How do you know your tubeless tyre is damaged?

goandude · 23rd December 2008, 16:04

Hi Team, I drove down to bangy on sunday the 21 and on the ankola hubli sector hit a big pothole at high speed. Later i noticed the front rim was bent but the tyre pressure is ok. A tyre wallah (GOOD YEAR Indranagar RTO) hammered out the bend and said all OK. then got alignment and balancing done.
My question is how does one know if the sidewall is damaged? does it develop a bulge or what? Can one do any sort of test. as I see it for a rim to get bent the sidewall must have flattened out when the wheel hit the edge of the pot hole. This could have safety implications.
regards

rjstyles69 · 23rd December 2008, 17:16

Sidewall damage generally is visible and the best way to find out is by visual inspection once you have taken a hit

. In some cases , you tend loose pressure in the tires.

Sidewall bulges are mostly manufacturing defects.

Nikhilb2008 · 23rd December 2008, 17:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

Sidewall damage generally is visible and the best way to find out is by visual inspection once you have taken a hit

. In some cases , you tend loose pressure in the tires.

Sidewall bulges are mostly manufacturing defects.

I beg to disagree.

90% of the sidewall bulges are caused by hits to a pothole or something. You can see the inside of the tyre and make out.

Maybe most ofthe manufacturing defects show up as sidewall bulges, but the reverse isnt true.

arpandiv · 23rd December 2008, 18:10

what are the course of action for a tyre which has a sidewall bulge

Nikhilb2008 · 23rd December 2008, 18:25

Nothing to be honest. Changing the tyre is the best, safest and most expensive option. If it is under warranty and there are no visible signs of damage on the inside or outside of tyre, you can claim a replacement under warranty.

Sometimes, you can run the tyre with a tube in it.

vikram_d · 23rd December 2008, 18:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikhilb2008

Sometimes, you can run the tyre with a tube in it.

This should be done only in an emergency.

VeluM · 23rd December 2008, 19:05

My car's front right tyre has a cut (about an inch long) in the sidewall, about half way between the rim and the contact surface. It's at a slight angle to radial. Since I've been in the city and not doing high speeds, I haven't changed it and have been checking the pressure every few days. It's been a couple of weeks now without losing any more pressure than normal. I was thinking of keeping it as the stepney, but is it worth it? The tyre is fairly new (6500 kms).

vikram_d · 23rd December 2008, 19:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by VeluM

My car's front right tyre has a cut (about an inch long) in the sidewall, about half way between the rim and the contact surface. It's at a slight angle to radial. Since I've been in the city and not doing high speeds, I haven't changed it and have been checking the pressure every few days. It's been a couple of weeks now without losing any more pressure than normal. I was thinking of keeping it as the stepney, but is it worth it? The tyre is fairly new (6500 kms).

If you are going to run your car only in the city then you can risk it. But if you are taking it out for highway drives then I would recommend that you replace it and not even use it as a spare.

VeluM · 23rd December 2008, 22:41

Thanks vikram_d. I thought I might have to do something that would result in a lot of money being spent.

Anyone have any thoughts on Cooper tubeless? They come with a 60000km guarantee against everything, including rips and cuts. Something like what Apollo had a while ago.

goandude · 24th December 2008, 07:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikhilb2008

I beg to disagree.

90% of the sidewall bulges are caused by hits to a pothole or something. You can see the inside of the tyre and make out.

Maybe most ofthe manufacturing defects show up as sidewall bulges, but the reverse isnt true.

So the bottom line is that if i have no sidewall bulge the tyre is OK???

blueband4u · 24th December 2008, 08:07

I too faced similar situation. my santro hit a big pothole at 70kmph and i stopped the car for inspecting the tyre and the rim was slightly bent and the wheel cover has come out and couldn't fit in because of the inflated rim. so i drove slowly till i reached a road side tyre puncture repair shop. That guy successfully tried to get the rim back to its shape and i still had to do 350 kms to reach my city. i took the risk with that temporary repaired wheel but no problems whatsoever. i am thinking about upgrading to Fusion and so im going to sell the santro and i dont have any plan to change the tyre/wheel now.

vikram_d · 24th December 2008, 08:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by goandude

So the bottom line is that if i have no sidewall bulge the tyre is OK???

Not necessarily. Get the tyre removed from the wheel and and have it inspected from the inside. If you don't find any nicks or cuts on the inside then everything is ok.

rjstyles69 · 24th December 2008, 08:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikhilb2008

Maybe most ofthe manufacturing defects show up as sidewall bulges, but the reverse isnt true.

