Tyre Damage - is it safe to drive

browneyedbazzi

Vaio - thanks for all the info! It's good to know what the actual regulations say. I'm not massively worried about it because I've seen a lot worse tyres being driven around (I do taxi enforcement and have been shocked by the state of some of the tyres when they've been pulled up for spot checks). I do drive quite sensibly because I'm a bit of a greenie and hate the idea of all the wasted petrol and emissions caused by quick acceleration/braking etc...there has never been any going sideways around a corner from me!

Joe_Horner

Can't see a problem with that. As long as it doesn't start to bulge (will happen quite quickly if it's going to) it'll be fine.

The strength of the sidewall is in the fabric plies, not the rubber, and the outer rubber is basically there to protect them, which in this case it's done exactly as intended.

That's why cuts that expose the cord are illegal - they don't weaken the tyre in themselves but they expose the cords to water / atmosphere / further damage and it's when the cords fal that you have a problem.

jbainbridge

It looks ok - no cords exposed / no bulge.

Take it to a fast fit place and they'll have a new tyre on before you can say ....

Idiophreak

browneyedbazzi wrote: »

I'm a bit of a greenie and hate the idea of all the wasted petrol and emissions caused by quick acceleration/braking etc...there has never been any going sideways around a corner from me!

Surely if you went round the corners faster, there would be less need for acceleration?

maninthestreet

Better safe than sorry - high speed driving may cause further rapid weakening and consequent detoriation of the tyre with the driver being unaware, until a blow-out occurs.

Hintza

browneyedbazzi wrote: »

I'm not really sure when it happened tbh because although I walk round the car and look at the tyres fairly often it's not really obvious from any distance so I only noticed it when I checked my tyre pressures and had a really close look

I would suggest when you trashed the alloy

Keep an eye on it for deterioration, but it will need changed for it's MOT

browneyedbazzi

Hintza wrote: »

I would suggest when you trashed the alloy

Keep an eye on it for deterioration, but it will need changed for it's MOT

That was damaged before the new tyres were put on!

If the rules are as vaio posted above then surely it wouldn't be an MOT fail?

gilbert_and_sullivan

If the tread is worth it you could get it filled and vulcanised at a professional tyre repair workshops, reckon on £25 without fitting and refitting, local tyre fitters are not usually qualified or experienced enough to give you chapter and verse on damage other than in the tread.

The damage itself looks minor superficial but do keep an eye on the section for a time, its taken a fair blow to cut that lump of sidewall out, it might have become trapped between the kerb, presumably, and the edge of the wheel, and might have weakened a cord or two.

Joe_Horner

browneyedbazzi wrote: »

That was damaged before the new tyres were put on!

If the rules are as vaio posted above then surely it wouldn't be an MOT fail?

The MOT failure criteria for tyre conditon are:

1. a. A tyre has a cut the length of which is in excess of 25 mm or 10% of section width, whichever is greater, deep enough to reach the ply or cords

b. a tyre has: · a lump, bulge or tear caused by separation or partial failure of its structure. This includes any lifting of the tread rubber · any of its ply or cord exposed


http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m4s04000105.htm

Exposed cord relates to the danger of the structure failing in future because of degradation of the cords. Bulges and lumps relate to already damaged structure.

If the structure has been harmed (ie: the cords have ruptured or separated from their encasing rubber) then the tyre will bulge because it's only the cords that hold it in shape - without them it's a rubber bag and will inflate like a balloon,

It isn't bulging so the structure is intact. As G&S says, keep an eye on it for a bit in case it starts to bulge but, if it doesn't, then no harm done.

Notmyrealname

browneyedbazzi wrote: »

I do taxi enforcement and have been shocked by the state of some of the tyres when they've been pulled up for spot checks

So you do taxi enforcement but don't know if a tyre is illegal or not.

Are you sure you're the right person to be doing that job?