Many preppers consider their vehicles to be an essential part of their bug-out and survival plans. Motor vehicles offer greater speed and range, as well as more carrying capacity and protection against the weather than walking.
Our vehicles are not only important for times of hardship, but also as daily drivers, commuters, grocery haulers, and family transporters.
Most of us tend to take these capabilities for granted and start to pay attention only when something goes wrong.
The motor vehicle is complex, but even though there are many things that can go wrong it’s often the most simple and visible parts of the car which fail. This prevents us from getting on the road.
Tires are the number one component that fails on modern vehicles.
Modern, inflatable rubber tires are a wonder of simplicity and an amazingly complex engineering piece.
Tires are a vital part of our vehicle and ourselves. Knowing their specs, how to repair them, when and where to replace them and other information is essential if we want be ready for roadside or pre-trip emergencies.
We are going to give you an overview of all the information you will need about tires.
The most common failure point of the motive system is tires
Our cars have modernized wheels compared to the earlier vehicles such as chariots or wagons. Even the prototype automobile possessed modernized tires.
The modern tire is responsible for the vast improvement in performance of vehicles.
The tire plays a vital role in vehicle performance on and off-road. It provides a smooth ride and has incredibly long life.
Almost all vehicles today use inflatable tires. All vehicles, including bicycles, motorcycles, trucks, vans, and cars, use conventional tires.
They are used by big rigs and trailers as well as heavy machinery, lawn mowers and light equipment. Rubber tires are essential for the safe landing and take-off of airplanes in nearly all cases.
Without them, I’m not exaggerating. All modern cars require good, reliable tires.
The performance of a four-wheeled car, truck or other vehicle is severely compromised if even one tire fails.
You are more likely to crash if you speed up. You will have a very difficult time moving forward if you go flat more than once.
In a moment of extreme desperation, you may run your vehicle with flat tires at low speed, or on the wheel rims themselves. But , this will likely cause severe damage, and is highly likely to result in an accident.
You can rest assured that no matter which vehicle you have, or how powerful it may be on the road or off it, any tire failure will severely damage it.
Understanding tires and the performance envelopes, limitations and how to replace them quickly is a crucial skill for any prepper.
Modern tires are incredibly complex and varied.
There are many factors to consider, including the size, type, specification, rating of performance across all types of metrics, construction or special capabilities, and more.
The majority of information a tire technician or consumer needs at a quick glance can be found on the tire sidewall in the form an alphanumeric codes.
This code may look like gibberish to the novice, but after you get familiarized with its typical contents, you will be able determine the tire’s suitability and capability at a single glance.
Tire Types
This code is usually a two- or one-character code that appears at the end or beginning of the tire designation on the sidewall. It will give you an idea of the vehicle category for which the tire was designed, as well as its general suitability for emergency or full time use. These are the most commonly used codes.
P_ Denotes the tire of a car for passenger use. It is easy to remember.
LT: Tires for light trucks, usually used on pick-ups and SUVs.
ST – “Special trailer”, tire for larger trailers which can be tow by an average consumer vehicle.
T_ Stands for temporary. This code is used to identify a compact, emergency-use spare tire.
Undersized tires are used to replace the larger tires of a vehicle. They are usually only for short distances and lower speeds to get a vehicle home.
Tire sizes
The size of your tires is also a critical factor in achieving optimum performance for your vehicle.
For our purposes, we’re primarily concerned about three size characteristics:
Tire diameter, width and offset.
It is the diameter of the tire that is determined by which wheel the tire will be mounted. This is the area on the wheel surface where the bead tire rests when it is installed.
To determine the width, measure the distance between the bead and the bead of either side.
The offset is determined once more by the wheel on which the tire will be mounted. It is measured between the centerline of the wheel and the mounting surface. This is usually expressed as the half of the width measurement.
You’ll see that these measurements are usually listed in order: diameter, width and offset. However, this can vary depending on the tire type, the tire manufacturer, or the tire.
You don’t have to worry. With a bit of practice and studying, you’ll soon be able to identify the dimensions and their order in the tire code.
Tire Duty Ratings
The duty rating is a subcategory to the above tire classes. It further categorizes tires based on the type of terrain or conditions they are expected to be able handle.
It is important for the consumer to know the duty rating, because it will tell you whether the tire can handle the driving conditions you expect, such as inclement weather or high speeds, and if it will hold up when you are carrying heavy loads.
Light-Medium Duty
The tires in this category are the most common and typical for passenger cars. The tires in this category can carry up to 1,100 pounds at the driving wheel of cars and between 1,100 to 3,300 pounds for large trucks or vans.
The tires in this category can be further classified by rating. This rating tells you what type of tire can handle which conditions.
If you’re buying tires for an off-road vehicle, a high performance car or you live in a region with frequent bad weather conditions, this information is vital.
