Tire damage: A head scratcher...

[Paul Workman]

Got home from MR4 and BG and parked the car. It sat there in the garage for a week before I had time to wash and clean it up.

So, I pull out of the garage drive 30 yards or so to my wash area. While washing the A-molds, I notice the RF tire pressure appears to be a little low. But, by the time I get done with the drying/spritzing/polishing a few minutes later, the tire is almost flat.

After re-inflating and inspecting the tire, I find what looks at first like a cut in the sidewall extending from the rim edge half way across the sidewall. And, it is leaking bad enough to feel a breeze on the back of my hand when passed near the "cut".

However, the grass was just mowed (short) and there is nothing I could find that could cut a sidewall that way. And, there was no bruising around the damage to indicate something had punctured the sidewall. (Not a mark on the rim either, tho the split runs right up to the rim!)

I've seen tire damage and repaired hundreds of flats while working at a service station (back before gas stations turned into mini-marts). But, this is strange...

[BigJohn]

Box Cutter?

[Paul Workman]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

Box Cutter?

Hmmmm.... Hadn't thought of vandalism.

[rush91]

How old are the tires? What make? I've seen tires do weird things..... I've notice using lots or any tire shine, tends to wear out the rubber faster. Drys it out. Do you remember, maybe that tire going off the road, or pothole on the MR4 run?

[mike100]

I ran over some sheet metal from a heater duct in Los Angeles on interstate 5 once...it was already smashed flat from some previous vehicles, but I tried to straddle it down the center of my Z28...

the upturned corner just cut the inside part of the sidewall and pretty much took out that Goodyear Gatorback. I didn't hardly feel anything, but a mile down the road it was flop flop flop and hard to drive straight.

[RussMcB]

Paul, the picture isn't displaying properly. :-)

[32valvesftw]

You probably hit something on the way home and it just let go when you moved it. Be glad it let go when it did.

[Jagdpanzer]

A head scratcher...
Paul, how big are the cats where you live?

[ZRapid-1]

Sounds like the short drive from the garage to washing area flexed the tire enough to cause the cut to finally start leaking.

1. If it's deliberate vandalism, check your other tires for damage.

2. Could be caused by road debris. Recent damage now failing.

3. How old are the tires? Older damage now failing?

[Racinfan83]

I find what looks at first like a cut in the sidewall extending from the rim edge half way across the sidewall.

So you are saying from the rim TOWARD the tread? Seems that would be hard to do by hitting something on the road/on your property without cutting the whole sidewall since the sidewall bulges out a bit..
How old is the tire? Could have cracked on it's own I guess.. Kinda is a stumper though. I too used to work in a service station and fixed tires can't remember seeing what you described..