Flat tire

Kevin - Illinois

Kevin - Illinois

Senior Member
Had a flat on the coupe last night. I had another tube and had my Bride take it up town to have it mounted rather than to mess with it before the cruise tonight. The guy said the tire was bad and I needed a new one due to the threads showing inside the tire. There is no damage to the outside of the tire and no slits or gouges in it anywhere. Just the thread showing. I attached pics. Does this look like a bad tire to you?
 

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The tire is 14 months old and has about 3000 miles on it. You can run your fingers through the threads as they are separated from the tire but only on the inside in just that one spot.
 
I wouldn't trust it from the way you describe it. I have four
tires (21" Firestone) that I have in my garage with
none of the symptoms your tire has----and they are 10 years
old, bald and weather cracked. Tires are something I don't take
chances with. JMHO

Jack
 
With a tire that new you should not be getting that inner ply separation.

Those separated threads, as you call them, will also, in time, chaff the tube and cause additional flats. I would not take a chance on a tire in that condition. What brand is the tire? That's one I'd want to stay away from.

JD
 
It's a Firestone tire. The reason for the flat couldn't be determined as there were no nails or punctures in the tire and the tube was torn as I was running about 48 mph when it happened. Let me tell you that was a fun 60 seconds to a stop...

I wonder if the tire came that way new and caused the flat. I didn't notice it when i mounted them though.
 
Hi Kevin,
It is likely you ran that tire with less than 35 psi at some time and caused the delamination or made a weak spot worse. It is pretty common for all us A people to forget to check inflation regularly. The next meet you go to, take a tire guage and ask some of the guys to check their tires. Bet you find several low ones. I am with the others, I would be a little afraid of that one at speed and it will be more likely to abraid the tube and cause more flats.
Rainmaker Ron
 
You are right Ron, I forgot about that. I did have that tire at less than 20 pounds when I returned from Sharon a month ago and I raised it back to 35. I'll bet that's what started it. The car was wandering a bit on the way back but since I was on unfamiliar roads I didn't realize I had a low tire until my Bride pointed out in the garage. Good call!
 
Not sure if you can find a place that still vulcrunizes (sp) patch ? As I remember it was a patch applied internally with heat.
Paul in CT
 
Not to be recommending it to you, but one of my Dad's favorite Model A stories had to do with extending the life of a worn out tire just prior to his personal entry into WWII. He just put a "boot" in the bad tire per the recommendation of a gas station guy. His boot was the mother of all boots. He managed to mount a complete tire, bead and all, inside the best tire. The inner tube held air, but was really unnecessary because the tire-within-a-tire was stiff enough to keep the rim off the ground. He drove the car from Colorado to Illinois. Too bad he didn't perfect the "run flat" concept after the war and maybe get a patent!
 
This may not be directly related to your question, but I offer it as a finding.

I have new Bedford tires (about 1500 miles now) and had two flats recently.

I took the tubes out and inflated to find the leaks.

Interesting that the leaks developed on the inside curve of both tubes. So this got me to thinking. I pulled the tires and I found that the beads on the tires were like razor blades! I inserted the inner tubes into the tires and inflated. Both leaks coincided with the sharpest edges of the tire bead.

I have since used a rasp to remove the edges of the beads on ALL of the tires, and will keep an eye on the pressure.

As for the separation of the threads on your tires, I agree that purchasing a new tire might be the safest bet. Might also be a good time to check the other tires, just to be on the safe side.
 
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