Snow Tires
Snow tires help vehicles handle safely and effectively in conditions of ice, snow, or wintry mixtures. You will notice large, deep voids (called voids) between the raised tread area.
The gaps allow the snow or slush between the tires to compact before it is ejected. This allows the tire tread to have a better, more constant contact with the soil below.
Some snow tires are better classified as “ice tires” because of the aggressive studs in their treads. These studs will offer traction even when driving on hard-packed snow and ice.
Tires of this kind are often regulated by many states, as they can be very expensive.
In areas where the weather is extremely cold, studded tires may be required.
Any tire that passes the winter traction test at an authorized proving ground, regardless of its exact specifications, can have a snowflake pattern on the sidewall. This will complement the tire’s code.
The Season
The treads of all-season tires have large spaces between them, similar to those on snow tires. They are also designed to handle road conditions that are less than ideal.
These gaps are much smaller than the ones above.
All-weather and all-season tires are a great option for vehicles which may be subjected to inclement conditions on a regular basis.
The M+S symbol is usually found on the sidewall of tires in this category.
All Terrain
The all terrain tire is a great option for vehicles that are capable of off-road driving. They have good performance off-road, but they are also designed to be quiet and responsible on highways.
Tires of this type are usually good on ice and snow, which is great for prepper.
Mud Terrain
Many people think of mud terrain tires when they imagine off-road tires for smaller vehicles.
These tires have a knobby, aggressive tread pattern with voids that are widely separated. This gives them the best handling and responsiveness in muddy terrain.
They are noisy, unpredictable and do not perform well on pavement.
High-Performance
The tires have been designed for extreme speed in terms of material capacity and handling characteristics.
This category has two subcategories: high-performance, for speeds not exceeding but up to 168mph; and ultra-high-performance, for speeds not exceeding but up to 186mph.
Tires with a relatively short lifespan and an uncomfortable ride should be used only by vehicles or drivers that know their vehicle requires them.
Run-Flat
Tires that are used on cars without spare tires.
Tires of this kind are designed with a sidewall especially rigid that maintains the shape and the profile of the tires even when the air pressure has been completely lost. This allows drivers to continue rolling, even at reduced speeds and for only a relatively short distance before seeking help.
These are usually expensive, and can sometimes be damaged beyond repair. However, they may still make a great option in certain circumstances.
Race Car
The label says it all!
The tires for ultra-performance vehicles are made to be able to do extreme maneuvers and run at high speeds.
Tires are subjected to extreme pressures and wear quickly, but they’re designed with maximum durability in mind.
There are three other subtypes of race car tire: slicks for regular use, rain for use during racing in wet weather, and DOT for “street-legal” tires.
Heavy Duty
Tires that are heavier and larger than light-medium duty, and used for tractor cabs and semi trucks.
The tires in this category can carry loads between 4,500 and 5,500 pounds on their drive wheels. They are typically mounted on vehicles in pairs.
Off-Road
Subcategory for heavy-duty tires that are commonly used on construction equipment, earthmovers and agricultural machinery.
These treads are characterized by a large and deep gap between each tread. They can be used on tarmac or other hard surfaces.
The following list includes the types of tires most preppers are likely to need for daily vehicles or fleet vehicles.
There are many more types of tires than the ones mentioned above. These include everything from small tires used on lawnmowers to solid, specialized tires designed for forklifts, and other machines.
After we’ve mastered the basics of tire classifications, let’s get to the meat and potatoes. Let us examine what exactly a code on a tire can tell you.
Sample Tire Code
You may think that the code on the tire is illogical, but you’ll soon find out they are easy to understand.
Here is a code example that will be broken down into individual components.
P215/65R15 95H M+S
P– We learned earlier that the p represents a tire on a car such as a coupe, sedan or other similar vehicles.
215– The width of a tire is measured in millimeters. This was one of the main measurements that were discussed earlier.
65 This is the ratio between the height of the sidewalls and the .
R – R is the letter for a Radial Tire, although other tire types can be found on consumer vehicles. The letter ‘B” indicates bias-belt tire, while the letter ‘D” indicates diagonal belted tires. It is important to note that there are no letters in the middle of this code for a tire with cross-ply.
15 This part of the code is the size of the wheel the tire was designed to fit. It’s usually expressed in inches. Some manufacturers will use millimeters, and this is more prevalent in other parts of the world. In North America it’s a 3 digit code.
95 – The load index is the number that can be found on the ETRTO standard table. This will reveal the maximum rating for the tire. The tire’s load rating is indicated by a ’95.’
H – The speed rating for the tire. This can be found in a similar cross-referenced table that shows the maximum speed the tire has been rated to manage. These single-digit or double-digit indicators may not be in this order, but can appear elsewhere.
