Is It Safe To Drive Your Truck With a Tire Bulge?

Having tire bulge sucks. Sometimes you are smartly cruising. Then you note something weird on your tire. Upon checking, you realize that it is an egg-shaped swollen bulge on the side wall of your vehicle. Is it safe to keep driving with such bumps or should you straight away consider replacing the tire? Is it safe to drive your truck with a tire bulge? Here, we delve deeper into that and whether you need to change the tires.

Is It Safe To Drive Your Truck With a Tire Bulge?

What is Tire Bulge?

Various terms refer to bumps on the side wall of tires. Some call them tire bubbles, bulges, or sidewall protrusions. No matter the word you use to refer to them, they still symbolize a damaged tire. Tire bulges are egg-shaped, and it might be challenging to identify them if you never do a regular tire inspection.

Causes of Tire Bulge

The impact on the road, such as hitting potholes, is the common cause of tire bulge. Sometimes you might fail to know the cause of tire bulge, but you will see it when performing a tire inspection. If you know of a tire bulge, talk to your mechanic for tire replacement.

If your vehicle is heavily loaded, the absolute pressure is subjected to the wheels by overloading. However, if your wheels are not correctly inflated, they might fail to support the whole weight of the vehicle. It is necessary to know the maximum quantity of weight it can handle and keep your tires inflated.

Tire bulge results from air getting into the internal tire layer and settling under the outer layer of your tire. The air then collects in the inner part of your tire’s outer layer as air tries to escape from your tire. 

Tire bulge can lead to tire failure because it weakens the tire and can never handle hostile terrains like potholes, curbs and rocky surfaces. It is necessary to replace your tires as soon as you see swellings on them.

Is it Safe To Drive With A Bulging Tire?

Any tire with sidewall swellings is not safe to keep using. When your tires bulge, the fabrics on the inner walls can no longer protect the tire from bursting. If you hit a small bump, make a sharp turn or even apply an instant brake, the pressure will increase in the tires, and the one with swellings will burst. 

If you are driving and realize that your tire is bulging, you must fix a spare wheel or drive to the nearest mechanic for assistance. 

A tire bulge is a sign that your tires are no longer safe. Tire burst is one of the causes of fatal road accidents. Keep yourself and other road users safe by taking the necessary precautions when you see a tire bulge. 

Conclusion

To avoid tire bulges, perform regular tire services such as checking the pressure in your tires and driving carefully, especially on potholes and bumpy roads. It is necessary to check the quality of the tires you buy. Fixing expired tires might lead to tire bulge. Driving with the tires’ swellings protruding on the side walls of the tires can lead to a fatal accident. It is necessary to replace the bulging tire as soon as you note it.