Hit a HUGE pothole, flat tire now

[bubbadu]

On the way back from work last night, I hit a massive, crater like pot hole My mom hit the same one, but luckly heres isn't flat YET. I thought everything was cool, and when I went to leave around 1 pm today, my passenger side front tire was completely flat. I can't really tell how bad of a shape the tire is in, but it needs to be fixed. Heres my three options.

1) Fix A Flat... I know this has worked pretty well, but I have never used it when the tire is completely flat.
2) The last owner of the car gave me a full new set of spring/summer tires, but I would have to put the stupid doughnut on to have them mounted
3) I have 4 brand new Kumho tires and 17" ADR rims ready to be mounted to the rims, but I don't want to put them on this early. I live in stupid Vermont where in likes to snow in April.

Do you guys think its safe to try and use some fix a flat? I would just hate to have a blowout on the interestate and loose control. Or should I throw the doughnut on and take it to get the tire fixed? OR should I bust out my rims a little early ? Thanks

 

[Heisenberg]

Don't use that fix-a-flat crap. It probably won't work anyway. Throw on the donut and get it fixed right. If you're lucky, it might've just popped the bead and it can be put back on. If it blew out the sidewall or something, you'll need a new tire.

 

[SaintGRW]

donut + used tire = win

 

[bubbadu]

If I put a completely different tire on, won't it screw all the other tires up? Or would I have to change both front tires?

 

[Eli]

The steering wheel is your friend.

 

[CraigRT]

Don't put on your summer rims yet, that's for sure.
put on the doughnut and take the rim/tire in and see if it can be fixed...

 

[MrScott81]

not if you only drive it to get it fixed....the damage would be very very minimal

 

[NutBucket]

By the sounds of it the tire probably isn't repairable. Best plan is to just get two tires for that end of the car and replace them. Since these are winter tires anyway aren't they like 14's or something? Those should be cheap enough.

 

[amdskip]

New/used tire or fix it.

 

[bubbadu]

Originally posted by: NutBucket
By the sounds of it the tire probably isn't repairable. Best plan is to just get two tires for that end of the car and replace them. Since these are winter tires anyway aren't they like 14's or something? Those should be cheap enough.

I already have a set of summer tires.. the guy who owned the car before me was nice enough to give me a full set. The tires on the car now are pretty much winter tires, although I am not sure. So basicaly I have 3 sets of tires (winter,summer, and 205/40/17's) I guess I could put those summer ones on, but then I should probaly change all four, just to have to change them again when I want to put my real rims on.

 

[AlienCraft]

Have them check front end components and alignment as well.
If you hit it hard enough to blow a tire, you may have bent something else down there also.
sux tho no matter what....

 

[azazyel]

Don't use Fix a Flat. You have to get that crap drained from your tire if you do get it fixed.

 

[TechnoKid]

Originally posted by: azazyel
Don't use Fix a Flat. You have to get that crap drained from your tire if you do get it fixed.

Some tire places will refuse to repair a tire if the customer has used fix-a-flat or similar product. Cleaning that mess is not fun.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: Eli
The steering wheel is your friend.

LOL I agree... bad driver ! Bad driver !

Or maybe you were following too close to the car in front of you and didn't see it till it was too late. I make fun of my fiancee for her inability to avoid potholes all the time. She drives about twice a year now.

 

[Ornery]

This is the second topic about tires ruined by potholes in a short while. Gotta love low profile tires and wheels, eh? Guess it would be a crime to have form follow function, and use tires and wheels that actually fit the application. Hell, tractor trailers can easily navigate the same roads we use to commute, yet so many feel the need to have their daily commuter set up for a road course. Brilliant!

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

I cut a corner to close once on the way to class and bent my rim and tire went flat. On the way home from class I hit a pothole and my donut got bent and tire went flat.

It was a bad day.

 

[RagingBITCH]

Originally posted by: Ornery
This is the second topic about tires ruined by potholes in a short while. Gotta love low profile tires and wheels, eh? Guess it would be a crime to have form follow function, and use tires and wheels that actually fit the application. Hell, tractor trailers can easily navigate the same roads we use to commute, yet so many feel the need to have their daily commuter set up for a road course. Brilliant!

1) Fix A Flat... I know this has worked pretty well, but I have never used it when the tire is completely flat.
2) The last owner of the car gave me a full new set of spring/summer tires, but I would have to put the stupid doughnut on to have them mounted
3) I have 4 brand new Kumho tires and 17" ADR rims ready to be mounted to the rims, but I don't want to put them on this early. I live in stupid Vermont where in likes to snow in April.

2 & 3 seems to imply he owns two aftermarket sets of rims + tires and the flat he has is on his stock rims. (Or one aftermarket, one summer set)