Ken (wolfdogs)... pressing tire safety question within.... please help ASAP!

[Dave M]

Ken, I was walking past my wife's car today when I noticed her driver's side front tire looked messed up. I took a closer look and sure enough it looks like a couple belts seperated inside or something. i know this happens from time to time and have seen it many times before, but this particular tire had two very close together and it looked like it was about to pull the bead off the rim. I've attached 2 pics so you can see what I'm talking about. They aren't great because they're from my cell phone, but you'll get the idea. I don't think it looks safe to drive on for long or at high speeds, but it's holding air for now. It just doesn't look like it would take much to pull that bead off the rim and have a sudden, immediate blowout.

My wife says she doesn't remember hitting anything with it, but you can tell from smudges on the rim and tire that it looks like she scraped something. The tire probably only has 10-15,000 miles on it. I don't recall the make of it at the moment. What can you tell me from these pics? How safe is this tire in this condition?






I appreciate your input!

[Black97]

Not a tire expert here, but I wouldn't be driving with a tire like that anymore.

[bru333]

I wouldn't be driving on it either.

it looked like it was about to pull the bead off the rim.

I think you've answered your own question about how safe this condition is. Driving on it...Why risk it?

[Joe 1320]

Toast.......Don't use it.

[Wild Willy]

Wierd! I had the same thing happen maybe 6 months ago- the bubble eventually burst, too- On a couple week-old General tire. I had contacted the company, because I didn't remember hitting anything, either. They wanted the tire back to check if for a warranty claim, but the tire blew before I even got it off-

I haven't seen that in at least ten years- I have had belts separate, but this looked to be a bubble on the sidewall-

I would take the tire off immeadiately, and air it down- if you can get it off in 1 piece maybe you can make a claim on it- Don't drive it at all!

[Al 96 Ram Air T/A]

Agreed...not safe


Looks to me like the tire is delaminating. The belts are vulcanized to the outer rubber shell. It looks like air has gotten under/between the belt and the outer rubber layer. May have been caused by impact, but probably a manufacturing defect that took this long to manifest.


Ken is the expert...he'll know for sure.

[MunsonGTA]

the tire probably has a warranty on it, see about getting it replaced for free.

[Trash man]

u have a hole on the inner liner of the tire, the tire is not safe to drive on and i would recommend puttin the spare on be4 it blows.

[Dave M]

The tire was replaced today, no more worries.

[wolfdogs]

those are not "belts". the belt package only covers the tread surface area and ends at the shoulder. thats the cord body of the tire. usually caused by an impact. (who ever said "hole in inner linerr"......thats not right, that wont cause that to happen right away).

localized sidewall, upper and lower protrusion is usually caused by:

road hazzard, impact damage, mounting damage, run flat, improper repair, bead damage, and on a brand new tire, manufacturing condition.

glad you got it replaced.

[Al 96 Ram Air T/A]

Ken,

Was I close? Is it air getting between the cords and the outer shell? What bonds the layers together?

[wolfdogs]

Ken,

Was I close? Is it air getting between the cords and the outer shell? What bonds the layers together?

in some cases, yes, that can happen, or its the spliting of the body cords them self, allowing the rubber (which is all thats left for structural integrity) to bulge.

here's a pic of the construction of that simple black round donut we all take for granted....LOL