Tom - tires and gears

Can I Drive with A Curbed Wheel? A curbed wheel has a raised edge at the right-hand side around the circumference of the wheel. Cars often use curb wheels for increased safety when driving on wet or uneven surfaces. Yes! You can drive a curbed wheel for a short time. Curbing a wheel has the effect of slightly rounding off the outside edge and approximating a "squeeze-type" valve stem. This makes it difficult for air to escape from the tube, preventing air leakage but not making it impossible for air to escape. This usually gives you about a week, ten days at most, before the tube is flat, depending on how much you ride and how hard you brake. It may also affect your brakes because the squeeze valve allows less air to escape when you apply the brake. This reduces your ability to stop, especially in wet conditions. Here are some things to consider when curbing a wheel: Stems. Your stem will not be as tight as it used to be. This can make your stem lose and cause vibration or damage to your stem. Wheels. A wheel with a thin rim can break if it's too tight in curbing a wheel. This is usually true of "track" wheels, fat rims are stronger and can survive a curbed wheel. Brake levers. The brake lever can be bent back into position, but if curbed too far, it may break. Your brakes may work, but you will have a "dead" feel for them, and the lever will not look right. What Happens If You Curb A Wheel? FactorExplanationHalted MovementLoss of balance on the affected wheelFriction Between the wheel and groundWorse when speed increasesAbrupt jerk when the wheel is stallingControl riskPossible wheel damageRisks depend on the speed and weight of the loadTurbulence in load (weight) channeled down the mass of a wheelChoked flow to one sideRapid rotation of wheel due to centrifugal forceSpeeds up fluid movement, and the wheel Are Curbed Wheels Safe? No! Curbed wheels don't boast safety. They can cause your wheels to: 1. Bend Curbed wheels cause your wheels to bend, impairing your control. 2. Fall off A curbed wheel can cause your wheel to fall off while you are in motion, causing a crash. They also have the potential to cause poor grip due to: Tires being closer together. Features that make them more aerodynamic. Slippery than non-curbed wheels. 3. Cracking The straps that hold the curbed wheels to the car can cause cracking, weakening the wear and tear of your wheels. 4. Traction The curbed wheel often means less traction on wet or icy roads, causing loss of control. 5. Wear and tear The curbed wheel can cause premature wear and tear on the wheels or tire and rim, decreasing the life of your tires. 6. Losing your wheel The curbed wheel can cause you to lose your wheel in a crash. 7. Loss of Steering control The curbed wheel often makes the steering feel vague, resulting in a loss of control. What Can Happen to Your Vehicle When It Hits a Curb? FactorExplanationTire DamagePunctures, Cuts and Sidewall damage.Suspension DamageShocks and struts, Control arm bushings.Liftgate, wheel well, floor pan, or rocker panel damage.Alignment issuesFront or rear wheel alignment, Rear-end alignment.Wheel bearing damage.Steering DamageCurb-side strut and control arm damage, Bent or broken tie rods.Bent or broken axle shafts.Wheel bearing damage.Body DamageBent or broken body panels, Bent or broken bumpers.Hood or apron damage.Engine DamageCracked block and Cracked cylinder head(s). Can We Have Code Heated Seats WITHOUT Seat Belts? Yes! You can code your heated seats without a seat belt. All you need to do is: Go to your heated seat and press the sequence button four times. Press and hold the AC button until the seat turns itself off. Hold the parking brake button down for five seconds. Release the parking brake, then turn the ignition on and release it. The heated seat will now stay on without a safety belt being engaged. For certain trim levels, the heated seats will turn off when the doors unlock. This is a safety feature for unbelted passengers. It does not work with seat belts. How Long I Drive On A Damaged Rim? You should avoid driving on a damaged rim because tires delaminate from their innermost layer of steel. This will cause more than just a flat tire and other damage that comes with driving on an unevenly worn tire, potentially leading to a dangerous accident. The two most common rim defects are the steel coating and aluminium lining on a tire coming off. However, it's also possible for the valve stem or lugs to become damaged during a crash, so make sure you check your vehicle before you drive away. If your wheel has a hole, then you should replace it. But if you bend the wheel, you can still drive on it without replacing the wheel and tire. Note that bent wheels are fine for driving to the tire shop, but you should only drive a little. So, when you bend a wheel from a crash or collision and are afraid it will break off or cause damage to other parts of your vehicle, don't risk damaging more parts, especially in the engine compartment area. Additionally, Rim defects can damage the inside of a car, which is a very expensive repair. If you have this problem, replace your wheel with a new one. Do You Need an Alignment After Hitting A Curb? Yes! You need an alignment after hitting a curb because your suspension is likely damaged. Damage could result from a single hard hit on a curb or multiple small hits that cause you to ride lower in your tires; if this is the case, you will most likely need an alignment after hitting a curb. If your suspension is only slightly bent or damaged, then instead of having to get an alignment, you can try riding over higher ground than where the damage occurred and letting some time pass before heading back