July 6 · Roadside
Tire blowouts: what are some of the most common causes?
A tire blowout is one of the most dangerous situations a driver can meet on the road. When a tire suddenly
loses pressure or fails completely, it can cause a loss of control and a serious accident. Blowouts feel
unpredictable, but they are usually the result of conditions that build up over weeks or months.
Underinflated tires
An underinflated tire flexes more than it was designed to as it rolls. That flexing generates heat, the heat
weakens the internal structure, and eventually the casing gives up. Checking pressure once a month is the
cheapest safety habit there is.
Overloading
Every tire carries a specific load rating. An overloaded vehicle adds stress and heat, and that combination
shortens the life of a tire dramatically on long trips or in summer heat.
Impact damage
Potholes, curbs and road debris can hurt a tire without leaving a visible mark. A hard hit can weaken the
sidewall, and the failure shows up weeks later at highway speed.
Worn tires
Cracks, bulges and shallow tread are all end-of-life warnings. If you can see the wear bars, the tire has
already used up its margin.
Blew one anyway? Call (224) 707-4099 and we will change it where you sit, or flatbed the vehicle to
the tire shop of your choice.
June 18 · Towing
Flatbed vs. wheel lift: which tow truck does your car need?
A wheel lift is fast, cheap and perfectly safe for a lot of vehicles. A flatbed costs a little more and is the
only correct answer for others. Knowing which one you need saves an argument on the shoulder.
Take the flatbed when
The vehicle is all wheel drive or four wheel drive, sits low enough to scrape, has been in a collision, will
not shift out of park, is an EV with a locked drivetrain, or is worth enough that you would rather not risk it.
A wheel lift is fine when
It is a front or rear wheel drive vehicle with normal ride height, a short trip, and a tight space such as a
parking garage where a flatbed simply cannot fit.
When you call, tell dispatch the year, make, model and drivetrain. That one sentence decides which truck rolls.
May 29 · Safety
What to do in the first five minutes after a breakdown
Get off the travel lane
Coast as far right as you safely can. An exit ramp, a wide shoulder or a parking lot is worth several hundred
extra feet of rolling on a flat.
Be visible
Hazards on immediately. At night, turn on the interior dome light so an approaching driver can see the shape of
a vehicle. Triangles go well behind you, not next to the bumper.
Stay buckled in
On a highway shoulder you are safer inside the vehicle with the belt on than standing beside it. Get out on the
passenger side only if you must, and only away from traffic.
Have four things ready when you call
Your location as a dropped pin, the year and model of the vehicle, whether it rolls and steers, and where you
want it taken. With those, dispatch quotes a flat rate on the first call.
