Tyres distortion? - robert
Hi,

A wheel receives a very, very severe clout and is put out of shape. Lets assume its tyre is badly damaged and consequently a brand new tyre is fitted to the, now distorted, wheel rim. The new tyre will, being flexible, follow the distorted shape of the rim - right?

If many thousands of miles later, say 10k, the wheel is changed to a brand new wheel and that same tyre refitted - will the tyre return to its supposed original shape or will it retain any of the distortion from the old wheel?

I know the easy thing to do is buy a new tyre, but 235/45/17 WR's arn't the cheapest of things to change out on a whim.

Does anyone have actual experience of this type of problem.

In anticipation ......

Robert
Re: Tyres distortion? - John Slaughter
Robert

At a guess, with use, yes, but the return to shape may need a rebalance.

Regards

JS
Re: Tyres distortion? - Stuart B
Hmmm, depends on the degree of rim distortion and quite how its deformed.

(Time rallying on threepenny bit rims speaking here)

I would say that the tyre will bend to fit, and presumably enough so that the ride/drive is not too noticeable, but it will have an abnormal wear pattern. So fitting it to a normal rim it will have an abnormal running profile until its worn true again so life will be further shortened. Plus I have not even considered all those miles where the carcass has been flexing slightly different from design,

Its difficult to be more definite without seeing it but my honest advice is that you are playing with 25% of your only contact with the road, winter, leaves, ice, rain, mud????

Don't think I would risk it, every time you went round a corner where that wheel took most of the load would you be thinking about *that* tyre and so reducing driving enjoyment. Sorry this maybe not the answer you want to hear Robert but its my honest opinion.

regards,
Stuart
Re: Tyres distortion? - robert
Stuart,

All seems very logical & sensible & adds a dimension that I hadn't tought of - i.e that of abnormal wear which then of course continues onto the new rim.

I'm having my local tyre centre check the tyre in question out later today so hopefully I might be heading in the right direction - sods law says that I'll have to replace the pair though knowing my luck.

I'll update the thread later.

Regards
Re: Tyres distortion? - John Slaughter
Stuart

Fair point. I was assuming minor distortion, given that the wheel was apparently quite useable for 10k miles, with, I assumed, no major balance problems. In this case uneven wear should be limited, but it should be checked out.

Regards

JS
Re: Tyre distortion how bad can it be?? - Stuart B
John,

I once picked up a car to deliver it as a favour where the wheel had had such a clout that the ns rear tyre was actually appearing sideways out of the wheel arch!

The previous driver remembered the clout but in the next 150 miles, had noticed nothing, and I must admit it took me a couple of miles to spot it and it was only the sideways shimmy at low speed that made me do it, >15mph it was fine. Not only the wheel but the half shaft was also bent, so I guess you realise it was bad.

I think that the wheel could be distorted enough for the driver not to notice it, though it could be noticeable to other drivers of course. As a result all sorts of unpleasant things could happen.

As I indicated above and David Lacey agreed this would take me about three nanoseconds to make the decision. Now paying for it, thats another issue.

Regards,

Stuart
Re: Tyres distortion? - Andrew Tarr
Mention of 3d-bit rims reminds me of a problem a Canadian friend had with his Voyager a few years ago. The rear tyres, which seemed to be true and undamaged, gradually developed a 3d-bit shape with about 7 or 8 faces rather than 12. I think it took specialists a lot of attempts before discovering just which bit of the suspension geometry was causing the problem. At any rate there wasn't any known damage to account for it.
Only one answer - David Lacey
A blow out can have disasterous consequences. Is saving £150ish worth the risk to you (and others)?

Rob - Buy a new tyre, the only answer.

Kind regards

David
Re: Only one answer - robert
Good point ......... You have made my mind up!
Re: Only one answer - Gary Bain
I have just bought two brand new tryres Michelin pilot sport same size as yours Rob and was able to haggle them down to £130 each.
Only one answer - David Lacey
Gary - that's not a bad price!

David
Re: Tyres distortion? - robert
Dear All,

Just back from Micheldever tyres. Four new Conti's fitted & balanced & VAT for £107.46 each!

My front pair were Conti's and had done 29k miles, the rears were Avon's and had done 11k miles. I bought the car 10k miles ago and have had to replace two wheels due to buckling - to which replacement tyres had been fitted.

One Conti & One Avon had suffered from (visibly) uneven wear, so I had to buy two. The mileage on the other Conti also suggested a new tyre and hey - why buy three tyres when you can buy four!

The fitters also advised me that my front wheel bearings had signs of wear and front disks were getting near the end of their life - little did they know that the car was already booked in next monday for those jobs.

All problems now fixed, vibrations (like wheel balancing that couldn't be balanced), & erratic road noise (worse on good surfaces than bad) - so I had a most pleasant drive home up the M3.

Thanks for the feedback - I think I needed some "independant" reassurance before forking out .

Regards ............. Robert
Re: Tyres distortion? - Stuart B
What was it the A team used to say?

I love it when a plan comes together. Nice one Roberto.
The A Team - David W
And which one did you want to be Stuart?

David
Re: The A Team - Stuart B
Now this will show how sad I am, but can't remember the names but,

don't smoke so that's Hannibal out the frame
don't wear jewellery so thats Mr T ditto
definitely not a smoothie so that eliminates the guy who used to scrounge.
not a girlie, well last time I looked so that leaves

the mad guy, yes that figures about right.

Cheers,
Stuart
Re: The A Team - Ashley
Sad i know, but...

Scrounger : Face
Female Reporter : Amy Allen ( not sure about spelling of surname )
Nutter : Howling mad Murdock.
Army Colonel : Decker.

Cheers,

Ash.
The A Team - David Lacey
I know of a local engineer who can (and will) make *anything* and make a damn fine job of it to boot.

We call him (Mad) Murdoch (Behind his back, of course!)
Somebody let it slip one day - but he was none the wiser!

Mr T has to be my all time A team fave.

David
Re: The A Team - markymarkn
"shut up fool"

"I ain't gettin on no damn plane"

classic.
Re: The A Team - David W
Just wondered, more of a Wonder Woman fan...all those special powers.

David