Can a Bulging Car Tire Be Repaired?
4 Answers
Car tires with bulges cannot be repaired and need to be replaced promptly. Tire bulges are mostly caused by driving over speed bumps too quickly. Some vehicles have large wheel rims and thin tire sidewalls, making such tires particularly prone to bulging. The following are the functions of car tires: 1. Supporting weight: They bear the entire weight of the vehicle, handle the car's load, and transmit forces and moments in other directions. 2. Cushioning impact: They transmit traction and braking torque, ensuring good adhesion between the wheels and the road surface to enhance the car's power, braking, and off-road capabilities. They also work with the car's suspension to mitigate impacts during driving and dampen resulting vibrations. 3. Ensuring vehicle safety: They protect car components from severe vibrations and premature damage, adapt to the vehicle's high-speed performance, reduce driving noise, and ensure driving safety, handling stability, comfort, and fuel efficiency.
Last time my friend had a tire bulge and went to the repair shop, the experienced mechanic said it couldn't be fixed at all. A tire bulges when the inner layer of cord fabric breaks, meaning the internal structure is already damaged. Forcing it to drive could lead to a blowout at any moment. I've personally experienced tire bulges twice with my own car, and both times I replaced the tire immediately. Now when driving, I slow down before hitting potholes and always maintain the tire pressure at the manufacturer's recommended level. After all, replacing a tire costs a few hundred bucks, but a blowout causing an accident could lead to much greater losses. I suggest everyone check the tire sidewalls when washing their car each month. If you spot a bulge or cracks, don't hesitate—replace the tire early to stay safe.
A tire bulge is like a hernia in humans - it appears as a surface protrusion, but the internal structure is completely compromised. Tire factory technicians privately told me that bulges occur due to broken cord plies, and this damage is irreversible. Some people try to fix it with glue or hot patches, but the internal pressure during high-speed driving will still cause a blowout. My neighbor once cheaply repaired a bulged tire, which nearly caused an accident when it burst on the highway. Therefore, bulged tires must be completely replaced, preferably both tires on the same axle to maintain balanced grip. Remember to avoid curbs and slow down over speed bumps to extend tire life.
With twenty years of experience in car repair, I can say that a bulging tire is like a terminal illness. The supporting fabric layer inside is broken, and it can't be fixed! Last year, a car owner insisted that I repair a bulging tire, but I refused outright. Driving on such a tire is like carrying a bomb—it might hold up for a few days at low speeds in the city, but on the highway, the rising tire temperature could cause a blowout at any moment. My advice is to replace a bulging tire immediately. When replacing it, check that the production date is no more than three years old—the last four digits of the DOT code on the tire sidewall indicate the date. For safety, install new tires on the front axle, as a rear-tire blowout can easily cause the car to fishtail. Developing the habit of slowing down over potholes can save you a lot of money on tire replacements.