Hold on to your guns mate, I only said mostly that dint mean 100% . Lets say you take a hit at a speed of 100kmph, it could lead to a sidewall crack than a bulge. I speak from my personal experience now after having taken a hit quite recently and also a fellow bhp'ians experience.

Nikhilb2008 · 24th December 2008, 09:17

Riju, mostly means more than 50%. I dont agree with that. I would say more than 50% of sidewall bulges are caused by impacts or damages. This is from my experience.

tyrestore · 24th December 2008, 09:42

If you have a sidewall cut or bulge on the tyre it is recommended to take the tyre to a tyre professional demount it and get it checked, only after which decide the fate of the tyre. If there is cut on the inner side of the tyre discard the tyre immediatly cause u never know when it might rupture out.

23rd December 2008, 16:04	#1
goandude Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Mysuru Posts: 1,763 Thanked: 1,283 Times	How do you know your tubeless tyre is damaged? Hi Team, I drove down to bangy on sunday the 21 and on the ankola hubli sector hit a big pothole at high speed. Later i noticed the front rim was bent but the tyre pressure is ok. A tyre wallah (GOOD YEAR Indranagar RTO) hammered out the bend and said all OK. then got alignment and balancing done. My question is how does one know if the sidewall is damaged? does it develop a bulge or what? Can one do any sort of test. as I see it for a rim to get bent the sidewall must have flattened out when the wheel hit the edge of the pot hole. This could have safety implications. regards
	() Thanks

23rd December 2008, 17:16	#2
rjstyles69 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bengalooru.. Posts: 4,343 Thanked: 842 Times View My Garage	Sidewall damage generally is visible and the best way to find out is by visual inspection once you have taken a hit . In some cases , you tend loose pressure in the tires. Sidewall bulges are mostly manufacturing defects.
	() Thanks

23rd December 2008, 18:10	#4
arpandiv BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mumbai Posts: 445 Thanked: 61 Times View My Garage	what are the course of action for a tyre which has a sidewall bulge
	() Thanks

23rd December 2008, 18:25	#5
Nikhilb2008 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 5,196 Thanked: 10,138 Times	Nothing to be honest. Changing the tyre is the best, safest and most expensive option. If it is under warranty and there are no visible signs of damage on the inside or outside of tyre, you can claim a replacement under warranty. Sometimes, you can run the tyre with a tube in it.
	() Thanks

23rd December 2008, 19:05	#7
VeluM Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,777 Thanked: 1,479 Times	My car's front right tyre has a cut (about an inch long) in the sidewall, about half way between the rim and the contact surface. It's at a slight angle to radial. Since I've been in the city and not doing high speeds, I haven't changed it and have been checking the pressure every few days. It's been a couple of weeks now without losing any more pressure than normal. I was thinking of keeping it as the stepney, but is it worth it? The tyre is fairly new (6500 kms).
	() Thanks

23rd December 2008, 22:41	#9
VeluM Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,777 Thanked: 1,479 Times	Thanks vikram_d. I thought I might have to do something that would result in a lot of money being spent. Anyone have any thoughts on Cooper tubeless? They come with a 60000km guarantee against everything, including rips and cuts. Something like what Apollo had a while ago.
	() Thanks

24th December 2008, 08:07	#11
blueband4u BHPian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Chennai Posts: 49 Thanked: 7 Times	I too faced similar situation. my santro hit a big pothole at 70kmph and i stopped the car for inspecting the tyre and the rim was slightly bent and the wheel cover has come out and couldn't fit in because of the inflated rim. so i drove slowly till i reached a road side tyre puncture repair shop. That guy successfully tried to get the rim back to its shape and i still had to do 350 kms to reach my city. i took the risk with that temporary repaired wheel but no problems whatsoever. i am thinking about upgrading to Fusion and so im going to sell the santro and i dont have any plan to change the tyre/wheel now.
	() Thanks

24th December 2008, 09:17	#14
Nikhilb2008 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 5,196 Thanked: 10,138 Times	Riju, mostly means more than 50%. I dont agree with that. I would say more than 50% of sidewall bulges are caused by impacts or damages. This is from my experience.
	() Thanks

24th December 2008, 09:42	#15
tyrestore Newbie Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 13 Thanked: 0 Times	If you have a sidewall cut or bulge on the tyre it is recommended to take the tyre to a tyre professional demount it and get it checked, only after which decide the fate of the tyre. If there is cut on the inner side of the tyre discard the tyre immediatly cause u never know when it might rupture out.
	() Thanks