How to Prevent Flat Spots from Developing on Car Tyres

Flat spots refer to the soft and flat sections that form on a tyre after a car has been parked on a hard surface. The flat spot causes the car to vibrate each time that flat spot makes contact with the ground as you drive. This article discusses some measures that you can take to prevent flat spots from forming on the tyres of your car.

Inflate Tyres Correctly

One of the most common causes of flat spots on tyres is under-inflation. The weight of the vehicle pushes down on the under-inflated tyre, and a bigger section of that tyre touches the ground. The compressed section of the tyre then becomes susceptible to developing a flat spot. This problem can be prevented by making sure that all your tyres are inflated to the correct level. You can buy a tyre-pressure gauge so that you can check the inflation level regularly (each week, for example).

Limit Temperature Fluctuations

Another contributor to flat spots is temperature fluctuations. When a car is kept outside, the drop in temperature at night causes the air inside the tyres to contract. This can cause a bigger surface area of the tyres to touch the ground. Sections of that large surface area touching the ground will be more likely to develop flat spots when compared to another tyre on a car that has not been subjected to a similar drop in ambient temperature. It is therefore advisable to keep your car in a place that does not experience wide temperature variations, such as in a climate-controlled garage.

Relieve Tyres of Heavy Loads

Another way to prevent flat spots is to take the weight off the tyres of your car when you want to keep that car in storage for several weeks (when you have gone on vacation, for example). One way to do this is to put your car on jack stands or blocks. Follow the steps here. It is a variation of the procedure used when changing a tyre. You can also contact your car mechanic for advice on alternative products that you can place under your tyres so that the tyres are prevented from developing flat spots.

While some flat spots can disappear after you drive the car for several miles, some may become permanent. It is therefore advisable for you to do everything in your power to prevent this problem from affecting your car tyres. Use the tips above as a starting point. Ask the tyre dealer for additional steps that you can take to protect your car tyres from flat spots.