Split/cracking Sidewalls On Tyres

[Omurru]

I won't name the brand/type of tyre yet incase it turns out to be a user fault but has anyone ever seen anything like this before? I've seen tyres split on the treads but never the sidewall and the cracks are fairly deep, id say all the way through the rubber to the reinforcement. All 4 tyres are doing the same thing, some worse than others. No out of the ordinary use, there on a stock V6 commodore, tyre pressures between 34-38 and about 15000k's on them.....

[Bullet32]

Sidewall cracking is usually a warrantable condition (depending on how old the tyres are) take them back to where you bought them and ask whether they can get a rep to come and inspect the tyres for warranty.

If the tyres arent too old you should be able to get a pro-rata warranty adjustment on a new set.

[ISC-Performance]

how close is your gaurd to your tyre? Could have gone inside the gaurd and been cut etc, looks to clean a cut to be tyre fault, maybe they did it when fitting the tyres and you only saw it recently?

Ryan

[666DAN]

Yes I've seen that on exactly the same size tyre...for the life of me I can't recall the brand though, they were fitted to my 350Z rims when I got them. Had the same appearance like they'd be done with a stanley blade.

Dunlop or Goodyear come to mind....

[Potenza]

The damage in the first two photos is a cut. You can tell this by the angle of the cut as seen in the second photo when you lifted the flap of rubber.

As for the cracking in the third photo - It is an a very unusual position. It maybe be a filler/Stiffner problem from manufacture (Contact the manufacturer and have a Rep view the tyres)- But is usually associated with lack of pressure and or weight. How has your pressure maintenance been?

Also from the first photo it looks like you are getting some heel & toe wear - I would have the alignment checked and rotate the tyres.

Edited November 4, 2008 by Potenza

[R34P3R]

if they are kuhmo's i had cracks on mine and then they popped whilst i was driving. annoyed the crap outta me

[Omurru]

how close is your gaurd to your tyre? Could have gone inside the gaurd and been cut etc, looks to clean a cut to be tyre fault, maybe they did it when fitting the tyres and you only saw it recently?

Stock height commodore, I can almost fit my head inbetween the tyre and guard

The damage in the first two photos is a cut. You can tell this by the angle of the cut as seen in the second photo when you lifted the flap of rubber.

Had a closer look today as I went down my parents place, it appears the very outer couple of mm of the sidewall is cracking and begining to peel away from the rest of the tyre, when you look closley some are just cracks, but the larger ones are peeling away on both sides of the cracks.

Anyway the story, the tyres are Motorway Mononew's. Yes when I bought them I did know they were obviously going to be cheepass tyres at 150 each, but it's a commodore so it didn't really bother me and the guy assured me he had had no issues with them in the past. When I found out about the cracking the first thing I did was jumped on the net to find out a bit more about them, to my surprise they are actually manafactured here in Vic and low and behold there remoulds as well. This I wasn't too happy about as I was never told this when purchasing them and if I had been I would have got something else. Now for the bummer, the company motorway closed down in august of this year so I thought there goes any chance of replacements/refunds.

Still I went back to the place I bought them from this afternoon knowing I wasn't going to get anything for free but thinking perhaps we'd be able to work out some sort of deal on a new set of tyres, boy was I wrong a short what I thought to be genuinly polite conversation about the tyres with the store manager abruptly ended in him telling me he didn't have time for this rubbish and storming off...even after i'd told him I was aware the manafacturer had closed and I understood I wouldn't be getting anything replaced/free of charge. I will follow it up with the head office as the store is a reputable chain but I don't think it will go anywhere.

Guess the moral of the story is remoulds/retreads suck ass

*Note* - I know I can't name the business on an open forum but if anyone wants to know pm me

[666DAN]

People that react rudely and offensively usually have low intelligence, they haven't got the brains to figure they can get further with a constructive conversation. I see it a lot with people I deal with, never spoken to them before, never given them any indication of my intent, yet off the bat they’re rude c$#ts….oh well that’s their problem for sucking at life

You'd be suprised how far complaints go when they land on the right desk.

[Drift Motorsport]

The chain store manager shouldnt have told you to f-off, but rather sold you a new set with a discount as you needed the tyes anyway. Great way to loose business!

Remould tyres are prone to cracking if the production process is not done correctly. Basically they keep the steel radial inlay and re-mold new rubber over the top. Chances are that this place banged out heaps of cheap and defective tyres before they shut down and the re-sellers are getting a lot of complaints.

Chase it up with the store again and see if you get a different manager/staff member to help you out. If that doesnt work, call head office and complain and hopefully you can get a new set 10% above cost or heavily subsidised.

[Omurru]

Dammit why can't I edit posts!

Well anyway, spoke to the area manager for the store today and have organised to get some new tyres at one of his other stores for a reduced price so happy about that. Was nice to talk to someone who actually knew something about the products, apparantley mononews are new and not remoulds, the company Motorway did both although everything I can find about the company only says they did remoulds/retreads and the guy at the store agreed with me that they were remoulds but still, happy to have worked something out so the whole deal was not a total loss.

[Beer Baron]

2 things, they are rubbish tyres, I would learn from that and buy something better this time. and there are definately cuts there and I would say they were caused by the tyre fitter. i have seen it before. once happend to one of my semi slicks and the only place I could pinpoint damage was during fitment.

[ISC-Performance]

As above, Had some brand new pirelli's fitted and there was about 5 tears/rips in them after the apprentice tyre fitter had his way with them.....they denied everything and also told me where to go ......5 minutes later I was on the phone to there head office and also consumer affairs.....15 minutes later they admitted fault and i had some new pirellii's.

Moral to the story is dont back down if your in the right, and if anyone wants to no where NOT to get tyres changed in SA send me a PM..

Ryan

[Duncan]

also.....regardless of what has or has not happened to the manufacturer.

You bought the tyres from the retailer and it is their responsibility to ensure the goods are fit for the purpose they were sold. Many retailers try and hide behind "manufacturer warranties" dont fall for it - you have legal rights under your state's fair trading act