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Is this tire goner?

Discussion in 'Prime Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Salamander_King, Nov 13, 2021.

  1. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    This is not for my PP. I just swapped to winter tires on my son's Honda. When I removed the summer tire, the inner wall had this bulge. No uneven wear and still has 5/32" tread left. If it is unsafe to use, then I will tell him to start looking for new tires, probably a new set of 4 since they are all down to ~5/32".

    upload_2021-11-13_20-54-10.png
     
    #1 Salamander_King, Nov 13, 2021
  2. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Sidewall bulges are never good:(.

    I'd replace it(y).
     
    #2 Raytheeagle, Nov 13, 2021
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  3. zeng

    zeng Junior Member

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    Yep, it is time to look up for new tyre(s).
     
    #3 zeng, Nov 14, 2021
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  4. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Oh yeah, that's a busted belt, get it off the road pronto.
     
    #4 Leadfoot J. McCoalroller, Nov 14, 2021
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  5. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Thanks. If I had this tire changed at a tire shop, then the sales guy would be sure to make me buy a new tire. But I wanted to know if that is from a genuine safety concern or just marketing.

    I thought it would be a goner too, but was not 100% certain. I will tell my son to start saving money for a new set of tires before next spring. The winter tires I just put on his car were all in good condition.

    BTW, I used a new dial-type tread depth gauge purchased recently. It works very well and is much easier to read the number on my aging eyes. The combination digital pressure/depth gauge (left on the photo below) is my go-to tool, but often in cold temp, the battery dies. I think I am going to keep the dial-type one in the glove box.

    upload_2021-11-14_7-43-48.png
     
    #5 Salamander_King, Nov 14, 2021
    Last edited: Nov 14, 2021
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  6. privilege

    privilege Active Member

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    yes it's garbage.

    I thought I had a bad brake rotor, until one of ours blew at 75mph. upon inspection 2 others had the sidewall budge similar to yours. it's probably a belt separation, it similar internal failure. it'll be fine, unless heat gets into it from low pressure or high speed, then it go boom.
     
    #6 privilege, Nov 14, 2021
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  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    The old-school gauge (in the middle) is so durable, nothing can break, no batteries. Appreciate they can be harder to read though; my myopia actually comes in handy lol.
     
    #7 Mendel Leisk, Nov 14, 2021
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  8. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    My myopia is no better with my age, but my presbyopia has gotten so bad now I can't see things near any more than I can see things far away. Corrective lenses do help with my myopia, but so far I am not having any luck with over-the-counter reading glasses or Rx glasses, single vision, bifocal, or progressive, for my age-related farsightedness. I was thinking when my age-related farsightedness started it would cancel out my myopia and have 20/20 vision for the first time in my life. No such luck. I still can't see far, in addition to not being able to see near now. :(
     
    #8 Salamander_King, Nov 14, 2021
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  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Guess I'm lucky: without my glasses I've got very good vision, about 4" out.
     
    #9 Mendel Leisk, Nov 14, 2021
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  10. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    Does anyone just use the wear indicators that are molded into the tire grooves? I've never measured them to see what their actual height is, but I typically don't worry about tread depth until they start getting close to the indicators. I also don't have to deal with much unfriendly weather.
     
    #10 TMR-JWAP, Nov 14, 2021
  11. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    I'd guesstimate 2/32", or whatever the legal minimum is. Of interest: Michelin X-Ice have regular wear bars, and a second set that stick up more (distinguished with a rib pattern); I suspect the latter would be 6/32" the guideline for minimum snow tire tread depth.
     
    #11 Mendel Leisk, Nov 14, 2021
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  12. zeng

    zeng Junior Member

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    That tyre wear indicator height of 1.6 mm (or 1/16 ") in kind of international 'standards' adopted across the world.
     
    #12 zeng, Nov 14, 2021
  13. PosauneGuy

    PosauneGuy Member

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    You might check to see if there's still any warranty on your tires; if they're failing prematurely, you can sometimes get the prorated value of what's left on the tire to offset the cost of new tires.
     
    #13 PosauneGuy, Nov 15, 2021
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  14. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Thanks. The tire came with the used car when it was purchased ~3years ago. I believe the tires were new or almost new at that point. But since we did not buy the tires, there is no receipt. It is Goodyear Eagle Sport All-Season 195/55R16 87 V Tire. The thing about tire warranty is that it is prorated price reduction from the MSRP for replacing with the same tire. The price is often cheaper just by buying the tire on sale than applying the prorated reduction to the MSRP. Even if I don't find it cheaper on sale, the reduction amount to only $30-40. Too much work to get the warranty coverage.
     
    #14 Salamander_King, Nov 15, 2021
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