Motoring Tyre damage advice

Ch3tan

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Righto, one of the many fucking potholes littering our roads met my front left tyre and wheel.

It's taken a small chunk out of my alloy and slashed the tyre wall where it meets the alloy. As I understand it, damage to the tyre wall means you risk 3 points if you are driving with it. A quick google shows that repairs are possible, but most won't repair damage to the tyrewall...

So am I okay to drive with them; or am I right that it's a 3 point penalty. Does anyone know if it's repairable - it's a small gash, less than an inch, running diagonally away from the alloy rim towards the tread and very shallow ( I can lift a small flap of tyre up).

Secondly, I know the road it happened on, anyone had any luck pursuing local councils for compensation for damage caused by road conditions?
 

Deebs

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I know this, you can claim from the council for the damage caused to your car. Take photos and put a claim in asap.
 

Tom

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Can you see the tyre's threads through the tear?

The council will only pay out if it's a pothole they are aware exists.
 

Chilly

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shouldnt have been wanging it along the road so fast eh chet :D
 

Ch3tan

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Can you see the tyre's threads through the tear?

The council will only pay out if it's a pothole they are aware exists.

What do you mean by the tyre threads Tom?

and Chilly, I was doing between 20 and 25 on a 30 road, as I know it's shit for holes.
 

Tom

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I mean the steel wires that form the structure of the tyre's sidewall.

Small nicks and tears are one thing, but if you can see metal, the tyre is a goner. You can't repair a sidewall.

Without seeing it personally I'd say get shut. Preferably replace both tyres on that axle.
 

Zenith.UK

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With damage to the alloy as well, you're looking at definite tyre replacement, probable tracking alignment and possible replacement alloy.

Pictures of the damage for yourself.
Quotes from garages for the repair costs.
Engage a solicitor to pursue your claim against the council.

As for the 3points thing, you're usually okay if you can demonstrate that you're have a garage booking and you're on your way there. Much like if you're going to get your car MOT'd after it's expired. You'd trip a police car's ANPR but if you're going to a booked MOT test, they're okay with it.
 

russell

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Hubby (mechanic) says go and get a new tyre straight away as it could blow out at anytime and cause more damage/ danger to you (especially if you can see the nylon/metal cords inside)
 

old.user4556

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Yeah I wouldn't be fecking with a tyre that had sidewall damage, way too dangerous. Slow punctures or a nail stuck in the middle are one thing, but sidewall damage is another.

Got any pics Chet so we can take a look?
 

Ch3tan

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Here you go, I think I've given the impression it's worse than it is judging by some of the advice here...


Can't see the tyre threads.
 

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Edmond

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Well first things first, those wheels need a clean, and look at the state of your nails......

A nail brush and a good scrub young man, tut tut
 

Tom

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Get rid of that tyre. The alloy can be refurbished. If the other tyre is worn enough, replace both.
 

Ch3tan

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It's not worn though, annoyingly those two tyres are hardly worn at all. Swapped them from back to front last year. The worn tyres are on the back :(

I'll go to a tyre fitter / garage down the road tomorrow and see what they say.
 

old.user4556

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Personally, I wouldn't take my chances and get it replaced; the tyre dude would give you the best advice.
 

Ch3tan

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Bit of an arse if I have to replace it. Can't really afford to, but then again I have to drive 30 miles everyday, so can't afford to have it blow either.
 

Tom

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It's not worn though, annoyingly those two tyres are hardly worn at all. Swapped them from back to front last year. The worn tyres are on the back :(

I'll go to a tyre fitter / garage down the road tomorrow and see what they say.

The tyres with the most tread should always be on the back, without exception.

If they're relatively new then you can get away with replacing just one, but that alloy will need to be refurbed while you're at it.
 

Ch3tan

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So Tom; would you suggest that when I buy a new tyre (or two) that I move the newer ones to the rear?

My car manual suggested swapping the wheels from front to back every 3000 miles or so, for even wear.
 

Ch3tan

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Also; what are people's experiences with second hand tyres? I'm thinking of just replacing the one trye with one of similar wear to the other. That way I *should* be able to replace both at the same time when needed.
 

Zenith.UK

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Judging from the second pic, change the tyre, no hesitation.
You don't have to go with Pirellis just because you have Pirellis at the moment.
Hell, I'd say stick your spare wheel on until you can get it sorted.
 

Tom

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So Tom; would you suggest that when I buy a new tyre (or two) that I move the newer ones to the rear?

My car manual suggested swapping the wheels from front to back every 3000 miles or so, for even wear.

Yes, whenever you buy new tyres (you should always buy in pairs) they should be on the back of the car. If your tyres aren't wearing evenly then there's clearly a problem with the car's geometry that needs fixing.
 

Moriath

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not necessarily if your front wheel drive your gonna wear the fronts down before the rears cause thats where the powers going thro and you will always get some slippage when you pull away and all putting more rubber down than the non drive wheels.

Same with Rear drive and rear wheels.

Only ones that should wear evenly are 4 wheel drive cars
 

Tom

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not necessarily if your front wheel drive your gonna wear the fronts down before the rears cause thats where the powers going thro and you will always get some slippage when you pull away and all putting more rubber down than the non drive wheels.

Same with Rear drive and rear wheels.

Only ones that should wear evenly are 4 wheel drive cars

I'm talking about wear across the tyre, not wear across the driven axle.

The advice to swap tyres around to keep all four evenly worn is outdated nonsense. You want the most tread on the back, nowhere else.
 

Edmond

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Everytime i need 2 new tyres on the front, the new ones go on the back and the part worn back ones get moved to the front, its the norm


Change the tyre Ch3t, its not worth the risk, and if you get stopped you will probably get some kind of caution for that
 

Ch3tan

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Oh I'm not driving on it, if anyone is thinking that. The car has been parked on the drive since it happened.
 

Moriath

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I'm talking about wear across the tyre, not wear across the driven axle.

The advice to swap tyres around to keep all four evenly worn is outdated nonsense. You want the most tread on the back, nowhere else.

why do you want most on the back .. surely you want it balanced if possible. .

and most on the driven tyre .. easy to get rid of a bit or rear drift with some revs to pull them back in line ..

hehe
 

Tom

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Because understeer is inherently more controllable than oversteer, and a car with less grip on the back will tend to oversteer. Apply that scenario to a car travelling through a big puddle on a wet motorway, on a slight curve. Its new tyres are on the front, the rears have only 3mm of tread. While the front tyres drive through the puddle unhindered, the rears can't displace the same amount of water, so the car begins to aquaplane on that axle only. Then because it's on a curve, it goes into uncontrollable oversteer and ends up sliding backwards into something hard.

The better scenario is that the car loses traction at the front. In that case it doesn't want to steer. The natural reaction is for the driver to lower the car's speed, which brings traction back, and an accident is avoided.

Very simple, and nothing to do with drive. Oh and don't make the mistake of confusing tread depth with grip.
 

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