M+S_ Indicates a tire for all seasons. As we have seen above, this M+S indicates mud and Snow.
The tire code is now complete. It’s not too hard, right?
You will learn quickly what the different groups of characters mean and where they’re commonly used in tire codes. This allows you to quickly interpret any coded tire.
Tire Degradation
Tires can be a complex part, combining the latest advances in material science with modern manufacturing methods to produce tires that offer unmatched performance, durability and longevity.
The simple rubber tire of the last century has come a long way. Modern tires are multi-component composite wonders, but still not invincible.
Tires can be significantly reduced in service life by regular wear, misuse, or abuse, such as burnouts and hard corners, showboating, or even UV radiation and moisture from the sun.
It could introduce structural weaknesses, which may lead to a blowout or crash.
It is important to note that tires installed on a car that does not get driven often must still be regularly rotated, inspected and protected from the weather.
If you don’t perform preventative maintenance, tires that have been left in the open will degrade quickly and literally fall off.
Look for small, fine cracks on the tire’s surface. This could indicate the start of dry rot.
Tire Failures
In normal use, tires are subjected to a great deal. It all adds to the wear and tear of tires.
It is always at this time that we are most likely to be unable to afford to replace our tire. We will either have to pay for someone to do it, or deal with the problem ourselves.
It is therefore in your interest to educate yourself on common tire failures so you will know how to proceed in case they fail. You’ll also be able to decide whether it makes sense to repair the tire, return it to service or simply replace it.
You probably know that the most common cause of tire failure, also known as a flat, is loss of tire air pressure.
The tires go flat when they cannot hold the pressure that gives them their shape and profile.
Leaks can cause a loss in pressure.
A blowout or leak could have been caused by simple wear-and-tear or even a small piece of debris puncturing the tire.
You may be lucky and come to find out that your car is sitting in an unusual position or that you hear the “wop-wop” noise of a flat tire as soon as it starts moving.
Unlucky drivers may experience a blowout while driving at high speeds. It is the most dangerous and life-threatening type of tire failure.
Tires can either go flat quickly while driving or, in the worst-case scenario, the tire will disintegrate and come apart. This leaves only the wheel bare in contact with asphalt. If this happens at high speed, it is very likely that you will lose control.
A vehicle that is overcorrected can cause a serious skid, or worse. If I miss a turn on a heavy and large vehicle, a crash is likely.
A driver can minimize their chances of having a negative outcome if a blowout occurs by preparing and training properly.
You will need to remove the wheel to fix the issue, whether it’s a blowout on the road or a flat when you want to leave. In the next section, we will show you how to remove it.
Tire Damage or Destroyed? How to deal with it
You have a few options depending on your setting, skill level and tools.
If the tire has plenty of remaining life and is otherwise in good condition, a common flat is nothing to worry about. The tires are usually repairable in a temporary or permanent manner to put your car back on the roads.
The majority of driver-level fixes are either temporary or semi permanent, and designed to allow you to drive the car at a moderate speed while getting the tires serviced.
A professional garage can repair the damage and reinflate it, restoring normal tire operation. Some tire damages cannot be fixed, and the tire may need to be changed.
It usually occurs at the end or the service life of the tire from regular use, or when a puncture is particularly bad or goes into the sidewall instead of the tread.
Tires that have been destroyed by being blown apart or completely shred cannot be repaired.
There are several options available to repair a puncture.
Plug_ Repairs of plugs are the most commonly used interim fixes by drivers for punctures in the tread.
The kits can be found in department stores or automotive stores. They include a tool set that helps you to remove the debris which caused the puncture. You then clean the hole, and insert an epoxy plug.
These are designed to keep a tire in service until you can get it to the garage. However, they may last a very long time.
patch – A similar material to that used for the plug repair is used to create a patch to be applied to the inside surface of the tire in order to fill a tread hole.
It is not possible for many drivers, particularly in a harsh environment, or at the side of a road.
A patch can be applied to the outside surface of the sidewall in case of very small punctures.
Combine– To achieve the highest level of durability, you can use a combination repair that includes a patch and plug along with other materials and adhesives. This will ensure the best possible seal and return the tire to its original condition.
If performed correctly, combination repairs are most likely to hold for long periods of time at high speeds.
How to Replace a Tire that is Damaged or Destroyed
No matter what has happened, whether it’s a sudden flat tire, or if you have experienced a harrowing blowout on the road, you are out of commission until you replace that tire.
If you have a spare wheel on your car, this is the most common way to do it. You’ll need to get one if you don’t have it.
Even though it may seem difficult to those who are not familiar with the process, replacing a flat is actually a relatively simple procedure. However, in some cases the task can be complicated if there is bad weather or the lug nuts that hold the wheel on the axle become stuck. With the right tools, you can overcome this problem.
