Will the wheel hub be damaged if driving 20 kilometers with a flat tire?
2 Answers
Driving 20 kilometers with a flat tire can damage the wheel hub. The reasons are as follows: The wheel hub may deform: When the tire is flat, the wheel hub has to bear the weight of the vehicle. If the wheel hub cannot support the weight, it may deform. Damage to the tire: Continuing to drive with a flat tire can cause severe damage to the tire, likely rendering it unusable. Information about tires is as follows: Car tires: They are one of the important components of a car, directly in contact with the road surface. Functions: Together with the car suspension, they help absorb shocks during driving, ensuring good ride comfort and smooth driving; they ensure good adhesion between the wheels and the road surface; they improve the car's traction, braking, and off-road capability; they bear the weight of the car.
When I first encountered this situation, I asked a mechanic, and he told me to pull over immediately and check. Driving 20 kilometers with a flat tire will most likely deform the wheel rim, especially for aluminum alloy rims which are particularly fragile. Think about it—the steel rim is grinding directly against the road surface, with the entire weight of the car pressing down on it, causing direct wear to the rim edges that are usually protected by the tire. I’ve personally seen a case where after just five kilometers, deep grooves were worn into the rim, and it had to be replaced entirely. If the rim had hit a hard object, the deformation would have been even worse. Go to a repair shop right away to check if the rim is out of round, otherwise, your steering wheel will shake violently at high speeds, and in severe cases, even the brakes could be affected. The mechanic specifically warned me that if you notice low tire pressure in the future, don’t push it—that’s what the spare tire is for.
