1 of 4
Derek Montgomery
Have and use a tire repair kit before swapping in a spare
2 of 4
Derek Montgomery
On board air can be key to making repairs
3 of 4
Derek Montgomery
What will you do with no spare tire and a sidewall that can't be repaired?
4 of 4
Derek Montgomery
A tire and wheel looks like this if you have to drive it out - assuming you can
Words by Tom Severin
Tires are generally your number one problem driving off-road.
Tires, by their nature, take a lot of abuse while off road. Trails are anything but smooth. Stuff happens! A stick jams into the sidewall; a rock that is ideal to skip across a lake slices the sidewall like butter; or a decent size rock hiding behind the bush on a turn cuts the sidewall between the rock and the rim. The probability increases when you add into the mix a fatigued driver.
Prevention
Always watch for obstacles, as four wheeling is by its nature tough on vehicles. As such it requires your undivided attention. While focused on the trail ahead make sure you’re watching for hazards that can damage your tires.
You must be cognizant of the condition of the trail and surrounding areas. Any time you see an obstacle, slow down and try to steer around it if you can do so safely and responsibly. Resist the temptation to hit the gas and plow over or through it. You could damage more than just tires.
Many times, a punctured tread or minor sidewall puncture can be addressed quickly, as one or two plugs can solve the problem, allowing the trip to resume. The challenge is that if you can’t fix the tire, you have no backup should another tire be damaged.
Your tire failure strategy
- Some minor cuts can be plugged, allowing the trip to continue without losing too much time. Use your plug kit; put a new valve stem in if it was damaged, or reseat the bead. Use one of the spare lug nuts in your kit when you lose one in the sand changing tires. Incidentally, you know you can’t plug a sidewall. But, if it holds a plug on the trail at 7 mph, it is a reasonable, expedient repair to get back to the highway. If a sidewall plug lets go at 70 mph, I don’t want to be riding with you! Related reading: Tire Problems shouldn’t Deflate Your Day
- Don’t leave home with bad tires. Period. If you hit the trails with even one damaged tire, and you’re asking for trouble. You may complete your ride, but why start a trip risking a flat tire?
- Pick your wheeling buddies based on their vehicle’s lug pattern and tire size. In a worse case scenario, you use can use their spare. In fact, wheel with other similar vehicles so you have other spare parts you might need.
- If you know it will be difficult, remote, and you have had more that your share of problems, pack another spare, either on the rim or by itself. Store it on the top of your vehicle. You will then have two spare tires – more than enough for the typical 4WD trip.
- Buy an inner tube that fits your vehicle’s tires. (Harbor Freight and other retailers carry them.) The tube is your deep, deep, back up line of defense.
- If you cannot fix the tire, put on the spare and head home or find the nearest tire store and replace the damaged tire. You’ll miss part and perhaps the rest of the trip, but you’ll also enjoy the peace of mind that comes with riding on good tires.
- Don’t want to miss the rest of the trip? Agree on a meeting location and time frame for after you get your tire replaced. If the area is too remote or unknown to you, see if you can negotiate with the group to camp now and wait for you.
- Now, better late than never, check the lug pattern and tire size of all the rigs. Maybe you will get lucky and discover that tires can be swapped between a 4-Runner and a Chevy pickup. Good chance you will not have any more problems but if so, you’ll have access to another spare tire.
Sidewall issues, like any breakdown, require you to evaluate the situation and make a decision. Can you quickly solve the problem and continue on? Or do you put on your spare and plot the shortest route to a tire store?
The correct decision depends on the circumstances you’re facing. And each trip is unique. Spend some time before each excursion imagining how you’ll handle a sidewall issue. Doing so will help make that decision easier, should the need arise.
Tom Severin, 4x4 Coach, teaches 4WD owners how to confidently and safely use their vehicles to the fullest extent in difficult terrain and adverse driving conditions. Visit www.4x4training.com to develop or improve your driving skill.
Connect with Tom Severin on Facebook - tom.severin.77