[bharatbits]

There are almost three punctures on my Ford Classic Good Year's front right tubeless tyre. Of the three, two are repeat punctures where air is leaking from the point where the puncture was fixed earlier. My puncture man said let's fix them one last time. If it continues to leak air again from the same point let's go tube type. He means let's add a tube into this tubeless tyre. Until now i never heard of adding a tube to a tubeless tyre nor could i find anything of that sort on internet.

I would like to hear from experienced folks here if that is a recommended process. I could have kept this for stepney but the stepney tyre seems to have uneven inflation already. The tyres are stock, got with the car and 3.5 years old. However, they have hardly run 25000 kms. He advised me that the stepney is in bad shape and asked me to use it only as a spare tyre. I will post the pictures in a couple of hours. The car is used 99% in the city with very rare highway drives where i don't speed beyond 90kmph.

The MRF s on my Indica have done 55000 kms and 5 years already and still are in good shape and i don't see a need to replace them anytime soon. I am sure the rubber would have become hard etc. and affects the ride quality but what ride quality are we taking about in the Indica also factoring in the high NVH levels. So, in this backdrop i feel the Goodyears on my Ford Classic have aged prematurely.

What are your recommendations?

[Simhi]

Originally Posted by bharatbits

He means let's add a tube into this tubeless tyre. Until now i never heard of adding a tube to a tubeless tyre nor could i find anything of that sort on internet.

You can refer to following thread in team-bhp: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/tyre-a...ss-tyre-6.html

Recommendations
1. If you can afford, replace the tire
2. If not, use it as a spare tire with tube.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by bharatbits

There are almost three punctures on my Ford Classic Good Year's front right tubeless tyre. Of the three, two are repeat punctures where air is leaking from the point where the puncture was fixed earlier. My puncture man said let's fix them one last time. If it continues to leak air again from the same point let's go tube type. He means let's add a tube into this tubeless tyre. Until now i never heard of adding a tube to a tubeless tyre nor could i find anything of that sort on internet.

I would like to hear from experienced folks here if that is a recommended process. I could have kept this for stepney but the stepney tyre seems to have uneven inflation already. The tyres are stock, got with the car and 3.5 years old. However, they have hardly run 25000 kms. He advised me that the stepney is in bad shape and asked me to use it only as a spare tyre. I will post the pictures in a couple of hours. The car is used 99% in the city with very rare highway drives where i don't speed beyond 90kmph.

The MRF s on my Indica have done 55000 kms and 5 years already and still are in good shape and i don't see a need to replace them anytime soon. I am sure the rubber would have become hard etc. and affects the ride quality but what ride quality are we taking about in the Indica also factoring in the high NVH levels. So, in this backdrop i feel the Goodyears on my Ford Classic have aged prematurely.

What are your recommendations?

My suggestions to you based on experience.

Tyres should most definitely be changed when;
1. The treads are showing signs of wear. (if you drive a lot of kms each month or if you use the vehicle on poor surfaces constantly)
2. The tyres become hard to the touch. The rubber compound hardens with age.. (usually 3.5 to 4 years into your usage if you don't drive too many kms)
3. When they start getting repeated punctures and are repaired
4. If they start showing odd sidewall bulges and the like.
5. If there is any kind of a lateral damage like a cut on the surface or on the sidewall.

Tubeless tyres are repaired using the normal plug method or the mushroom vulcanisation method. Repeated repairs will weaken the tyre for sure.

I would never recommend these short cuts like putting a tube into a tubeless tyre and running it. Or indeed, using a damaged tyre as a spare tyre.

Tyres, like everything else, have a "lifespan" and it is always better to spend some money now and change what needs to be changed, rather than regret it later.

Spoilt tyres can be dangerous to your life and others lives when using the public roads. They can result in accidents, blow outs and so on. Other effects are poor braking, skidding and similar dangerous things. Remember, you're riding on some rubber tubes on a cushion of air - anything can happen at any time!

Basically if you can afford to own and run a good car, then you ought to also spend on its timely upkeep and preventive maintenance as well.

When changing tyres, I would always recommend that you change all 4 running tyres, and hold on to the one tyre from the previous set which is in the best condition, as your spare. If none of the old tyres are in acceptable condition, then please change all 5 tyres at the same time.

Rotate your tyres every 5000 Kms, while doing your wheel alignment and tyre balancing. This gives your tyres an even wear and tear over a period of time.

[rajivr1612]

Team, please advise.

I have an Oct-2012 model Liva. The car is shod with Bridgestone B250. Total running so far is 16,000 odd kms.

Now last week I noticed there are minor cracks on the tyres. Pics are attached. I don't know the manufacturing date of the tyres, but looking at the pictures is it time to change the tyres? Kindly advise.

P.S.- I stay in Chennai. The approach road to building is very rough (not tarred but only stones). In these four years I have never had a puncture. I am happy with the performance of B250 so far.

Thanks in advance.

[Lalvaz]

Originally Posted by rajivr1612

Team, please advise.

I have an Oct-2012 model Liva. The car is shod with Bridgestone B250. Total running so far is 16,000 odd kms.

Now last week I noticed there are minor cracks on the tyres. Pics are attached. I don't know the manufacturing date of the tyres, but looking at the pictures is it time to change the tyres? Kindly advise.

