Wheelbarrow tires? Car maintenance? What?
Stay with us for a moment – we’ll get there.
Let’s say you need your wheelbarrow or maybe a yard cart for a job around the house. You take it out and you’re ready, and then it happens. The tire is flat again. It slows you down. It’s hard to push around. It isn’t very enjoyable, you’re not thrilled. Obviously.
The thing is, many people don’t notice signs of wear until they’re deep in a job with a tire that’s gone flat. And even if they do notice, they’ll go, “Ahh.. I’ll do it next week!”, but they forget, and when the next project comes around, they’re already in a pickle.
It’s not the first time that has happened, so why does it keep happening, and how can you stop it from happening?
In this article, we’ll go over the signs you should look out for, and the most common reasons when it’s time for a new replacement. But what does all of this have to do with car maintenance? Glad you asked. The absolutely same reason your wheelbarrow tire keeps getting flat is the same reason you keep getting a flat tire on your car.
The Tire Is Losing Air
There are no visible holes or damage on the tire. The tire looks fine, yet it still goes flat after a day or two. It’s a sign of a slow leak. Tiny punctures, a poorly sealed rim and the tire, maybe even a micro crack; all these can cause a slow leak.
Here’s one simple trick that is super easy to do. Fill it with air, then spray soapy water all around the valve and along its edges. If you notice bubbles, you’ve spotted the leak!
Another simple trick is super easy to do. Try to dunk the whole tire in a big bucket of water, and spin it. The same thing happens; when you see bubbles coming up, you’ve found the leak.
The leaks (usually) happen only under pressure. If the tire appears okay when sitting, but deflates under weight, the leak could only become clear when the rubber bends or flexes (e.g., when you drive it under load).
The same technique works for car tires as well. Ok, you might need a bigger bucket for the 2nd method.
The point is, slow leaks are irritating. It’s best to deal with them ASAP.
3 Quick Tips to Extend the Life of (Wheelbarrow) Tires
If your tire is fixed, or completely new, there are still things you can do to extend its lifespan. If you want to prevent some of the common problems or save some money/time, here are a few tips that will help your wheelbarrow tires last longer.
Especially if you bought new ones. If you just bought them new, then you definitely want them to last as long as possible.
- Keep Your Wheelbarrow Inside or in Shade
Store your wheelbarrow in a shed or garage whenever possible, or at least anywhere in the shade. There are several things that can cause the rubber to dry out – rain, sun, harsh weather, salt, chemicals.
If the rain is too acidic, it’s bad. The damage is small, but it accumulates over time. If there’s a lot of salt on the road (e.g., areas with lots of snow), you encounter the same problem. But probably the most common reason is dry rot in tires which is most easily caused by letting the tire sit in the sun for too long (again, it’s not something that can happen overnight, but the damage builds up).
When it dries out, over time the tire can form cracks, which makes the tire weaker so it can leak when you least expect it. Or blow up!
Keep it out of direct sunlight and UV rays. Just a little bit of shade can increase its endurance by a lot.
- Maintain proper tire pressure
Make sure you check tire pressure. A pump with a built-in pressure gauge, or with just a gauge and check the tire pressure. Over-inflated tires can burst and explode (especially if under heavy load).
Under-inflated tires wear out way too fast and are more prone to damage.
Take good care of tires and keep the right air pressure so the tires can perform better and last longer.
- Avoid Overloading
If you can, avoid pulling your wheelbarrow across sharp stones or uneven ground. Even the smallest cuts or cracks from rough surfaces (e.g., sharp stone) can make a bigger problem.
If you load the wheelbarrow too heavy, the additional weight puts an extra strain on the tire, leading to premature wear or failure. And not only that, but if the pressure is too high, that stone that otherwise wouldn’t be a problem, suddenly becomes one.
Try not to overload the wheelbarrow beyond the tire’s capacity.
Those tires were designed to roll smoothly for a long time, just make sure you move/load the wheelbarrow with a little bit of caution.
Extra Tips for Garden and Road Tires
You can always inspect tires before and after you use them. A few seconds’ check can save you minutes, even hours from when you’re stuck on the side of a road when in a car; or in the middle of a garden job when using your wheelbarrow.
OR perhaps even being stuck with a flat-tire wheelbarrow on the side of the road, if for whatever reason you decided to do that. Either way – not fun.
So, what can you do to help prevent this?
Rotate tires regularly. A car needs rotation to make wear even. That kind of preventive action can benefit wheelbarrows.
Maintain a clean rim. Rust and dirt can damage the seal on both kinds of tires which can cause leaks. Proper rim care goes a long way.
If you spot rust, remove the tire so you don’t damage it, remove the rust, place some filler onto it, and once it dries and you’ve sanded it to perfection, put 2-3 layers of paint over it (start with a primer, then base color, and finish with a clear coat). Clear coat is the most important one since it’s the thickest coat of the 3, plus it has UV inhibitors that help protect the paint from UV radiation (the sun).
Hint: Aluminum rims don’t rust. They CAN corrode, but aluminum oxide (the whitish thing on the rim) is extremely thin and it doesn’t spread.
Link Between Garden Tire Care and Car Maintenance
This is the reason we even wrote this article. Tire care is tire care, whether it’s a car or a garden wheelbarrow. What works for one, works for the other as well.
Make sure you keep tire pressure, on both the road or working in your garden. Another important thing is protecting tires from the elements.
It doesn’t matter if the repair costs 20, 200, 2000 dollars, or more, it’s important to remember to maintain both of them, so you can save extra unwanted costs and avoid unexpected breakdowns and wasted time, as well.
Conclusion
Taking proper care of your tires, on a car and wheelbarrow, it doesn’t matter. This helps avoid unexpected costs.
Inspect regularly, keep the tires well inflated, and protect from harsh weather.
