Shreaded tire [7 common causes]

What should I do if shreaded tire? Cars are highly efficient and durable but at the same time stressful to maintain; a tire is a primary component of any automobile that allows you to safely move and go anywhere you want, though good tires are long-lasting, they can shred and destroy over time, especially in trucks.

This is a very common issue and can occur due to countless reasons, everything you need to know about tire shredding will be explained in detail.

Tire shredding: overview

Tire shredding is a process that occurs when the tires of a car crack and turn into pieces due to external factors like bumpy terrains and exposing your car to more weight than it can carry.

Shredding compromises the appearance of the tires and affects the external parts, this involves peeling and cutting of the tire, which means that the tire is not whole again and cannot perform at a hundred percent.

The outside fabric of the tire is the part that shreds, this part covers other critical parts of the tire, and if getting damaged means that it cannot efficiently protect the internal parts.

I found that when tires are used for a long period, they lose tread depth, which compromises traction and stability. 

Eventually, this also affects the integrity and durability of the tire and increases the chances of tread fragmentation and separation.

Tire debris can cause pollution in the environment as it contains non-biodegradable elements, these pollutants linger in the environment for a long time.

Tire shreds can contaminate soil, streams, and ecosystems with microplastics, endangering human health and wildlife.

Causes of tire shredding

Numerous culprits can cause tire shredding, understanding the potential causes will help you practice good tire care and avoid tire-damaging habits.

Too much pressure: the tire pressure plays a vital role in ensuring the tire performs efficiently, if your tires have the correct level of pressure they will have optimal contact with any terrain you take your car or truck to. At the same time, improper pressure levels can compromise the longevity and durability of your wheel’s rubber and lead to several tire issues, including shredding.

Fortunately, I found that many modern cars have systems that monitor pressure. If your tire is overinflated, which means it has a pressure higher than the recommended level it becomes too rigid and inflexible, this will make the tire’s central tread area wear out faster than it should.

Overloading: this is one of the most common causes of tire shredding. People are fond of trying to carry more load than they should, especially individuals who drive a truck or people who mainly use their vehicle to transport heavy loads, they like carrying more than they should at once in the name of saving fuel and expenses.

I find this bad habit very common among vehicle owners, it can cause shredding and even compromise entire tires. This is why truck tires are usually tested at several weighbridges.

A vehicle’s suspension system may experience excess strain as a result of overloading. Weak shock absorbers can result in uneven tire wear and instability on the road. Because the car is so heavy, the brakes also need to work extra hard, leading to reduced efficiency.

Hazards on the road: road hazards are anything that will hinder a smooth driving experience on the road, ranging from potholes to crack jolts, and fog, anything that gets in your is a road hazard.

These hazards are one of the most common culprits when it comes to tire shredding, tires are made of rubber and this rubber can get damaged when exposed to hazards like this frequently, a slow leak in your tire is most likely due to a road hazard, these mishaps are very common at high speeds.

I advise trying your best to avoid tire shredders like this to help minimize damage, reduce waste, and increase the longevity of your amazing tires.

When you have bad tires that can’t be used again these old tires are not completely useless as the rubber chips are sent to kilns, these rubber chips are then recycled to produce other useful materials, and they are also utilized in concrete industries.

Small debris on the road: these are small substances that you can’t see while driving or tiny objects that are barely noticeable especially when driving a big truck, they include nails, glass pieces, or a sharp piece of wood. Objects like this can pose a threat to the rubber part of the wheels, including truck tires.

Though truck tires are bigger and stronger, they can still be affected by some debris on the road so I recommend always being extra careful.

Camber angle and toe angle: the camber angle is the angle between the vertical axis of a wheel and the vertical axis of the vehicle, while the toe angle is the angle that which the wheels are angled.

These two angles are potential causes of tire shredding, the rubber could be destroyed if the tire moves beyond the permitted angle or if the toe-out angle exceeds its specified limit.

Damaged rubber bushing: rubber bushing is a very important part of vehicles that separates two components to decrease their movement, rubber bushings can reduce in effectiveness after being used for a long period, and this can cause shredding of the rubber and affect the metal mesh and other internal components.

How to prevent tire shredding? 

Taking good care of your tires is very significant, this not only affects your tires but even makes your car last longer, check the pressure of your tires from time to time and make sure they are correct. This is a very cost-effective approach that I recommend, as getting new tires can be quite costly.

Avoid carrying more weight than your car can handle as much as you can as this is one of the major causes of the rubber damage. Tire waste is very damaging to vehicles, especially trucks, this is why truck drivers avoid them as much as they can.

FAQ

The bottom line

Tires are very important parts that should be handled properly, a damaged tire can lead to very serious mishaps and even fatal accidents. 

By understanding the factors that pose a threat to your tires and knowing how to prevent them, you can easily protect your precious tires from shredding or getting destroyed.