of hitting anything that comes on your path – including nails!
Check tire pressure and treads once a month
It is important to keep your tires at the proper inflation pressure, since a tire that is too low can lead to flats and premature wear. It’s also important to check the tread depth of your tires. Since a tire with worn treads may not be able to grip the road well in wet conditions or snow.
In addition to these general guidelines, there are two other things you should do once per month: check your spare tire and make sure it is inflated properly.
Then inspect all four tires for signs of damage before driving any long distance. So you don’t have an accident on the road because one of your tires was damaged while parked somewhere else (such as in someone’s driveway).
Avoid driving on debris-strewn roads when it isn’t necessary
Avoid driving on debris-strewn roads when it isn’t necessary. If you do have to drive on them, avoid the larger pieces of debris by staying in the center of your lane and not swerving suddenly to avoid them.
Don’t drive over potholes if you can help it. Although, driving over a pothole may cause only minor damage. Repeated driving over the same pothole can result in more severe damage to your tires and suspension system.
Be aware of other potential hazards that could cause nails to fall into your tires as well. Like tree branches hanging low over roadways, large rocks or boulders in fields near roads and parking lots, areas where construction is taking place (elevated steel plates), etc..
Keep the tire properly inflated at all times
The first step to avoiding nails in tires is to keep your tires properly inflated at all times. The tire pressure should be checked before you begin driving, and after every long trip or short errand.
Additionally, it’s a good idea to check the pressures both before leaving on a road trip and when you arrive at your destination. You should do this even if the tires were recently checked by someone else!
Tires need to be properly inflated in order for them to function properly. They’ll be more stable while driving on surfaces like gravel roads or unpaved streets. They’ll also help prevent flat tires caused by nails. Because there’s more rubber between the nail and road surface (as opposed to having fewer pounds per square inch).
Rotate your tires regularly according to the instructions in your owner’s manual
You need to rotate your tires regularly according to the instructions in your owner’s manual.
- Rotate tires every 6,000 miles or as recommended in your vehicle’s owner’s manual.
- Rotate tires every time you change oil.
- Rotate tires in a star pattern (front right wheel to rear left wheel; front left wheel to rear right wheel).
- Rotate tires to avoid uneven wear and prevent dry rot on the inside edges of your tires.
If not rotated. These areas will wear out much faster than the center section of each tire because they have much less rubber contacting pavement during normal driving conditions.
When this happens, you’re likely to get a flat when driving through pothole-ridden roadways or irregular terrain like gravel roads. Even if there are no nails included!
Don’t overload your vehicle
One of the most important things you can do to avoid nails in tires is not overload your vehicle. This is because an overloaded tire is more likely to blow out on you, and if it does, there’s a good chance that you’ll get a flat tire with a nail sticking out of it.
It’s also important not to overload your vehicle because an over-loaded tire may wear unevenly or prematurely. Overloading can also make it easier for potholes and debris to damage the tires as well.
Final Thoughts
There are many ways to avoid getting nails in your tires. Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to avoid driving over nails, but there are some things you can do to reduce the risk of getting them stuck in your tires.
One of the most obvious ways is to look out for metal objects on the road and be prepared for them. This means also driving slower than usual when going through areas with high amounts of debris like construction sites or agricultural fields where there might be loose nails lying around.
Another option would be swapping out traditional steel-belted radials for run-flat tires, which don’t have inner tubes and therefore cannot become punctured by a nail. They’re also more resistant to potholes because they’re made with special rubber compounds.
Which won’t wear down quickly or degrade over time like regular tires would do under similar conditions; however these kinds of vehicles aren’t suited for all terrains so keep that in mind before making any decisions about what kind of tire pressure monitoring system should be used on your vehicle!