tire experts sidewall bulge

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mderoy340

mderoy340

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Have a slight sidewall bulge when inflated. No bulge when deflated. Is it safe to use.
Thanks

000_0293 bulge with arrows (640x480).jpg
 
I'm not expert but I wouldn't use that tire - but not due to the bulge though, the dry rot cracks would make me NERVOUS as hell - I'm guessing that's not a new tire huh...
 
Looking at MT's site they don't specifically say they are steel belted.

I would only use that tire to move the car around and not for street or track use until I contacted MT with a picture asking if its normal.

There are date codes on tires, have you ran them?
 
I agree.
No way drive it on that or you'll be sitting on the side of the road with a flat in the best case scenario.
That bubble is all that's holding the air in.
 
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Guys...
That is a newer tire....Those are not sidewall cracks.M/T Drag radials have that surface look to them some times.
MDEROY340 I have seen and used Drag Radials do that.Me personally I would use it.Unless it was bought brand new then for what its worth I would exchange the one tire.If you bought them second hand,that may explain why they were sold in the first place.And you probably own them.
Whatever the case I would use them without a doubt...
 
richy rich said:
Guys...
That is a newer tire....Those are not sidewall cracks.M/T Drag radials have that surface look to them some times.
MDEROY340 I have seen and used Drag Radials do that.Me personally I would use it.Unless it was bought brand new then for what its worth I would exchange the one tire.If you bought them second hand,that may explain why they were sold in the first place.And you probably own them.
Whatever the case I would use them without a doubt...
Click to expand...

There, I took the word cracked out just in case they are not.
Everything else stays.:D
 
I work for a tire manufacturer. It looks like a separation on the inner layer of the sidewall. That explains why it is not there when deflated. Some tires have an overlap in the sidewall that bulges similar to that but its always there inflated or not.
 
I'm waiting for Summit and MT to get back to me. Tires have been on the car only 2.5 months.
Thanks for the input. Looks like I'll run with the Hoosier QTP tonight until I hear from MT.
 
richy rich said:
Guys...
That is a newer tire....Those are not sidewall cracks.M/T Drag radials have that surface look to them some times.
MDEROY340 I have seen and used Drag Radials do that.Me personally I would use it.Unless it was bought brand new then for what its worth I would exchange the one tire.If you bought them second hand,that may explain why they were sold in the first place.And you probably own them.
Whatever the case I would use them without a doubt...
Click to expand...
huh - now I am curious - I am going to have to look at mine when I get home
 
Good afternoon, I worked in the tire industry for many years as an R&D Engineer. That appears to be a ply separation in the sidewall. DO NOT USE that tire. It will most likely blowout once enough stress/strain is applied.
 
Plymouth 65 said:
Good afternoon, I worked in the tire industry for many years as an R&D Engineer. That appears to be a ply separation in the sidewall. DO NOT USE that tire. It will most likely blowout once enough stress/strain is applied.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the replies. I'm glad I posted this and others will benefit as well.
I will not use this tire. I'm glad I always look over my car after race day with fresh eyeballs. Hopefully Summit and MT will treat me right on this.
 
I would paint the road with it .......then I got thinking it's really not worth a quarter panel ...possibly .
 
.All tires are joined somewhere on the side wall, when treir joined the joint is indented, the opposite of what ur tire has....as stated b 4 that tire is no good...kim......
 
I curious, what is the DOT date code on the tire? You say they have only been on the car for 2 1/2 months but how old are they?
 
Depends how hard your car hooks, I've seen people from the city with bubbles(real baseball sized bubbles) from potholes in the sidewall on low profiles until all the tread is gone. I personally had to swerve and hit a pothole on the interstate and ended up with a bubble in the tread surface so large you could feel it roll under at 40mph, drove 2 1/2 hours on it at 80 mph. Professionally no, it's not safe. In the real world....I wouldn't even give it a second glance.
 
Yup 1316 mean that tires was cast or made the 13th week of 2016. or somewhere around the beginning of April 2016. I would be expecting some warranty exchange on them!
 
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