How bad is this?

There was a rock in a rut and scraped the tire...Is it fine or what can I do to fix it?

 

My guess is that it needs to be replaced due to it being on the sidewall.

I wouldn't drive on it other than to the tire shop for replacement.

 

Is it possible to patch it?

 

Doesn't look too bad.

 

There is no fixing sidewall damage. In the picture, it appears to be into the nylon cord used in the construction of the sidewall. If so, I would replace it. Take it from someone with 15 years in the tire business.

Chris

 

Unless you begin to see other symptoms around, I really wouldn't sweat it. Those of us who play in the rocks routinely deal with damage worse than that, even on our daily drivers.

Were it mine, I would glue the flap down to keep it from getting torn off, then run it. Keep any eye on it, but I bet you wear the tire out before it causes you any problems.

If you are racing at the track or some other extreme use, then it might be a fatal blow for the tire. Otherwise, it's just a flesh wound.

 

the BFG rugged trails

 

Is there any patch kit i could buy from autozone or something?

 

well its like a scratch and it isnt tooo deep

 

Well based on that first pic, it doesn't look like there is a pile of tread left anyway? If so, I'd use the sidewall damage as an excuse to buy new rubber all the way around

Honestly, I don't think I'd keep using it much longer. It does look like you can see the cord which is basically down to the tire structure, so the slash is fairly deep.

 

Throw some soapy water on it and see if its leaking..... If its not leaking, I wouldn't worry too much about it but keep a close eye on it.

You can't patch something like that on the sidewall because it flexes. If it's leaking and you have a single 'hole' - you could try and use a plug kit. This might only be a temporary fix until you can get another tire. I've run with tire plugs for many many years without any problems - however - none of them were that far into the sidewall.

Or - do you have a similar spare tire? If you don't feel safe with it, then swap the spare tire out for a while(or permanently). You could probably easily use that tire as a spare if its not leaking.

 

Janster makes a good point with swapping the spare. At the very least I would do this.

The problem with the damaged sidewall in the pictures has to do with heat. As you drive (esp.at highway speeds) the tire heats up. This causes the air pressure inside the tire to increase. If this damaged area has compromised the structural integrity of the sidewall it could "swell" and blowout. The biggest concern being at highway/interstate speeds. Rapid air loss can cause extreme handling problem especially when not expected (ever seen COPS use stop sticks?) Our trucks have a fairly high center of gravity therefore more susceptible to roll over.

Don't take me wrong, I'm not trying to scare anyone or sell a tire for someone. I just want you to know the "worst case scenario." I know what I've seen and been trained to look for over the years (from mounting tires, selling tires, and the construction process.)

Chris

 

I have run Rugged Trails for over 10 years in my geological field vehicles. The flesh wound you show is nothing. I would watch it, but these tires are quality and will stand up to more.

As the other posts say in this thread, watch it with soapy water, but if you do not see any leakage, I would not worry about this at all. I have had much worse and the tires wore out many years later, with no problem.

The key is... buy good quality tires, and trust them. The Rugged Trails are quality and you can trust them.

 

Swap it with your spare maybe?

 

Alright thanks everyone

 

That is one of the funniest avatars I've seen in a while LOL.

Back to the subject, You could drive the truck but be prepaird for a possible blowout but would be better to replace it.

 

Agreed. Good excuse to get better tires!