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Fixing a slow leak in tire help

Discussion in 'Prime Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by GKL, Oct 10, 2021.

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  1. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    Well, our original tires still have very very good tread and it would have been a waste to not continue to use them.

    We had to get at least one new tire to replace the one damaged by driving on it very under-inflated, we decided on 2 new tires so we'd have an extra tire to put on a rim to have a full size spare.
     
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  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    In your shoes? Maybe ignore the sage advice, put the new tires on the front, and leave them there for a good while, say skip at least one tire rotation.

    I know, flaming wrecks, going to end badly, but…
     
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  3. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    Thanks, I know I should have checked the manual as far as getting the jack out, but I figured I'd ask since I was already typing a post :D

    Well, since the tires are already bought and installed we'll just wait till the older tires look like they really need replacing and maybe just go ahead and get 4 new tires then, and I'll research good tires with better tread depth and watch for a good tire sale. I'll keep the 2 newer tires as emergency back up tires when I replace all 4 in the future.
     
  4. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    It might not be for about 5 months, but with our next routine service we'll see about having them switched to the front, might have it done sooner though. EDIT TO ADD: but that depends on what I hear about the reson to have new tires on the back :rolleyes:
     
    #44 GKL, Oct 14, 2021
    Last edited: Oct 14, 2021
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  5. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Do Google search you will find your answer on many different sites. The short answer is it is much harder to control the oversteer (aka fishtail) which often happens with worn-out rear tires in a wet slippery road condition.

    Replacing Two New Tires: Do they Go in Front or Back? - Tire and Auto Care Blog - Ontario - Active Green + Ross Complete Tire & Auto Centre
     
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  6. burrito

    burrito Active Member

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    If you just need to convince your wife, let her watch you type "put new tires on front or rear" into Google, open the first 5 or 10 results, and without even reading the articles she'll see that they all agree.
     
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  7. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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  8. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    I'm getting ready to show her now :D
     
  9. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    If she needs more convincing, then show her this video

     
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  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Get one of these, for $4~5:

    upload_2021-10-14_13-59-15.png

    Check the tread depth, front vs rear, then go from there. If the difference is 2/32" or less, just fugedaboutit, put them on the front? Shady Shade Tree Mechanic Shoppe might be able to help with the rotation... :whistle:
     
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  11. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    Thanks, just showed her that, I think she is convinced about the hydroplaning (it surprised me too but did make sense) but at the same time wants to be sure there is no unreasonable risk of a blowout in the front. I said that is where we make sure to watch the tread depth and replace tires before they get too bad.
     
  12. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    Thanks, good idea to have a tread depth checker especially at such a low price, I'll see about getting one !
     
  13. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    At least where I live, lousy traction in foul weather is much more common than tire blowouts. And blowouts should be greatly reduced by paying attention to TPMS warnings to promptly get those seriously underinflated tires fixed or pumped back up.
    This issue very commonly went unnoticed. That is part of the reason TPMS is now mandated by the feds.
    The morning vs afternoon issue is primarily about being cold from being parked overnight, vs warm from the daily commute. Tires generally warm up some while driving, so pressures should be checked and set before a trip, not during or immediately after. Ambient temperatures certainly change during the day, but for retired people not driving anywhere in the morning, the actual check time is not so important.

    A general rule of thumb is that the tire pressure changes 1 psi per 10 degrees-F of ambient temperature change. Someone here noted that for a car parked in the sun, the sunny side tires may rise several psi higher than the shady side tires. With these variables, you simply aren't going to keep tires at an exact setpoint, or even keep them perfectly matched. So don't get OCD, take these uncertainties into account and allow enough tolerance and variation to accommodate your particular environment.
     
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  14. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    After getting a tread depth gauge, measure how much difference you have between front and back. If the difference is small (I intentionally won't define just how much is 'small'), then there should be little risk on moving the better tires to the front and then following a reasonable rotation schedule. But if the fronts are half worn, then traction mismatch risk becomes substantial, and tire rotations should cease.
     
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  15. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    I can appreciate that bad traction in wet weather is a much more likely issue to guard against, and I have learned my lesson about giving much faster attention to any TPMS alerts :rolleyes:

    Now since the full size spare I now have would only be used just long enough to get a leaking tire fixed I am guessing there is no need to have a TPMS added to a spare ?

    Don't worry, I won't get OCD trying to keep maintain pressures :D but I will try to at least check pressures more often than I did in the past, I'm guessing about once a month should be okay ?
     
  16. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    Very good idea ! I was looking at some tread depth gauges on Amazon yesterday and many (and perhaps most) of them have mixed reviews, some say one is okay and another review will say the same one is inaccurate, so I'm still researching one that seems like it will be reasonably accurate.

    It will be interesting to see the difference between the new tires and the older tires as the older tires do seem to look like they have fairly good tread.
     
  17. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Are the inaccurate ones digital? An (analog) tire depth gauge is a pretty cut-and-dried thing, can't see there being a lot of variation. I just picked one up at a local automotive place.

    You can do a quick-and-dirty tread depth check with anything*, say a popsicle stick (aka tongue depressor): place in the tread, mark top-of-tread with a sharp pencil, lay against a ruler. Or if you've got a ruler with gradations going to the very end, you're in business.

    It's North American traditional to measure in 32'nds of an inch.

    * Except a penny, way too vague
     
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  18. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    If you have a caliper, that can typically also be used as a depth gauge too.

    A32CBC3A-B5A8-48EE-BAA3-AA4111C64C24.jpeg
    But a simple tread depth gauge is my go to, good for checking brake pad thickness too:
    98A2DAEA-0A20-4979-8036-256615FDFC57.jpeg
     
    #58 Mendel Leisk, Oct 15, 2021
    Last edited: Oct 15, 2021
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  19. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    Actually I was checking both the analog and digital ones and there were conflicting reviews on both types.

    The popsicle stick method sounds worth a try while I am deciding what tread depth checker to get, and yes, I remember a very long time ago someone mentioning using a penny :rolleyes: but I agree that does seem like it would be too vague :D

    When I was outside a little while ago I took a photo of the old tire and the new tire for a visual comparison, definitely not a precise as measuring with a tire tread depth checker, but it does show the older original tires seem to still have very good tread. (see photos)

    Did the stick test but could only find a ruler that measured down to 1/16's

    The new tire was just barely past the 4/16 mark so that would be about 8/32

    The old tire was amazingly virtually the same ! (I doubled checked to be sure)

    We have 13K+ miles on it since we got it back in 2020, maybe the slow gradual starts and stops helped ?

    Once I get an actual tire tread depth checker maybe it will show a slight difference.

    new tire
    Prime new tire 10-2021.jpg

    original older tire
    Prime original tire 10-2021.jpg
     
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  20. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    No caliper, but I guess maybe a simple inexpensive depth gauge would be accurate enough for such purposes, it's not like a scientific study, just want to watch for when the tread gets to where it's time to start watching for tire sales :D Thanks !
     
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