Flat Tire Update

[jamesq]

In other news, My flat tire problem seems to have gone away by itself. Filled it up on Saturday and it's been fine ever since.

I'm wondering if hitting a curb could break the seal and lose half the air in one fell swoop. If not, I may have to conclude that some asshat decided to let the air out of one of my tires.

Honestly, is the hitting-the-curb scenario even possible?

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_thwap_/]

Cold temperature will cause deflation of tires at random, usually only at extreme cold temperatures... If you were smart and filled it back up with air right away, you probably didn't do any damage to your tire. I would take a really close look at the tire you smacked the curb with just to make sure there are no bulges in the tire. If there are, you broke a few of the steel bands and should have that tire replaced. If you look, and don't see any damage and are not 100% sure of your inspection, you can always take your car to a tire shop and they will inspect it for you. It's always best to walk around your car in extreme cold (-35 or colder) to be sure your tires are fully inflated.

Also keep in mind if you have to drive on a half inflated tire, don't do it for too long, or at a speed higher than 20km/hr or you risk shredding the rubber on the inside of the tire. I know this one from experience *sigh*.

If your tire is still holding air, it sounds like all is well and good, and I wouldn't worry too much about it, other than doing a good visual inspection of your tires, especially the one you smacked into the curb.

[bungle-lord.livejournal.com]

Alternatively.
Splash a few drops of melt water into the tire's inflation valve. Place vehicle in location where the drops freeze and expand. Expanding ice then pushes on the valve stem. If you are lucky, the flowing air pushes the ice out of the way. If you are not lucky. . . .

[chris9871.livejournal.com]

I once had a nail lodged in my tire in such a way that it would only leak if the nail was down. Otherwise it stayed inflated. It got worse, of course, but at first it was okay for a week or so at a time. But I suspect you had the ass-hat scenario. (oh wait that wasn't haiku...)