It is important that all drivers are familiar with this task, because, as we have already mentioned, a flat tire is one of the most common failures in a vehicle.
You will find below a complete list of the tools you need to quickly, safely and correctly change a flat.
Jack – It should come as standard equipment on your car, no matter what it is.
The manual for your car will tell you where to place the jack to raise the vehicle nearest to the flat tire.
You should be aware that the jacks provided with the equipment of the vehicle are not strong enough to hold the vehicle up. Never, under any circumstances, get beneath a car being held by the jack or let your body touch the ground while you change the tire.
A Jack Stand– The jack stands are a mechanical device that is designed to lift a car with a hydraulic jack. They provide an easier and safer way of holding the vehicle up when working on it.
In most cases, jack stands are used in garages and not carried in vehicles except under special circumstances. These are still useful if you need to replace a tire in your own home.
Wrench Also called the lug-nut wrench because it’s designed to hold the wheel on the axle.
This is something you should have with your vehicle, but it’s not always the case. If you don’t, you may need to add another tool or upgrade to a longer one to give you more leverage when you encounter stubborn lug nuts.
Breaker bar — The breaker is an extension to the lug-nut wrench. It can be anything, from a long handle ratchet fitted with an appropriate socket or a length of steel pipe. This will give you more leverage than any lug-nut wrench that has a shorter handle.
A breaker bar can be the key to a fast and effective roadside replacement of a stuck lugnut.
Gloves – Your hands will get dirty and greasy when you change a tire. They could even be injured.
The injuries can range from smashed knuckles due to a wrench that slipped or a loose lug-nut to other types of cuts and injuries caused by roadside debris.
Keep a set of lightweight mechanics’ gloves in your car emergency kit.
How to change a flat tire step-by-step
The tools are available and the flat tire needs to be changed. You can follow the steps below.
Refer to the owner’s guide of your car to make sure that there is no special procedure required for safely and successfully lifting up the vehicle and changing a tire.
Learn How to Change a Flat Tire like a Boss
Step 1. Before you begin, move the car to an area that is safe, away from any traffic. It should also be level, flat and have a hard surface capable of holding the weight of the automobile on its small footprint.
Don’t take the risk if you can’t get your vehicle away enough from traffic for a quick change. Instead, call for a tow.
Step 2:It’s time to lift the vehicle. If your jack isn’t permanently fixed, you can retrieve it and the lever that operates it. Jacks are available in many different styles. Consult your owner’s guide and make sure you place it in the right orientation.
As you lift your car, make sure to keep all parts of yourself out of the vehicle. Only lift the car enough to raise the tire off of the ground.
Step 4: Loosening the lug nuts that hold the wheel. You can use your lug-nut wrench to remove the wheel lugs. Be prepared to exert a lot of force, as some may be very tight.
If necessary, use your break bar. You should only loosen them enough so that you can remove them easily by hand.
After removing damaged wheel, remove the spare tire. Remove the lug nuts and finish the removal.
Step 4:Time for the tire to be mounted. Be sure that the tire is in perfect condition and inflated at the right pressure.
Replace the lug nuts and tighten the bolts before installing the new tire.
Step 5:Start by tightening your lug nuts with the lug nut tool as much as possible.
The alternating pattern is either specified in your owner’s manual or you can tighten a nut, then move to the next opposite one on the hub clockwise.
Continue this process until you have tightened all the lug nuts as much as possible.
The torque of the lugnuts should be set, and if we don’t have a torque wrench with us we want to make sure they won’t come loose when we return to the road.
Step 6:Now, lower your car until it is easy to remove the jack. Then, put away your tools and double-check your installation before getting back into your vehicle to drive.
Note If using an emergency spare or compact tire (also known as a “donut”), as described above, be aware that these tires will not have the same speed rating as your normal tires.
You’ll want to go slower than 50 miles per hour when you roll down the road in a donut.
Keep in mind, too, that these tires may not be rated to travel long distances and have a lifespan typically of 200 miles.
These are designed only to help you get your vehicle back on the road so that it can be safely driven to the garage to replace the tire.
That’s all you need to know on how to change a tire that has blown out or been damaged.
You can complete the task in 15 minutes, or even less, with some confidence, the correct tools, and a good place to leave your car.
All preppers should practice the procedure so that they don’t make a mistake in an actual event.
Now you’re a Tire Expert
The tires are integral and essential to modern cars, regardless of their category. Those of us that rely on them every day probably do not give them a lot of thought, unless they need to be replaced or if one fails, leaving us stranded.
Tires are more likely than other components to break down, resulting in an accident and a long delay.
It is important that all drivers, but particularly preppers, have a good working knowledge of the tire specifications and how to deal with accidents.