Team-BHP - Gash in Tyre at the edge of the tread...safe or trash the tyre ?

Hi folks....

long time...I've been busy....work...also been holidaying in Manali/Kasol and then visiting Bombay to spend some time with my fiancee.

Anyway...I have a bit of a problem .... I was at the bank today and while reversing my right rear tyre got a small gash in it by a piece of iron. :mad:

the gash is a couple of mm deep and so far no air has leaked out as far as I can tell...

I've taken a pic of it :

Now, is the tyre safe to use or should I just suck it up and relegate this to use as a spare and only use my other 4 tyres...

cheers

zaphod

in case anyone wants to know, the tyre's a Michelin MXF Sport 195/60R14...

Quote:

Originally Posted by zaphod

Hi folks....

Anyway...I have a bit of a problem .... I was at the bank today and while reversing my right rear tyre got a small gash in it by a piece of iron. :mad:

the gash is a couple of mm deep and so far no air has leaked out as far as I can tell...

A 2mm deep cut should not really matter, if your tyre is new, which means the actual tyre depth should be around 8mm. A 2mm cut means you still have 6mm of tread and about 6mm of rubber between the tarmac and the steel cords.

12mm of rubber is quite a safe position and should not offer any trouble in your city running. Suggest that you shift it to spare wheel when you are on the highway doing high speeds for a considerable lenght of time, just to breathe easy.

So long....

Life just gets better...doesn't it...

2 weeks ago... had to pick up my fiancee from the airport.

Got in and drove off. climb the dnd and as I cross the tollplaza I hear a faint thumpingt sound over the stereo...

I get out and damn...tyre's cut and dead.....
and teh spare tyre ? it's fine but somehow the tread at one place has been cut :( minor but annoying.

- It was in fact the first puncture my car suffered in the year and a half since i bought it ... and it had to ruin my tyre....

...and then had to change the tyre in the rain
...and found that one of the bolts was stripped so had to drive off with 3 fitted
...and met an angry fiancee at the airport

So i went to BK Tyres in Lajpat Nagar , spoke to Atul (?)
yep, the tyres dead but at least teh other 4 are fine according to him.
unfortunately the MXF SPort is not available that easily and he says that it's unlikely he'll be able t find one in 195/60 - 185's are available but that doesnt really help me.

/me is very very pissed.

If it's simply one tyre you want why don't you just get a good condition (mildly-used) tyre & keep it as a spare. One it will save you a lot of money & two it will still do the job. If you buy all 5 new + alloys it's gonna be expensive. And yeah the MXF's have been discontinued by Michelin & have been replaced by the new Pilot Precada's.

P.S. If you need help finding a good-condition used tyre in your size i.e. 196/60 PM/Call me I have some tyre dealer friends who might be able to help you out!

Suggest you use the four currently good tyres as your regular set, and rotate these only.

Get a spare tyre, if possible used, and keep that only as a spare. You already have Ishan offering help for that. If you have a flat, use the spare, but swap back to the original tyre asap.

You can get a full set of 5 tyres when you replace your tyres next.

Thanks for the advice folks - I won't be replacing the whole set - that was just the regret of going in for 14" not 15" :) I 'll look for a MXF Sport in the same size, if i cant find that, I'll just get a used tyre in the same size and use it as a spare as you guys are saying.

Thanks Ishaan, It would be great if you could find out about the MXF Sport or else any other tyre for use as a spare in 195/60R14. I'll be back in Delhi in Mid september and would probably change the tyre then. I'll also be going to BKTyres/Tyres Shoppe then.

cheers

zaphod