Your tires are one of the most important parts of your car, and you should inspect them monthly to check for signs of wear or other problems. A bulge anywhere on your tire is a sign of damage, and it should be taken seriously. Bulges indicate structural weakness in the tire, and your tire can burst if you continue to drive on it without fixing the problem.
What Causes a Bulge?
You'll typically find bulges on the side wall of the tire or somewhere in the tread. A bulge usually appears when something has struck the tire hard enough to damage it. This happens most often if you hit a large pothole or if you curbed your tire.
Instead of breaking through the outer material, however, a blunt impact like that will cause damage to the inner tire. The impact damages what is known as the "belt" of the tire, which is most commonly made of steel ply. The belt gets separated or broken after the impact and subsequently loses its shape, which causes the bulge.
Can a Bulge Be Fixed?
Unfortunately, once a tire starts to bulge, the only fix is a replacement. This is because a tire belt cannot be fixed or replaced without dismantling the tire completely, and that is too complex to be worth it.
The good news is that you don't need to replace all four tires, so the fix doesn't have to break your bank. You should, however, have the rest of your tires inspected when you go in for a replacement.
How Soon Should I Replace The Tire?
A tire bulge is a serious problem regardless of its size, so you should replace it as soon as you are able and try to keep driving to a minimum in the meantime. While a tire with a bulge can sometimes last quite a long time, this is a situation where it's better to play it safe.
How Can I Avoid Future Tire Damage?
Apart from being cautious on the road and avoiding potholes and uneven surfaces, a good way to help your tires last longer is by maintaining them regularly. Your tires should be inspected once a month to check their tread levels and to make sure there are no signs of uneven wear. You should also check their tire pressure every month to make sure they're within their optimum levels; inadequate tire pressure can wear down your tires much faster.
Finally, make sure your tires are rotated regularly to make sure they are worn as evenly as possible. You can take your car to a mechanic, like Central Ave Auto Body, to do this, but if you want to do this yourself, consult your car's manual first. How and when you should rotate your tires depends on the angle of your tires and what type of tires your car uses. A sporty car with rear-wheel drive will have different needs than a sedan with front-wheel drive.
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