down again. If you hit a curb in the middle of a ride, you must go to a garage or a bike shop where they can realign your suspension before riding again. You need an alignment after hitting a curb because damage to the suspension can make the ride harsher. In these cases, your forks and shocks may begin to sag and feel much harsher when going over bumps. Damage in the front could cause your fork to hit the ground, raising its height while the shock rides up on its spring. This can cause your forks to ride out of alignment, so you need the help of an alignment after hitting a curb. Otherwise, having the correct gap for your tires whenever you hit a curb is important. This is because a misaligned suspension can cause the chain to get caught on the chain ring, resulting in a lock-up. What Happens If I Hit A Curb And My Wheel Is Bent? FactorExplanationTire LeakingBent wheel rim, Tire completely ripped off and Dented rim.Flat TireDamaged rim, Dented tire and Shattered tire.Bent RimPinching inner tube, Wheels locked, unable to rotate.Broken WheelPinching inner tube, Wheels locked, unable to rotate.Ring jammed into tire causing air leak or flatDented rimBroken lower control armBent wheelBent AxleRing jammed into tire causing air leak or flat Dented rim. Damaged axle Why Does My Steering Wheel Shake When I Hit A Curb? 1. Warped Suspension Your steering wheel shakes due to vibration through the steering wheel's mounting bracket. The bracket links the steering column to the suspension, and vibration can result from various factors, such as worn or loose parts in the steering linkage. 2. Worn Tires Worn tires will experience more and more rolling resistance as their treads wear down, meaning their ability to grip the road is decreased, and they're subject to vibrations that will produce a shake in your steering wheel at higher speeds. 3. Wheel Speed sensor failure Worn tires aren't the only possible cause of vibration in your steering wheel at higher speeds; your wheel speed sensor can also become weakened or damaged and need to be replaced. 4. Poor Road conditions If potholes or other road hazards are present, your steering wheel may shake due to the negative impact on your suspension. This effect is particularly noticeable if you drive over a rough surface at high speeds. 5. Bad Tie Rod ends Worn or damaged tie rod ends can cause similar results as those experienced with worn tires; the shaking in your steering wheel will increase as your car moves faster, resulting from poor suspension alignment. How Do You Know If Your Rims Are Bent? FactorExplanationVibrationApplying high pressure on breaks, Driving on a rough road and Passing over a railroad crossing.Frequent Tire DeflationRunning over the same area, Hot weather Driving over rough surfaces.Difficult or Uneven inflationDriving a car with one tire more worn out than the other.Inaccurate Tire pressure readingsInflating tires.Tire WearHow to fix the tire pressure,Driving on the highway and Excessive strain on the rim. What Happens If You Don't Fix A Cracked Rim? 1. Complete Blowout A cracked rim is not just a cosmetic problem. The wind can pick up, and the force of it can cause the cracks to spread rapidly. You should fix your rim as soon as it breaks so you don't have to worry about this happening again. 2. Rim gets bent when you hit a Pothole A rim is an essential part of your car, so it needs to be durable. If it bends, the tire may not sit properly, and you could experience a blowout during driving. If your rim bends after hitting a pothole, you should fix it at the repair shop. However, if you have time, try to bend it back with the help of a rubber mallet or something soft like that. In the end, you must replace a patched rim if the rim requires a new tube. 3. Rim gets bent when you hit a curb Cracks on your rim will lead to air loss in the tire and can also affect strength. So, if you turn too fast and hit something hard, the metal part of your wheel could bend while the rubber part remains uncompromised. In most cases, you experience flat tires when they encounter curb damage. If you don't fix this, you will reduce your tire pressure and have a harder time driving. However, if the curb is the only place to park your car, there's little you can do. The best thing to do is drive slowly around it so you don't get flat tires or cracks on your rim. Can You Drive On A Dented Alloy? No! You cannot drive on a dented alloy for several reasons 1. Dented alloy can cause puncture to your Tire The metal may not be strong enough to safely cushion the blow of your tire’s contact with a hard surface. 2. Dented alloy can cause bizarre vibration The dents in the metal will impact the tire’s ability to operate efficiently, causing a vibration that would otherwise not occur and possibly reducing your fuel efficiency or even increasing fuel consumption. 3. Dented alloy can cause Tire overheating Because of the delayed vibration caused by dents, you may be unaware that your tire is running under excessive friction. This can cause them to overheat, potentially causing a blowout or a dangerous blowout. 4. Dented alloy can cause a Blowout An overworked or overheated tire may blow out from the inside, exposing your rim to damage and possibly causing severe damage to other vehicle components. 5. Dented alloy will structurally weaken your wheel The metal may not be strong enough to safely support the weight of most wheels, reducing your safety and performance levels. Conclusion Curbed wheel rim repair is an ongoing problem in the motor industry. You need to handle the repair as soon as possible because of the risk of tire damage. If you have problems, contact a professional who can repair or replace your wheel.