Tires Bursting

[Maverix]

Well, my tread on my tires are pretty low, and I need to last a couple more weeks before I can get new rims with tires. I'm worried about my tires bursting. I've never been in a situation behind the wheel, but I've been a car where it has happened. So my question is, what was your experience like? Does the car immediately jerk to the direction of where the tire bursted? Is it easy to maneuver the car?

[briansol]

are you showing cords? if not, i wouldn't worry about it

[spidertri]

How much tread do you have left?

[BMW_Hatchback]

I've been in a car where the wheel came off and rolled down the road. It was the rear drivers side wheel. The lugs just snapped, or someone was out to get revenge on someone at my house haha. Anyways, I was scared, but the car immediately stopped, and fell back. It happened in the middle of an intersection, with a police man on the left who came in and helped call a tow truck. Hardly any damage, just some dented body work. I'm sure a bursted tire would be different, because the car might still move. But keep in mind, our wheel came off, and I had to jump out of the car, and run after the rolling wheel before it hit on coming traffic. LOL!

[tiFreak]

if the tire on the front blows it will jerk to that direction more violently than if it was a rear tire, but if the belts aren't showing you shouldn't have to worry about that

[BMW_Hatchback]

If you have any serious doubts right NOW! Change it! don't be like me and think "the car does feel a little wobbly, 1 block later, THUMP!"

[aceyx]

One thing you'll have to worry about when a tire blows is ripping up your body work or the inner wheel plastic (front).

What happens depends on speed, conditions, if you're turning or not, etc.

[angel318ti]

get tires now or stop driving. you're gonna kill yourself or someone else!!!! I have like 8 tires I'm not going to need with decent thread 60% +. pay for shipping and they are yours 235/45/17 all 8.

[Maverix]

Originally Posted by briansol

are you showing cords? if not, i wouldn't worry about it

Not showing yet. But on my moms car, it never showed any wires, and still had a decent amount of tread left before it bursted.

Originally Posted by spidertri

How much tread do you have left?

A minimal amount

Originally Posted by angel318ti

get tires now or stop driving. you're gonna kill yourself or someone else!!!! I have like 8 tires I'm not going to need with decent thread 60% +. pay for shipping and they are yours 235/45/17 all 8.

It wont be long before I get my rims. Probably a month and a half max. I'll then buy brand new tires with my credit card. I really appreciate it though.

If I get a flat, or if the tire bursts, I'm gonna have to run on the spare for a while. I know spare tires are only suppose to get you to the nearest auto shop, but i'm just to stubborn and cheap atm. I'll start kicking myself when the spare goes out.

[briansol]

well, tires can burst even with full tread... could've been ttally un-related.


spares are good for 50 miles at 50mph. MAX. if you run it more than that, then you also need to buy a new spare tire, and risk blowing that out easily.

i'd rather drive on a tire near the cords than a spare...

[bmvw]

Once the tread is gone, you will gradually progress thru several sets of cords. The number of cord (radial belt) layers depends on who made the tire, but there are at least two sets of belts. In most tires, the belts are steel and will cut your hands.

Once you see the belts, even if just on the inner or outer edge, you MUST replace the tires.

If there is a little tread left you can still drive the car, but you are in high danger of skidding on wet/damp/loose surfaces. However, a "bald" tire offers greater control on clean dry surfaces than tires with a lot of tread - you might want to save them for auto-x if you plan to do that.

Another problem with worn tires is roadhazard susceptibility - nails & such get thru the thin tread a lot easier.

If you have to drive on worn tires, watch it especially in rain, and check often for low tire pressure.

[briansol]

Originally Posted by bmvw

However, a "bald" tire offers greater control on clean dry surfaces than tires with a lot of tread

not necessarily.

while you won't have tire flex, unless it's a comp tire designed to be shaved, traction will be much lower than a full life tire.

[aceyx]

Originally Posted by briansol

not necessarily.

while you won't have tire flex, unless it's a comp tire designed to be shaved, traction will be much lower than a full life tire.

Correct. A full-tread tire has a completely different rubber compound than a slick.

Not to mention when you've run out of tread, you've run that tire through thousands of heat cycles (which makes them stiff).