P.S.- I stay in Chennai. The approach road to building is very rough (not tarred but only stones). In these four years I have never had a puncture. I am happy with the performance of B250 so far.

Thanks in advance.

Hi Rajivr1612, Although your tyres have only run 16k kms and are not very old, I would suggest replacing them.

These seem to be Circumferentional cracks and they usually appear due to underinflation or in even overinflation. Please ensure that you stick to the recommended tyre pressure as specified for your car. A sticker with the correct pressure should be stuck near the driver side door.

Running these tyres may result in a shearing of the tread from the tyre.

[rajivr1612]

Originally Posted by Lalvaz

Hi Rajivr1612, Although your tyres have only run 16k kms and are not very old, I would suggest replacing them.

These seem to be Circumferentional cracks and they usually appear due to underinflation or in even overinflation. Please ensure that you stick to the recommended tyre pressure as specified for your car. A sticker with the correct pressure should be stuck near the driver side door.

Running these tyres may result in a shearing of the tread from the tyre.

Hi Lalvaz, thanks for the quick reply.

As per Toyota recommendation front tyre pressure shall be 31psi and rear tyres at 29psi. But I mostly do highway runs and always I have kept pressure as 34psi and 32psi i.e. 3 psi more than recommended.
Could this be the reason for premature cracks?

[Lalvaz]

Originally Posted by rajivr1612

Hi Lalvaz, thanks for the quick reply.

As per Toyota recommendation front tyre pressure shall be 31psi and rear tyres at 29psi. But I mostly do highway runs and always I have kept pressure as 34psi and 32psi i.e. 3 psi more than recommended.
Could this be the reason for premature cracks?

Hi Rajivr1612 - One should always inflate to the pressure in the manual or on the sticker in the doorframe. Running tires over-inflated will cause uneven wear on the tread (more wear in the centre) and can lead to blow-outs as the tires get hotter during running conditions like on a highway drive at fast speeds.

Cold inflated to "manufacturer recommendation" is essential: once the tyres get up to operating temperature, there will likely be overpressure as the air inside heats up and thus increases the pressure. Even if they don't blow out (not real likely but much more possible than at normal inflations), the ride will be very harsh and jarring which is not good for the suspension or for you. Also, the tyre contact patch will be smaller, and they will wear in the middle, requiring premature replacement.

Hope this helps. Drive safe buddy.

[Guna]

Originally Posted by rajivr1612

Team, please advise.

I have an Oct-2012 model Liva. The car is shod with Bridgestone B250. Total running so far is 16,000 odd kms.

Now last week I noticed there are minor cracks on the tyres. Pics are attached. I don't know the manufacturing date of the tyres, but looking at the pictures is it time to change the tyres? Kindly advise.

P.S.- I stay in Chennai. The approach road to building is very rough (not tarred but only stones). In these four years I have never had a puncture. I am happy with the performance of B250 so far.

Thanks in advance.

Can you check what is the manufacturing year of the tyres? Could be more then 10 years even though car itself is only 4 years old.

[rajivr1612]

Originally Posted by Guna

Can you check what is the manufacturing year of the tyres? Could be more then 10 years even though car itself is only 4 years old.

Could it be that old? Anyway I will check this weekend. Thanks.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by Guna

Could be more then 10 years even though car itself is only 4 years old.

I don't think it'll be that old. Mostly tyres are 2 months old than the cars MFD.

10 years old is ridiculous if the car manufacturer uses in production however be it's storage.

Originally Posted by rajivr1612

Could it be that old? Anyway I will check this weekend. Thanks.

Originally Posted by rajivr1612

As per Toyota recommendation front tyre pressure shall be 31psi and rear tyres at 29psi. But I mostly do highway runs and always I have kept pressure as 34psi and 32psi i.e. 3 psi more than recommended.

I can see yours is a 2012 car, approximately 4 years old even though run a dismal 16K kms.

With time, rubber gets hard and develops cracks and moreover the car has spent time standing at one place rather than moving around so the harsh nature's elements would have taken toll on the tyres hence the cracks seen.

[nshankar]

Three years (after manufacture, not installation) or 50,000 kms is the norm here, assuming it looks ok still. If damaged earlier, then change as required.

[rajivr1612]

Thanks all for your suggestions. Obviously I have to get this changed ASAP. Though I prefer to continue with B250, how does it compare to Michelin XM2?

[rakesh_r]

Originally Posted by rajivr1612

Thanks all for your suggestions. Obviously I have to get this changed ASAP. Though I prefer to continue with B250, how does it compare to Michelin XM2?

I would suggest you to go for Michelin XM2 since they run quieter and are more comfortable than Bridgestone since the latter being hard compound.

[Tanveer_2558]

Regardless of the life left in the tyres i change them around 45000 - 50000 kms, Also keeping in mind the years tyres were in use since the manufacturing date, Since my usage of the primary car is mostly on the highways under hot conditions with speeds always above 100 kph for most of the time, I don't take any chances.

[hybridpetrol]

Questions related to this:
a) When changing tyres (assuming at 40K km at 4th year), should we change the spare too? Spare is also the same size wheel & tyre, not a space saver.
This tyre has seen less than 500 km while all other tyres have done 40K.

b) How can we handle a spare tyre when the size is same as other tyres during its life? Should we rotate the wheel with others, or keep the spare unused until something wrong with other tyres?

Any information related to this, is highly appreciated