[R Kelly]

Never seen this before... can't be good. What causes this?

Since these Wintersport M3s only have 8000 miles on them, should Dunlop still cover it under warranty? They were purchased in Oct 04. They are V rated, and I've never gone over 145 (rarely go above 130).

Wanted to wait until it warmed up here before I put my KDW2s back on, but I'm thinking I'll do that tomorrow. Don't know what is worse, summer tires in 30-40 degree weather with no snow, or a sidewall bubble.

thoughts?

 

[pico de luuks]

I wouldn't drive with a tire like that.

 

[rgrove]

I believe it is a broken belt inside the tire carcass. Very dangerous to drive on. Not sure about the warranty, though.

 

[jdog]

Re: How dangerous is this tire? ("R" Kelly)

Happened to one of my brand new tires on the way home from having them mounted. Hit a pot hole, causing a bulge like that. Falken did not cover the damage, claiming the tire (205/40 ZR17) was not weight rated for my accord. However, I persuaded the shop I bought them off to trade me four brand new 205/45 ZR17 for my 3 undamaged tires. As for the bulge, it's probably OK if your gonna drive under the speed limit around town, but definitely more prone to breaking the seal with the rim under stress.

 

[zephyr451]

Re: How dangerous is this tire? ("R" Kelly)

That tire is unsafe. The bubble indicates that the sidewall is structurally damaged. It's usually caused by hitting a pot hole or some other road hazard. R's seem unusually susceptible to that kind of damage. I've had 4 bubbles like those our R. 3 on the factory Pirelli's and one on the Dunlop M3 snow, like yours. I suspect that the problem is made worse by high unsprung weight and the 4-c suspension.

FWIW, I just wore through a set of ContiExtremeContacts without a problem. The tires we mediocre, but they were cheap. We got one year out of them. Pretty much the same as we've gotten out of any set so far.

-Michael

 

[Helmut Ranff]

Re: How dangerous is this tire? ("R" Kelly)

Sidewall bubble

 

[cloaked]

They will more than likely warranty the tire hernia but it may be pro- rated

 

[FORD420diesel]

Re: How dangerous is this tire? ("R" Kelly)

VERY DANGEROUS!!!

I had an '88 VW Fox with '92 Jetta wheels / tires on it, and had a bubble just like that on my right front. Heading home from Ocean City MD, doing about 70 mph, and BANG!!! Catastrophic failure (you want to talk about PULLING!!) The wheel / tire combo on my Fox was rated for the Jetta (MUCH heavier car) and still blew, shredding the entire side of the tire. And all that from just driving, I didn't even hit anything in the road!!

Just trying to see you not get hurt Kelly!!! Change those tires (or at least that tire) now!!!

-Steve

 

[T5_awd]

Re: How dangerous is this tire? (FORD420diesel)

On a scale of 0-10. 12

 

[George @ ViVA]

Common problem for tires mounted on Volvo's it seems.

This happened to me on 2 of my 18" factory P-zero'. I had them replaced under my tire warranty.

Also happened to me 3 times with my 205/45-17 Pzero's on my former 850 T-5R.

In fact, Volvo lost a class-action lawsuit from 850 owners a few years back about installing low-profile tires on the 850 series...

 

[flybynight]

Usually caused by a pothole. Like everyone said, a broker belt.
Has happened to me twice over the years.

 

[SilverS60RNYC]

Re: How dangerous is this tire? ("R" Kelly)

Quote, originally posted by "R" Kelly »

Never seen this before... can't be good. What causes this? Since these Wintersport M3s only have 8000 miles on them, should Dunlop still cover it under warranty? They were purchased in Oct 04. They are V rated, and I've never gone over 145 (rarely go above 130). Wanted to wait until it warmed up here before I put my KDW2s back on, but I'm thinking I'll do that tomorrow. Don't know what is worse, summer tires in 30-40 degree weather with no snow, or a sidewall bubble. thoughts?

sidewall pinch. you can see rubber on the rim right below the bulge
tire is hosed. that bump is air leaking past the cords and into the superficial rubber layer of the sidewall. its a timebomb. i would switch to summer tires and take it easy untill it warms up, far safer than that possible disaster.

 

[GrecianVolvo]

Re: (George @ ViVA)

Quote, originally posted by George @ ViVA »

In fact, Volvo lost a class-action lawsuit from 850 owners a few years back about installing low-profile tires on the 850 series...

It was not really because the tire was low profile. That particular tire was ill-suited for the 850's suspension which was not very forgiving, if you will.

Yannis

 

[GrecianVolvo]

Re: How dangerous is this tire? (SilverS60RNYC)

Quote, originally posted by SilverS60RNYC »

i would switch to summer tires and take it easy untill it warms up, far safer than that possible disaster.

Why would he do that? Winter weather is still around in Germany. They just had significant storms with flooding, snow, etc.

He just needs to get another snow tire.

Yannis

 

[Johann]

Re: (George @ ViVA)

Could also be to low tire pressure but you probably hit a curb.

That tire is toast yes.

 

[SilverS60RNYC]

Re: How dangerous is this tire? (GrecianVolvo)

Quote, originally posted by GrecianVolvo »

Why would he do that? Winter weather is still around in Germany. They just had significant storms with flooding, snow, etc. He just needs to get another snow tire. Yannis

he asked
a) drive with the bubble
b) switch to summer tires

not
c) get another snow tire

he probably needs to get a pair, as he has 8K miles on them already...

 

[oclv]

Re: How dangerous is this tire? (SilverS60RNYC)

I hit a pot hole so bad a month ago that it blew a hole in both sidewalls of my right side tires. you could stick three fingers through the hole. got both wheels, and knocked car out of alignment. Two new Wintersport M3's $300 for both, two wheels $600, Volvo alignment $200. $1,100 total. I sent a claim to the state of Nevada and they sent me a check for the whole amount. no questions asked. What a great state. Try that in Vermont where I was from and they would laugh you all the way to the tire store. oclv

 

[George @ ViVA]

Re: (GrecianVolvo)

Quote, originally posted by GrecianVolvo »

It was not really because the tire was low profile. That particular tire was ill-suited for the 850's suspension which was not very forgiving, if you will. Yannis

It's the same family of tire (PZero Rosso vs PZero Assymetrico) they are putting on the current S60R/V70R models, with very similar suspension design/geometry as the prior 850.

Do you have the details as to whom claim monies was available to? My recollection was that it was to cars fitted with 17" 205/45-17 or 16" "Sport Suspension" 205/50-16 tires.

 

[MrTippy]

Re: (George @ ViVA) Rim Crush

http://www.toyo.com.au/tech_info1.html:

"Due to their low sidewall heights, low profile tyres are more susceptible to damage caused by rim crush. The increasing popularity of tyres with profiles of 55 and lower may mean that tyre dealers see more tyres with damage caused by rim crush. Long periods of rain, which cause roads to break-up usually increases the incidence of rim crush damage."

Rim crush damage will produce a bulge or bubble, as shown in diagram 2.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/...id=32:
"If a protruding bulge doesn't appear until later in the tire's life, it was usually caused by a road hazard when the cord was injured as the tire struck a pothole, curb or object in the road."

 

[Quick Brick]

Re: How dangerous is this tire? (oclv)

Quote, originally posted by oclv »

I sent a claim to the state of Nevada and they sent me a check for the whole amount. no questions asked. What a great state. Try that in Vermont where I was from and they would laugh you all the way to the tire store. oclv

In Michigan, they'd send you the pothole

.