puzzled by a split in tyre sidewall

Forth · Post by **Forth** » 26 Jun 2005, 08:31

Got the compressor out yesterday to check the air in the Xantia's tyres.... and found in the left side front one, there was a split in its casing - about two inches long, and curved exactly along the moulding mark that's round the corner, where the treaded bit and the sidewall meet. No sign of damage or scuffing etc either end of the split (or anywhere else) so can't figure how it could have happened through use. The cut was deep enough to go buy a replacement right away... the damaged or faulty Hydragrip is on its way back to Goodyear, so it will be interesting to hear what they make of it.
Anyone else had such a problem in a newish tyre?

Post by **martyhopkirk** » 26 Jun 2005, 14:15

Bought a car (Fraud Fiasco) in 95 which the dealer fitted "new" tyres to the front - used some cheapo Yugoslavian jobbies.
After a few months I noticed an odd noise at first I thought might be a bearing on its way west, closer investigation revealed the tread to be parting company with the carcass.
It just goes to prove....

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 26 Jun 2005, 15:12

how old is the tyre,it may be older than you think,even if tread is like new,in which case could just be perished,sounds like martys tyers where remoulds,if i scrap a car with remoulds on even with good treads i let them go with the car regards malcolm

rossd · Post by **rossd** » 26 Jun 2005, 15:50

Is it a michelin tyre? [;)][:D]
The only time I have seen rubber crack so badly on car tyres, is, as stated above, they are very old or remoulds.
Even sunlight degrades rubber and can play a factor in tyre wear!!

Forth · Post by **Forth** » 27 Jun 2005, 04:54

It's a Goodyear Hydragrip, so not a cheapie, and was new this year... would have run little more than a couple of thousand miles on it. The damaged bit looked like a split (ie. edges of the cut flexible, rubber itself seemed ok) rather than a crack of the sort that might appear on an older tyre.

simonelsey · Post by **simonelsey** » 27 Jun 2005, 05:26

I have had a tyre with a bad side wall , caused by large pot hole . Didnt blow tyre just put 2-3 inch split round wall . I think the tyre compressed in such a way it just gave up . That was on a Michelin MXT

lighteninguk · Post by **lighteninguk** » 27 Jun 2005, 05:48

were you in last weeks f1 simon?

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 27 Jun 2005, 13:02

you havent up set some one have you regards malcolm

Forth · Post by **Forth** » 27 Jun 2005, 18:28

No, but on the way from Cumbria to Edinburgh (after you've left the motorway) there's a long stretch of road which has been getting re-surfaced, as a result of which there have been drain covers temporarily standing proud of the under-surface.... these simply cannot be avoided, so now wondering if at some point the tyre could have gone at a bad loading angle (as was suggested above) and split as a result.
Mind you, the speed bumps in the town centre of Whitehaven are almost as bad for iffy tilt though obviously they're not angle edged the way that the mini-ramps round drain covers are. Once the tyre was already damaged, these could have worsened it perhaps.
It will be interesting to see what Goodyear say; I'm told they are pretty straight in their customer relations and if the split did turn out to be due to a weakness in that particular tyre they'd admit it.

Forth · Post by **Forth** » 21 Jul 2005, 02:31

Got a letter from Goodyear Dunlop UK, saying:
<i>"<font color="red">We have made a careful examination to determine the reason for this occurrence.
In the light of our findings, we have advised a dealer allowance towards the cost of replacing the following items.</font id="red">"</i>
No expansion on what the findings were, but they've given 70% off a new Hydragrip, which is ok since the Xantia's spare is still an old tyre though those in use are quite new.